International News
US close: Stocks plunge as interest rate rise fears take hold
US stocks closed sharply lower on Friday to end a gloomy week as a strong non-farm payrolls report added weight to rate hike expectations.
Europe close: Markets close week in miserable fashion
European shares ended the week in a truly miserable fashion, with markets finishing lower for the fifth day in a row as a bigger-than-expected fourth quarter loss at Deutsche Bank hit sentiment.
FX round-up: Dollar climbs as payrolls report beats expectations
The dollar rose after official figures showed earnings for US workers rising faster than expectations, fuelling expectations of interest rate rises to come.
Dell eyes merger with software provider VMware
US personal computer manufacturer Dell was said to be looking into a move that would merge the firm with business software provider VMware.
Bitcoin continues to dive as regulatory threats mount, experts clash
Bitcoin fell below $8,000 on Friday for the first time since November as an already straining year for cryptocurrencies continued with an US regulatory investigation and attack from economist Nouriel Roubini.
Michigan consumer sentiment index falls in January
US consumer sentiment deteriorated in January, according to figures released by the University of Michigan.
US open: Stocks drop as strong payrolls reinforce rate hike expectations
US stocks fell in early trade on Friday as a strong non-farm payrolls report added weight to rate hike expectations.
US could hike rates four times in 2018 as average earnings surge
US average hourly earnings surged as more jobs were added than expected in January, official figures showed on Friday, adding strength to the conviction that interest rates will be hiked three or even four more times this year.
Asia report: Most markets lower, dollar strengthens
Markets in Asia mostly suffered on Friday, after a mixed session on Wall Street overnight, with technology plays firmly in the red.
US pre-open: Stocks to drop as yields keep rising; payrolls eyed
US futures pointed to big losses at the open on Friday amid rising government bond yields, as investors looked to the latest non-farm payrolls report.
Amazon posts best ever quarter in terms of revenue
E-commerce behemoth Amazon reported a quarterly profit of almost $2bn as it reeled in millions of new customers to its Prime fast-shipping club during the holiday season.
Alphabet profits fall more than expected as costs rise
Google's parent company Alphabet fell short of quarterly profit forecasts in the three months leading to 31 December as growth seen in its advertising department was offset by heightened promotional spending on the likes of YouTube and its cloud computing services.
Apple posts enormous profits despite faltering iPhone
Apple posted the largest quarterly profit in its history in spite of falling numbers of iPhone sales, with the stock climbing in pre-market trading ahead of Friday's open.