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Print - 2015-01-04
US FOB Gulf soya export premiums stay unchanged

US FOB Gulf soya export premiums stay unchanged

US soyabean export premiums were flat at Gulf Coast terminals on Friday amid steady demand, and corn premiums were mostly unchanged, traders said. Export demand for US soyabeans is expected to taper off starting in late February as large Brazilian harvest
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Asian naphtha crack touched two-session low

Asian naphtha crack touched two-session low

The Asian naphtha crack touched a two-session low of $30.18 in its first day of trading Friday on higher supplies and amid low volumes as most traders had yet to come back from new year holidays. At least three sale tenders for up to a total of 61,500 ton
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Canadian canola futures rise

Canadian canola futures rise

ICE Canadian canola futures rose on Friday on weakness in the Canadian dollar, which made canola more attractive in global trade against other oilseeds. The Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level against the greenback in 5-1/2 years, as it was hit by a
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Russia's oil output hits post-Soviet record high

Russia's oil output hits post-Soviet record high

Russia's 2014 oil output hit a post-Soviet record high average of 10.58 million barrels per day (bpd), rising by 0.7 percent helped by small non-state producers, Energy Ministry data showed on Friday. Oil and gas condensate production in December hit 10.6
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Chicago soyabeans face biggest yearly loss

Chicago soyabeans face biggest yearly loss

Chicago soyabean futures were set to end 2014 with their biggest loss in a decade as bumper production in the United States and South America replenished global supply of the protein-rich oilseed. Corn and wheat were also poised to post an annual decline
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
European wheat futures drop to two-week low

European wheat futures drop to two-week low

European wheat futures dropped on Friday to their lowest in almost two weeks, tracking a fall in US prices as wheat markets pull back from recent highs caused by Russian export restrictions. A further slide in the euro, which touched a 4-1/2 year low agai
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Current account is key Africa success factor in 2015

Current account is key Africa success factor in 2015

A positive balance of payments will be the key African success factor in 2015. Rapid growth is likely to continue. The IMF predicts 5.8 percent GDP growth for sub-Saharan Africa, up from 5.1 percent in 2014. However overspending, overborrowing and - in so
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Spain's Carbures restates first-half results

Spain's Carbures restates first-half results

Spanish carbon fibre manufacturer Carbures restated its 2014 first-half results late on Friday and said it expects to report a full-year loss after a full audit halved its sales figures for the first six months of the year. Carbures, which requested the s
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Ship collision causes 33,000 barrel oil spill off Singapore

Ship collision causes 33,000 barrel oil spill off Singapore

An oil tanker and a bulk carrier collided off Singapore on Friday, causing a crude oil spill, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said. The Libyan-registered oil tanker Alyarmouk collided with the Singapore-registered bulk carrier Sinar Kapuas about 11
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Car sales slump in France, but rise in Spain and Italy

Car sales slump in France, but rise in Spain and Italy

France's floundering economy pushed car sales 6.8 percent lower year-on-year in December, while Spanish sales jumped by 21.4 percent, helped by a subsidy scheme, and also rose in Italy, according to auto industry associations. The contrasting year-end per
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Car sales slump in France, but rise in Spain and Italy

Car sales slump in France, but rise in Spain and Italy

France's floundering economy pushed car sales 6.8 percent lower year-on-year in December, while Spanish sales jumped by 21.4 percent, helped by a subsidy scheme, and also rose in Italy, according to auto industry associations. The contrasting year-end per
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Iraq oil exports soar but low prices hit revenue

Iraq oil exports soar but low prices hit revenue

Iraq's oil exports reached their highest level in decades in December, the oil ministry's spokesman said on Saturday, but vital revenues were being hit by the plummeting prices of crude. Iraq exported 91.141 million barrels of oil in December for an avera
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Yahoo search engine down shortly after Bing outage

Yahoo search engine down shortly after Bing outage

Yahoo Inc's search engine was down on Friday, shortly after Microsoft Corp's search engine, Bing, was also briefly unavailable before recovering. Users who typed search.yahoo.com got an error message saying that Yahoo engineers were working to resolve the
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Uber rings in New Year with two million rides

Uber rings in New Year with two million rides

Car-sharing startup Uber on Friday bragged it rang in the New Year with two million rides, many of them apparently to revellers heading home in early morning hours. And while demand for rides spiked from one to two in the morning in most cities where Uber
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
California leaders set for high-speed rail groundbreaking

California leaders set for high-speed rail groundbreaking

California on Tuesday will break ground in Fresno on its ambitious but controversial high-speed rail project, marking another milestone for Governor Jerry Brown and for foreign manufacturers waiting to bid on lucrative train contracts. The United States l
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Lehman brokerage trustee, Pimco settle US bankruptcy claims

Lehman brokerage trustee, Pimco settle US bankruptcy claims

The trustee liquidating Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc's brokerage unit has agreed with Pacific Investment Management Co unit to resolve $187.4 million of the money management firm's customer claims, likely at a fraction of their estimated value.
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Lehman brokerage trustee, Pimco settle US bankruptcy claims

Lehman brokerage trustee, Pimco settle US bankruptcy claims

The trustee liquidating Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc's brokerage unit has agreed with Pacific Investment Management Co unit to resolve $187.4 million of the money management firm's customer claims, likely at a fraction of their estimated value.
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Tycoon prince assails Saudi fiscal policy over deficit

Tycoon prince assails Saudi fiscal policy over deficit

Billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has lashed out at the Saudi fiscal policy after projecting the largest ever budget deficit for 2015 following the slump in oil prices. "We have reached the danger point... after starting to withdraw from the reserves,
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Vuzix gets Intel investment for smart glasses

Vuzix gets Intel investment for smart glasses

Vuzix Corporation said on Friday that Intel Corp invested $24.8 million in the company to speed up the launch of Internet-connected eyewear. Intel bought preferred stock that is convertible into common shares equivalent to 30 percent of Vuzix, Vuzix said
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Mexico says energy price hikes over for 2015

Mexico says energy price hikes over for 2015

Mexico's government said on Friday that its latest "gasolinazo," or gasoline price spike, will be the only increase this year. The fuel price hike in the world's 10th biggest crude producer comes as slumping international oil prices have led to dramatical
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Air Berlin spends on new seats in turnaround push

Air Berlin spends on new seats in turnaround push

Loss-making German airline Air Berlin will invest hundreds of millions of euros in new seats as part of a turnaround programme, a magazine reported on Friday citing an executive at the carrier. The new slimline seats - to be made by German aircraft seatin
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Emaar Properties names Amit Jain as group COO

Emaar Properties names Amit Jain as group COO

Dubai's largest developer Emaar Properties has named Amit Jain as group chief operating officer and chief executive of Emaar's Dubai operations, it said in a statement on December 31. Jain was previously executive director of finance and group chief finan
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Bombardier receives order for 24 jets worth a total of $1.14 billion

Bombardier receives order for 24 jets worth a total of $1.14 billion

Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has received an order for 24 CRJ900 NextGen regional jets worth a total of $1.14 billion, the industry giant said. An anonymous buyer purchased the CRJ900 planes, which can transport as many as 90 passengers for u
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
BG Group receives $350 million payment from Egypt

BG Group receives $350 million payment from Egypt

Britain's BG Group said on January 02 it had received a $350 million payment from the Egyptian government following the country's decision to repay outstanding debts to the energy industry. Egypt has delayed payments to oil and gas firms as its economy ha
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Bank Muscat sells Oman brokerage business to Gulf Baader

Bank Muscat sells Oman brokerage business to Gulf Baader

Bank Muscat, Oman's largest lender, has sold its brokerage business to Gulf Baader Capital Markets, a brokerage firm based in the sultanate, the lender said. The decision to sell the business was due to the bank's review of "strategic alternatives and ope
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Bank Muscat sells Oman brokerage business to Gulf Baader

Bank Muscat sells Oman brokerage business to Gulf Baader

Bank Muscat, Oman's largest lender, has sold its brokerage business to Gulf Baader Capital Markets, a brokerage firm based in the sultanate, the lender said. The decision to sell the business was due to the bank's review of "strategic alternatives and ope
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Shanghai firms launch 200 million yuan carbon fund

Shanghai firms launch 200 million yuan carbon fund

Two Shanghai-based companies launched a 200 million yuan ($32m) fund on December 31, 2014 to invest in projects that generate carbon credits for China's carbon market. The fund, operated by a subsidiary of Haitong Securities and project developer Treasure
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Shanghai firms launch 200 million yuan carbon fund

Shanghai firms launch 200 million yuan carbon fund

Two Shanghai-based companies launched a 200 million yuan ($32m) fund on December 31, 2014 to invest in projects that generate carbon credits for China's carbon market. The fund, operated by a subsidiary of Haitong Securities and project developer Treasure
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Coke to cut up to 2,000 jobs: WSJ

Coke to cut up to 2,000 jobs: WSJ

Coca-Cola Co plans to cut 1,000 to 2,000 jobs globally in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The job cuts are part of Coke's $3 billion cost-cutting plans, which it announced in October after postin
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
India's Micromax plans up to $500 million IPO

India's Micromax plans up to $500 million IPO

Micromax Informatics, India's second-largest smartphone maker, plans to raise as much as $500 million through a stock market listing in its financial year beginning in April, the Economic Times newspaper reported on January 03. Micromax, which entered the
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
India's Micromax plans up to $500 million IPO

India's Micromax plans up to $500 million IPO

Micromax Informatics, India's second-largest smartphone maker, plans to raise as much as $500 million through a stock market listing in its financial year beginning in April, the Economic Times newspaper reported on January 03. Micromax, which entered the
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Petrobras blocks new contracts with graft-accused constructors

Petrobras blocks new contracts with graft-accused constructors

Brazilian state-owned oil giant Petrobras is temporarily blacklisting top construction firms linked to a multimillion-dollar graft scandal pending the outcome of an investigation. Brazilian authorities are investigating how a constructors' cartel shared o
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Huawei says 2014 sales revenue to rise

Huawei says 2014 sales revenue to rise

Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies expects advances in cloud computing and higher demand for smart devices to have lifted 2014 sales revenue by 15 percent to $46 billion, CEO Ken Hu said in a new year's message on the company's website.
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Huawei says 2014 sales revenue to rise

Huawei says 2014 sales revenue to rise

Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies expects advances in cloud computing and higher demand for smart devices to have lifted 2014 sales revenue by 15 percent to $46 billion, CEO Ken Hu said in a new year's message on the company's website.
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Pharma, biotech on a roll as drug approvals hit 18-year high

Pharma, biotech on a roll as drug approvals hit 18-year high

US drug approvals in 2014 hit their highest level in 18 years and recommendations in Europe also came at a rapid rate, driven by expensive new treatments for cancer and rare diseases. After suffering a wave of patent losses on blockbuster products, which
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Hyundai-Kia see 2015 sales growth weakest in 12 years

Hyundai-Kia see 2015 sales growth weakest in 12 years

Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp forecast sales this year to grow at the slowest pace since 2003, hampered by capacity constraints and a weaker yen that is likely to give Japanese rivals an edge in key markets. Hyundai and Kia, together the
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Hyundai-Kia see 2015 sales growth weakest in 12 years

Hyundai-Kia see 2015 sales growth weakest in 12 years

Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp forecast sales this year to grow at the slowest pace since 2003, hampered by capacity constraints and a weaker yen that is likely to give Japanese rivals an edge in key markets. Hyundai and Kia, together the
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Office exercises for tired eyes

Office exercises for tired eyes

To prevent getting watery or reddened eyes from hours sitting at a computer, workers should take regular breaks from the screen, an independent German vision and eyewear education group advises. The group, the Good Vision Advisory Board (KGS), also recomm
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Biological bad luck blamed in two-thirds of cancer cases

Biological bad luck blamed in two-thirds of cancer cases

Plain old bad luck plays a major role in determining who gets cancer and who does not, according to researchers who found that two-thirds of cancer incidence of various types can be blamed on random mutations and not heredity or risky habits like smoking.
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Elderly should take cholesterol lowering statins

Elderly should take cholesterol lowering statins

Nearly everyone aged 66 to 75 should consider taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke, new guidelines said. A total of 97 percent of people in the age group, and 100 percent of men, should be on the
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Not all obese people prone to poor health: study

Not all obese people prone to poor health: study

US scientists encouraged 20 obese people to eat extra fast food for several months, and found that about a quarter stayed in good health despite the additional pounds they gained. The study in the January 02 edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigatio
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Hollow tree was Ebola's Ground Zero: scientists

Hollow tree was Ebola's Ground Zero: scientists

Insect-eating bats that inhabited a hollow tree in a remote village in Guinea may have been the source of the world's biggest Ebola epidemic, scientists said on December 30. More than 20,000 cases of Ebola, with at least 7,800 deaths, have been recorded b
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Carbs more harmful than saturated fats

Carbs more harmful than saturated fats

Long-derided saturated fats - associated with an array of health problems such as heart disease - caught a break when research revealed their intake could be doubled or even nearly tripled without driving up their level in a person's blood. Carbohydrates,
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Scientists make strides in tsunami warning

Scientists make strides in tsunami warning

The 2004 tsunami led to greater global co-operation and improved techniques for detecting waves that could reach faraway shores, even though scientists still cannot predict when an earthquake will strike. A decade ago, scientists did not have a tsunami wa
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Wearable tech will go from novelty to necessity

Wearable tech will go from novelty to necessity

Wearable technology is a novelty. Soon it will become a necessity. Consumers are embracing activity-tracking wristbands, which tell wearers how many steps they took or hours they slept. More than three million were sold in the United States alone in the y
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Wearable tech will go from novelty to necessity

Wearable tech will go from novelty to necessity

Wearable technology is a novelty. Soon it will become a necessity. Consumers are embracing activity-tracking wristbands, which tell wearers how many steps they took or hours they slept. More than three million were sold in the United States alone in the y
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold

Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold

Kenya's technology rush gave hope that new ideas would help millions of Africans use their mobile phones to circumvent poor infrastructure but local start-ups are failing to draw major investors or create profits. Lack of talent, problems in attaining see
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Email, Internet remain top workplace tools: study

Email, Internet remain top workplace tools: study

Americans see email and the Internet as the most important tools for productivity at work, and still prefer landlines over cellphones for the office, a study showed Tuesday. The Pew Research Center found 61 percent of those surveyed cited email as "very i
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
China's Huawei 2014 smartphone shipments grow by 40 percent

China's Huawei 2014 smartphone shipments grow by 40 percent

Huawei Technology Co Ltd's smartphone shipments rose by more than 40 percent in 2014, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters, failing to match its own target and the performance of faster growing rivals such as Xiaomi Inc. Although Huawei's shipmen
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Trim down smartphone, heave the bloatware overboard

Trim down smartphone, heave the bloatware overboard

It is possible to get something for nothing. Just turn on a brand new smartphone and most users will find an array of software already preinstalled. Whether that's a good or bad thing is the question. Many smartphone users quickly realise that the preinst
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
'Connected life' at the heart of CES electronics show

'Connected life' at the heart of CES electronics show

In the air, in your car, on your back - new technology at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show is showcasing the growing number of ways to live the "connected life." The so-called "Internet of Things" is leading to a wider range of wearable tech, from s
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Germans turn to high-tech sensors in geriatric medicine

Germans turn to high-tech sensors in geriatric medicine

Faced with an ageing population and blessed with excellent engineers, Germany is increasingly looking to high technology to make geriatric medicine more effective and less obtrusive. In the western German city of Aachen, researchers have developed a dehyd
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
IN SHORT: Newest update of Opera's iOS browser

IN SHORT: Newest update of Opera's iOS browser

The newest update of Opera's iOS browser, Coast version 4.00, allows websites to be compressed to make the most of slow mobile internet connections. It also supports Handoff, an Apple feature that allows users to start looking at a website on one machine
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
IN SHORT: new Twitter app lets you analyse your tweets

IN SHORT: new Twitter app lets you analyse your tweets

Anyone curious about how far their tweets have spread and how much interest they've garnered can now turn to Twitter's official iOS app. Checking a sent tweet will pull up an analysis tool. Clicking on it allows a user to see how many people viewed the tw
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
IN SHORT: register your new mobile number with Whatsapp

IN SHORT: register your new mobile number with Whatsapp

Popular instant messaging service Whatsapp can run into a roadblock if a user switches phone numbers, as the account is tied to a specific number. If you get a new number be careful that you've deregistered the old one, otherwise the new owner of your old
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
IN SHORT: remove annoying 'sent from my smartphone' signature lines

IN SHORT: remove annoying 'sent from my smartphone' signature lines

You probably see it daily. Your reaction is likely "Why should I care?" "It" is the automated signature line that most smartphones tack onto the end of emails. Usually it reads along the lines of "sent from my smartphone." A lot of users don't know how th
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Easy credit feeds risky margin trades in Chinese stocks

Easy credit feeds risky margin trades in Chinese stocks

'High leverage, low thresholds!' the website says. "(China's) A shares are heating up; if you don't allocate capital now, then when?" Many, it appears, are choosing now, gorging on cheap credit to ride a wild stock market rally. The website, Jinfuzi.com,
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
After 2014's party, investors in US stock market may face a hangover

After 2014's party, investors in US stock market may face a hangover

Revelers ringing in the new year this week need to watch out for the next day's hangover. Investors may experience a similar feeling early in 2015 after a two-year run that has propelled US stocks up by nearly 50 percent. The S&P 500 gained more than 11 p
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Chile's stock index seen growing 10 percent in 2015

Chile's stock index seen growing 10 percent in 2015

Shares on Chile's stock exchange are seen gaining 10 percent in 2015, more than double the pace this year, according to eight analysts surveyed by Reuters, as falling oil prices and a stronger dollar give a boost to power utilities and wine producers. The
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
TSX kicks off 2015 with gains

TSX kicks off 2015 with gains

Canada's main stock index rose on Friday, lifted by energy and mining stocks, which were up even though oil and copper prices fell in the first trading session of the year. Oil, which has been weighed down by concerns about a supply glut and weakening dem
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Wall Street Week Ahead: New year may mean new view on energy stocks

Wall Street Week Ahead: New year may mean new view on energy stocks

Last year was an ugly one for the US energy sector, and while the first trading day of 2015 pointed to continued weakness in oil, investors are starting to look to when the sector might start to recover. Crude oil prices fell 42 percent in the fourth quar
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Investors eye 2015 with big appetite for hedge funds

Investors eye 2015 with big appetite for hedge funds

Wealthy investors are poised to put at least $90 billion into hedge funds next year, even after returns have largely been lackluster this year, research firm eVestment said on Tuesday. Fresh demand from pension funds, endowments, and insurers looking for
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Investors eye 2015 with big appetite for hedge funds

Investors eye 2015 with big appetite for hedge funds

Wealthy investors are poised to put at least $90 billion into hedge funds next year, even after returns have largely been lackluster this year, research firm eVestment said on Tuesday. Fresh demand from pension funds, endowments, and insurers looking for
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Treasury prices gain

Treasury prices gain

US Treasury prices gained on Friday after data showed that growth in the American manufacturing sector slowed more than expected in December and oil touched a post-2009 low. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory acti
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Treasury prices gain

Treasury prices gain

US Treasury prices gained on Friday after data showed that growth in the American manufacturing sector slowed more than expected in December and oil touched a post-2009 low. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory acti
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Global stock markets expected to rally in 2015 on more cheap cash

Global stock markets expected to rally in 2015 on more cheap cash

Global stock markets are expected to rally next year as central banks in Asia and Europe flood markets with fresh liquidity just as others begin tightening, Reuters polls showed on Wednesday. Accommodative monetary policy drove a bull market in stocks in
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Russian company debt contaminates sovereign dollar bonds

Russian company debt contaminates sovereign dollar bonds

As Russia confronts financial crisis, investors in its sovereign dollar bonds are braced for things to get worse before they get better, even though few expect a full-blown sovereign default. The Russian state, they say, is a diligent payer of debts howev
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Russian company debt contaminates sovereign dollar bonds

Russian company debt contaminates sovereign dollar bonds

As Russia confronts financial crisis, investors in its sovereign dollar bonds are braced for things to get worse before they get better, even though few expect a full-blown sovereign default. The Russian state, they say, is a diligent payer of debts howev
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Wall Street first session of 2015 flat as data weighs

Wall Street first session of 2015 flat as data weighs

US stocks closed little changed on Friday in the first trading session of 2015, finishing well off session highs as economic data short-circuited early gains. In a sign of tepid economic conditions, construction spending unexpectedly fell 0.3 percent in N
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Weak Colombia peso will nudge inflation higher: central bank

Weak Colombia peso will nudge inflation higher: central bank

A drop of nearly one quarter in the value of Colombia's peso in 2014 will lead to some inflationary pressures, the minutes of the central bank's latest policy-setting meeting showed Friday, though it was unclear how big the impact on prices would be. A sl
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
South Africa's rand weakens

South Africa's rand weakens

South Africa's rand slipped to a two-week low against the US dollar on Friday, tracking a weaker euro which stumbled after the European Central Bank said it will soon embark on outright money-printing. Mario Draghi, the head of the ECB, fuelled expectatio
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Turkey's central bank hikes forex reserve requirements

Turkey's central bank hikes forex reserve requirements

Turkey's central bank raised foreign exchange reserve requirement ratios on Saturday, citing the need to support financial stability amid volatility in global markets. With the lira currency trading at record lows against the dollar, the changes are inten
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Euro share of FX reserves lowest in more than decade: IMF data

Euro share of FX reserves lowest in more than decade: IMF data

The share of currency reserves in the euro held by central banks fell to its lowest in over a decade in the third quarter of 2014 at less than 23 percent, according to International Monetary Fund data released on December 31. The euro share of IMF reserve
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Dollar hits highs against euro, franc after Draghi fuels QE bets

Dollar hits highs against euro, franc after Draghi fuels QE bets

The US dollar hit its highest against the euro in 4-1/2 years on Friday and reached parity with the Swiss franc after comments from European Central Bank President Mario Draghi underscored the divergence between European and US monetary policy.
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Rising rouble calms Latam markets after recent rout

Rising rouble calms Latam markets after recent rout

Latin American stocks and currencies were mostly stronger on Wednesday after Russia's rouble rebounded against the dollar, easing investor jitters over global financial stability. Debt, equities and foreign exchange markets in Latin America have been hamm
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Loonie starts 2015 at 5-1/2-year low

Loonie starts 2015 at 5-1/2-year low

The Canadian dollar dived to a more than 5-1/2-year low against the greenback on Friday, striking a weak tone at the start of 2015 as it took hits from a rally in the US dollar and another drop in oil prices. Traders returned to their desks to take the lo
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Asia: pricing-war hotspot for African, Gulf oil producers

Asia: pricing-war hotspot for African, Gulf oil producers

Asia has become a hotspot for a price war between African and Gulf oil producers who, hobbled by bulging global supplies and waning demand, are offering steep discounts to defend their market share in the world's top net crude buying region. The competiti
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Cotton hits 3-1/2-week low on stronger dollar, producer selling

Cotton hits 3-1/2-week low on stronger dollar, producer selling

Cotton futures fell for the second straight session on Friday, hitting a 3-1/2-week low on a stronger dollar and selling from producers who held onto their crop until the new year for tax purposes. The most-active March cotton contract on ICE Futures US f
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
New York gold rebounds from one-month low

New York gold rebounds from one-month low

Gold rebounded from a one-month low on Friday, as weaker-than-expected US manufacturing data counteracted the impact of a stronger dollar, but still looked set to post its third straight weekly loss. Spot gold fell to its lowest since December 1 at $1,168
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Oil prices hit new lows; gold dips

Oil prices hit new lows; gold dips

Oil prices extended their slide this week, kicking off the new year with 5.5-year low points, as tepid eurozone demand offset a pick-up in the US economy. The dollar strengthened, hitting demand for commodities like crude and metals priced in the US unit.
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Djokovic illness hands Murray first win of season

Djokovic illness hands Murray first win of season

World number one Novak Djokovic withdrew from the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi on Saturday handing Andy Murray his first title of the season. Serb Djokovic had dismissed Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals of the exhibition e
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
South Africa aim for big lead

South Africa aim for big lead

South African captain Hashim Amla made a patient half-century as he and AB de Villiers steered their team towards a sound position on the second day of the third and final Test against the West Indies at Newlands on Saturday. South Africa were 227 for thr
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
West Brom stroll on Pulis bow, Newcastle out

West Brom stroll on Pulis bow, Newcastle out

Tony Pulis's West Bromwich Albion tenure began with a 7-0 demolition of non-league Gateshead in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, while Leicester City eliminated managerless Newcastle United. Pulis was appointed as West Brom's new head coach on New Year
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Trott bids to revive Test career on South Africa tour

Trott bids to revive Test career on South Africa tour

Former England batsman Jonathan Trott will continue to try to revive his test career on his first overseas tour since leaving the Ashes in Australia with stress issues just over a year ago. The 33-year-old is captain of a 15-man England Lions squad, which
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Johnson doubtful for fourth India Test

Johnson doubtful for fourth India Test

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson is doubtful for the fourth and final test against India next week after a hamstring problem forced him out of training on Saturday. The 33-year-old reigning ICC Cricketer of the Year's decision to sit out Saturday's
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Sangakkara joins elite 12,000-runs club

Sangakkara joins elite 12,000-runs club

Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara joined an elite group of cricketers Saturday when he became only the fifth to make 12,000 runs in his career. The prolific 37-year-old left-hander reached the milestone when he knocked Trent Boult square for two in Sri
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Griezmann double keeps Atletico on Real's shoulders

Griezmann double keeps Atletico on Real's shoulders

La Liga champions Atletico Madrid remained in the race to retain their title with a comfortable 3-1 win over Levante on Saturday thanks to two goals from Antoine Griezmann. With Fernando Torres watching on from the stands before his move back to his boyho
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
15 fall in Sri Lanka, New Zealand wicket fest

15 fall in Sri Lanka, New Zealand wicket fest

Fifteen wickets fell in a bowlers' blitz Saturday as Sri Lanka ended the first day of the second Test in Wellington at 78-5 in reply to New Zealand's first innings 221. Sri Lanka's response in their attempt to level the series after an eight wicket drubbi
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Sartre's 'Non to Nobel prize came too late'

Sartre's 'Non to Nobel prize came too late'

A letter sent by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre in 1964 declining the Nobel Prize for Literature came too late to avert one of the biggest debacles in its history, Swedish media reported Saturday. Sartre's letter arrived nearly a month after he had b
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Hungarian protesters keep up pressure on government

Hungarian protesters keep up pressure on government

Thousands of Hungarians staged an anti-government protest on Friday, maintaining pressure on Prime Minister Viktor Orban's centre-right administration which has lost about a third of its popular support since October. Orban's Fidesz party won a new term w
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
New air strike on Libyan city Misrata, clashes near oil port

New air strike on Libyan city Misrata, clashes near oil port

Forces loyal to Libya's internationally recognised government on Saturday staged air strikes on the commercial port of Misrata, a western city allied to a group that holds the capital Tripoli, both sides said. Fighting was also reported near the country's
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
EU to set up expert cell to fight jihadist propaganda

EU to set up expert cell to fight jihadist propaganda

The European Union plans to set up a cell of advisors in Belgium that member governments can tap to fight jihadist propaganda, a top EU official told a newspaper Saturday. "The idea is for Belgium to welcome a cell of experts who can offer European countr
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Iran says no deal with US to ship enriched uranium to Russia

Iran says no deal with US to ship enriched uranium to Russia

Iran denied on Saturday that it had reached an agreement with the United States to ship its surplus enriched uranium to Russia under new concessions aimed at clinching a comprehensive nuclear deal with six world powers. The Associated Press, citing diplom
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Girl survives US plane crash

Girl survives US plane crash

A seven-year-old girl walked free from the wreckage of a private plane that crashed in a wooded area of Kentucky on Friday killing four others on board, US police said. Police were alerted to the crash when they received an emergency call from a local res
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
'Father of Lebanese wine' dies

'Father of Lebanese wine' dies

Serge Hochar, CEO of the famed Lebanese winery Chateau Musar and credited with cultivating an international reputation for his country's wine, has died aged 75. His death on December 31 was announced by Chateau Musar on Facebook, and was marked in interna
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
US embassy in Indonesia issues security alert for city of Surabaya

US embassy in Indonesia issues security alert for city of Surabaya

The US embassy in Indonesia issued a security alert on Saturday for its citizens in the country's second biggest city Surabaya. "The US Embassy has been made aware of a potential threat against US-associated hotels and banks in Surabaya, Indonesia," the e
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
Homes lost as bushfire rages out of control in Australia

Homes lost as bushfire rages out of control in Australia

Dozens of homes were feared lost as an intense bushfire raged out of control in South Australia Saturday, with fire-fighters struggling to contain the worst blaze in decades as strong winds fanned the flames. "Your life is at risk," South Australian Premi
Published 04 Jan, 2015 12:00am
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