German business activity expanded at a faster-than-expected pace in February, supported by a rebound in manufacturing and stronger momentum in the services sector, according to flash PMI data released on Friday. The German Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 53.1 in February, exceeding market expectations of 52.2 and improving …

Oil prices edged higher in Asian trading on Friday, building on strong gains from the previous two sessions and putting benchmarks on course for a weekly rise of around 6%, as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran stoked fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East. By 22:41 …

U.K. retail sales posted a strong start to the year in January, significantly outperforming expectations and building on December’s gains, suggesting that consumers entered the new year with a greater degree of confidence than anticipated. According to data released Friday by the Office for National Statistics, retail sales volumes rose …

Bitcoin declined further on Thursday, extending its recent downtrend after hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve’s January meeting minutes heightened uncertainty over the outlook for U.S. interest rates. The cryptocurrency sector was also pressured by broader risk aversion amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran. The world’s …

U.S. stock index futures edged lower on Thursday as investors digested a more hawkish tone from the Federal Reserve’s January meeting minutes, alongside fresh earnings from key retail and industrial bellwethers. At 05:55 ET (10:55 GMT), Dow Jones futures fell 190 points, or 0.4%, S&P 500 futures declined 25 points, …

Shares of major Italian utility companies fell sharply on Thursday after the government approved an increase in corporate taxation targeting the energy sector, raising concerns over profitability and regulatory risk. By 09:11 GMT, shares in A2A (BIT: A2) were down 3.5%, while Enel (BIT: ENEI) slipped 3.1%. Hera (BIT: HRA) …

European equity markets traded lower on Thursday as investors worked through a heavy slate of quarterly corporate results while remaining cautious amid elevated geopolitical tensions. By 03:02 ET (08:02 GMT), Germany’s DAX fell 0.3%, France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.2%, and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 declined 0.2%, reflecting a broadly risk-averse …

Gold prices moved higher in Asian trading on Thursday, building on a sharp rally in the previous session, as investors weighed persistent geopolitical tensions against mixed signals from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Spot gold rose 0.9% to $5,019.95 an ounce by 02:03 ET (07:03 GMT), while U.S. gold futures gained …

U.S. stock index futures traded higher on Wednesday, as investors positioned themselves ahead of the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting and a new round of quarterly corporate earnings. At 05:15 ET (10:15 GMT), Dow Jones futures climbed 260 points, or 0.5%, S&P 500 futures advanced …

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is planning to step down from her role ahead of schedule, potentially before the end of her term in October 2027, in a move that would allow French President Emmanuel Macron to influence the selection of her successor, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. …