New applications for U.S. unemployment benefits edged slightly lower last week, pointing to continued restraint in layoffs, even as weak hiring deepens concerns among households about the labor market. Initial claims fell by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 209,000 in the week ended January 24, the Labor Department said Thursday. …

U.S. stock futures inched higher on Thursday as investors weighed a mixed round of mega-cap technology earnings alongside the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged. By 05:25 ET, Dow Jones futures were up 60 points, S&P 500 futures gained 16 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 85 points. …

Bitcoin slipped back toward the $88,000 level on Thursday, remaining under pressure despite a softer U.S. dollar and a historic surge in gold, as investors absorbed the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged. The world’s largest cryptocurrency traded 1% lower at $88,201.6 by 01:56 ET (06:56 GMT). Bitcoin …

The U.S. dollar remained under pressure on Thursday, hovering near a four-year low as economic and political uncertainty continued to weigh on sentiment following the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged. By early European trade, the Dollar Index slipped 0.2% to 96.080, remaining close to levels last seen …

European stocks traded in mixed fashion on Thursday, as investors digested a wave of corporate earnings following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged. By mid-morning, Germany’s DAX slipped 0.7%, while France’s CAC 40 gained 0.9% and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 rose 0.6%. The Federal Reserve held …

Gold prices surged to fresh record highs on Thursday, climbing close to the $5,600-an-ounce mark as investors rushed into safe-haven assets following reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a new military strike on Iran. Spot gold jumped more than 2% to a record $5,595.41 an ounce, while April …

Amazon has announced another major round of layoffs as it accelerates its shift toward generative artificial intelligence and continues to streamline a workforce that ballooned during the pandemic. Beth Galetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of human resources, said in a blog post on Wednesday that the company has been “reducing …

The U.S. dollar weakened further on Wednesday, hovering near a four-year low and extending sharp losses from the previous session, as investors focused on the Federal Reserve’s upcoming interest rate decision. At 04:00 ET (09:00 GMT), the Dollar Index—which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies—edged 0.1% …

U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Wednesday as investors positioned for the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision and awaited earnings from some of Wall Street’s most influential technology companies. At 05:10 ET (10:10 GMT), Dow Jones Futures added 30 points, or 0.1%, S&P 500 Futures rose 26 points, or …

European equities edged slightly lower on Wednesday, as investors weighed a heavy flow of corporate earnings while adopting a cautious stance ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision later in the day. At 03:02 ET (08:02 GMT), Germany’s DAX slipped 0.1%, France’s CAC 40 fell 0.5%, while the …