(Reuters) – JPMorgan Chase & Co posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Friday, easing fears that slowing economic growth could weigh on its results. The largest U.S. bank by assets showed strength across its businesses in the first quarter, driven by what Chief Executive Jamie Dimon described as solid growth in the U.S. economy, moderate […]

LOS ANGELES — Fire your agents. That was the instruction the Writers Guild of America gave to its 13,000 members on Friday, after talks between the Hollywood writers and their agents broke down hours before a midnight deadline. The sudden end to negotiations upended a way of doing business that had been in place for […]

LK Bennett, the UK’s “affordable luxury” fashion brand whose fans famously include Kate Middleton, has been bought out of administration by its Chinese franchise partner. Administrators from EY said they had completed the sale of most of its stores in the UK and Ireland to Byland UK. Its two stores in the Republic – in […]

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks climbed back to near record highs on Friday after the largest U.S. bank, JPMorgan Chase & Co, soothed worries that the first-quarter earnings season would pour cold water on Wall Street’s big rally back from last year’s slump. The S&P 500 has come within a percent of September’s record […]

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Apple, already the subject of EU antitrust scrutiny, on Thursday became the target of a Dutch investigation for allegedly favoring its own apps on its popular App Store. Dutch competition agency ACM suggested the investigation may be expanded to Google’s Play Store in future because of similar business practices by the company. […]

Rite Aid, one of the country’s biggest pharmacy chains, will stop selling e-cigarettes and vaping products because of concern that they are fueling tobacco use among middle and high school students across the United States. Rite Aid said Thursday that it would remove the products from its more than 2,400 stores over the next 90 […]

(Reuters) – Facebook Inc Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg’s compensation for 2018 more than doubled to $22.6 million, a regulatory filing showed on Friday. Facebook has in the past few years faced public outcry over its role in Russia’s alleged influence on the 2016 U.S. presidential election and has come under fire following revelations that […]

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Alibaba Group founder and billionaire Jack Ma has defended the grueling overtime work culture at many of China’s tech companies, calling it a “huge blessing” for young workers. The e-commerce magnate weighed into a debate about work-life balance and the overtime hours demanded by some companies as the sector slows after years […]

MERIDA, Mexico (Reuters) – Mexican government and business leaders met with U.S. counterparts for a second straight day on Friday, seeking to resolve border delays hurting commerce, hasten ratification of a trade deal, and address metals tariffs. The talks coincide with renewed tensions over trade and the U.S.-Mexico border after two years of uncertainty sparked […]

(Reuters) – The S&P 500 crossed the 2,900 mark for the first time since early October on Friday, boosted by a jump in Walt Disney shares and as bank stocks surged after strong results from JPMorgan. Shares of the largest U.S. bank by assets rose 4.1% after the company beat quarterly profit estimates, easing fears […]