TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares stepped back on Tuesday, weighed by U.S. growth concerns and as China cut its economic expansion target amid growing challenges from rising debt and a dispute over trade and technology with the United States. Beijing lowered the growth target for this year to 6.0 to 6.5 percent, as expected, from […]

TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares stepped back on Tuesday after China cut its economic growth target and pledged measures to support the economy amid growing challenges from rising debt and a dispute over trade and technology with the United States. Australian shares dropped 0.6 percent while South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.5 percent. MSCI’s broadest index […]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Lockheed Martin Corp will receive the first payment toward the installation a $15 billion missile defense system in Saudi Arabia as part of a $110 billion arms package the Trump administration said it negotiated with the Kingdom in 2017, the Pentagon said on Monday. The Pentagon awarded Lockheed a $946 million payment […]

At the Expedia product testing lab, facial recognition software gauges travelers’ feelings as they go through the process of booking hotel rooms online. The Swiss cruise company MSC Cruises is starting to use a virtual assistant to answer passengers’ questions. Designers from the boutique design and research firm the Gettys Group can show hotel executives […]

(Reuters) – General Motors Co said on Monday it expects to end production of the Chevrolet Cruze at its Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant on Wednesday, the first of five plants it is idling this year in North America. A GM spokesman said the company is “ahead of the production schedule” and added that production had […]

(Reuters) – Wall Street’s main indexes pared gains on Monday after data showed U.S. construction spending unexpectedly fell in December, further evidence that the economy lost momentum at the tail end of 2018. The Commerce Department said construction spending declined 0.6 percent after an unrevised 0.8 percent increase in November. At 10:10 a.m. ET the […]

(Reuters) – Wall Street’s main indexes pared gains on Monday after data showed U.S. construction spending unexpectedly fell in December, further evidence that the economy lost momentum at the tail end of 2018. The Commerce Department said construction spending declined 0.6 percent after an unrevised 0.8 percent increase in November. At 10:10 a.m. ET the […]

(Reuters) – Office Depot on Monday teamed up with Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd to launch a co-branded e-commerce website, seeking to tap into the opportunities of selling to small and medium businesses in the United States. The office supplies provider said the partnership would give Alibaba access to Office Depot’s 10 million customers and 1,800 […]

A group of residents have called for mass demonstrations along the Irish border the day after Brexit. Border Communities Against Brexit, supported by pro-Remain political parties, unveiled a new billboard at Stormont announcing the planned day of protest with just 25 days to go until the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union. […]

Insurance giant Aviva has appointed Maurice Tulloch, the head of its international arm, as its new chief executive. He will replace Mark Wilson, who is standing down after more than five years at the helm. Mr Tulloch, who joined Aviva in 1992 and was appointed to the board in 2017, will receive a basic salary […]