The world of cryptocurrencies is one of the most divisive topics in finance right now. On the one hand, figures like J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon have called it a "fraud" and dubbed those trading it "stupid." On the other hand, there are those who see cryptocurrencies as one of the most revolutionary forces in finance.

Interest in bitcoin and the blockchain has been building to a fever pitch, but mergers and acquisitions in cryptocurrency have been almost nonexistent.

Except for a short-term boost in capital spending, there are few reforms that will push growth above its current trajectory.

The bitcoin craze could pose a real risk to the broader market next year, according to Deutsche Bank.

Japan's economic growth rate doubled in the third quarter thanks to big gains in capital expenditure, revised data showed on Friday, with expansion seen to continue thanks to buoyant exports.

"For years, the Chinese government has had the effort to control the speed of the fast-rising property price, so there's always been policies coming out to control the market, but now this becomes a real nation-wide effort," said SOHO China CEO Zhang Xin.

Researchers at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) have managed to develop a "graphene ball" which could transform the way we think about batteries.

Bitcoin's meteoric rise could be a sign that people are more worried about rising prices than most think, Paul added, saying there will be "a race to the exit."

ryptocurrency project Tezos raised over $200 million in July by selling digital tokens so it could build out a secure network for smart contracts. A month earlier, Bancor reeled in $154 million on the promise of creating a transparent way to value digital coins.

Not only is the digital currency surging, but related businesses are booming.

A fall in cryptocurrencies wouldn't be enough to destabilize an economy, Federal Reserve chair nominee Jerome Powell said Tuesday.

Morgan Stanley strategists say the current bull-market party with "absurdly good" gains should be over after the first half of next year, when the market could start sniffing out a recession.

Bitcoin climbed above $9,000 to a record high Sunday following increased investor interest around the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.

Robust earnings, subdued inflation, synchronized global growth and central banks looking to tighten monetary policy have all underpinned equities in 2017.

Rapidly expanding liquidity could make it more challenging for Beijing to counteract capital flight — its relatively static foreign exchange reserves are growing less potent when compared to the amount of cash that could be leaving the country

As technology continues to shape the financial industry, banks are embracing digital innovation and are evolving to meet digital disruption head on.

The survey, done every four months, also found a rise in those applying for and accessing credit, and a drop in rejections.

Tsunami waves have been observed in New Caledonia and Vanuatu after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck between the Pacific Islands on Monday, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Japan recognized bitcoin as a legal form of payment earlier this year, and bitcoin trade in the country now accounts for about half the volume of global trade, compared with about a quarter in the U.S.

The use of digital tools has increased in 517 of 545 occupations since 2002, with a striking uptick in many lower-skilled occupations, according to a study.

As the competition among credit card issuers heats up this holiday season, what you are paying with may be as important as what you are buying.

Traders who want to bet against bitcoin can likely do so beginning in mid-December, according to the head of the world's largest futures exchange.

Ford, BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche have unveiled a joint plan to build fast-charging stations for electric cars across Europe.

Beijing has a new ship capable of creating artificial islands — potentially the largest of its kind in Asia — raising fears it could be deployed in the tension-laden South China Sea.

Power demand in Hong Kong will grow with plans for new housing projects, says Geert Peeters, group director and CFO at CLP Holdings.

The steady rise in home prices is so far showing no boundaries, and that is turning up the heat on some already overheated housing markets.

Orange said its mobile-based retail bank is available in France and offers customers current accounts, bank cards, overdraft lending, a free insurance package and a savings account.

Sam DeBianchi, DeBianchi Real Estate, discusses how the mortgage interest deduction could impact the real estate market in higher-tax states.

According to the latest Gallup poll of American households, only 54 percent own stocks, down from 62 percent before the financial crisis.

The consultancy group foresees retail funds, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), to almost double by 2025 and growing investments in alternative areas, such as real estate and land, private equity and private debt

Autonomous Next also estimates that the "crypto-funds" have about $2.3 billion in total assets under management.

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan says digital currencies like bitcoin raise worries about how their anonymous nature limits authorities' ability to track illegal use of funds.

Singapore boasts the world's strongest passport, according to Arton Capital's latest ranking

China's unemployment rate has hit its lowest point in multiple years at 3.95 percent by the end of September.

If machine learning can really take over all human tasks and take over ideas of innovation, then it would be possible to get a radical change in the growth rate," Jones told CNBC.

China's central bank has said it should prevent accumulation of risk from excessive optimism

India's banks have struggled with high levels of bad debt, which are crippling their ability to lend and spur investments in Asia's third-largest economy

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said there likely will be an interest rate hike in the UK soon as the central bank seeks to control inflation as the Brexit process continues.

Wages and inflation in the 19-country euro zone will eventually rise but more slowly than earlier thought, requiring continued patience from policymakers, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said Saturday.

vulnerabilities in emerging markets remain below crisis-prone periods in decades past, and that capital flows have been moving in line with fundamentals.

The next global economic slowdown could come from rising risks outside the banking sector, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Unstable loans and escalating levels of global debt could plunge the world into another financial crisis, departing German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told the Financial Times in an interview published Sunday.

Fiscal, structural and trade policies should first remove obstacles to faster growth

A stunning 906,000 more people were at work in September than August. The total employment level showed 154.3 million Americans were at work, easily a record.

Reforms are more potent and easier to implement when economies are healthier

Rising interest rates and rising home prices are cutting into mortgage demand, as fewer consumers have the incentive to refinance or buy a home.

For an oil-reliant economy that's in the throes of a prolonged slump in crude prices, combating terrorism and fending off questions about its president's health, Nigeria has managed to defy the odds.

IBM dominated the early decades of computing with inventions like the mainframe and the floppy disk. Its offices and factories, stretching from upstate New York to Silicon Valley, were hubs of American innovation long before Microsoft or Google came along.

The global economy is continuing to expand. This has been a good year, and growth will continue into 2018, even if it is not quite as strong in every part of the world.

Torsakarin | iStock / 360 | Getty Images Japan's core inflation accelerated in August, industrial output rose more than expected and demand for labor remained at its strongest in over 40 years

Tax cuts and interest rate hikes in the U.S. are likely to benefit equity markets and financials in Asia, says John Woods of Credit Suisse.

A new app by HSBC will allow U.K. customers to view bank accounts they have with different providers, in a major step towards meeting new European Union rules.

Disaster recovery and property restoration is a growth industry and, with some predicting wilder weather in the future due to climate change, the horizon looks limitless.

The long-term battle on trade between the U.S. and China shows no sign of ending as a war of words ensued this week between the two.

Small-cap stocks reported a drop in second-quarter earnings, marking their largest gap with large-cap earnings growth since the financial crisis, Jefferies pointed out Monday.

South Africa extricated itself from a 'technical' recession, despite being slapped with a credit downgrade.

Emerging markets (EM) have continued to grow faster than developed markets and produced higher returns this year, but analysts have conflicting views about the sector's growth outlook.

Technology is allowing manufacturers to make customized products in locations closer to their customers — a shift from the previous practice of producing standardized goods in a handful of giant factories in low-cost countries, BCG said in a report

Bitcoin is now considered the "most crowded trade," as measured by sentiment in the monthly Bank of America Merrill Lynch Fund Managers survey.

The U.K. government says it has committed, in partnership with industry, to spending more than £6 million ($7.86 million) to fund trials of "innovative energy saving devices" to help cut maritime emissions.

Given its recent strength, there's even some talk that the yuan is becoming a safe-haven play.

The days after a North Korean nuclear test are a time to buy shares of stable assets like utility stocks and gold, while selling Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese shares, history shows.

David Ramsden joined the Bank of England (BOE) Monday as deputy governor for markets, with analysts expecting the economist to stick to a dovish line for the bank and not opt for immediate rate hikes.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Thursday it has received a permit to test self-driving vehicles in California, marking the entry of the world's largest smart phone maker four months after iPhone maker and arch rival Apple Inc received a permit.

New orders for key U.S.-made capital goods rose slightly more than expected in July and shipments surged, pointing to an acceleration in business spending early in the third quarter.

With the euro on the rise against major world currencies, investors may be concerned about how this will weigh on European profits and some analysts suggest the stronger euro could knock up to 3 percent off earnings.

Perhaps it is the August lull or the start of a more prolonged slowdown in the housing market, but homeowners and homebuyers seem unimpressed by the lowest mortgage interest rates of the year.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Tuesday, buoyed by positive trading sentiment seen overseas and as investors turned their attention to upcoming data and geopolitical events.

Higher inflation and a freeze on state benefits mean low-income parents cannot meet the basic costs of raising a child, according to the Child Poverty Action Group.

Egypt's civil conflict isn't scaring off investors, who have flocked to the country's high interest rates.

Over the past three years, the influx of nearly 2 million migrants and refugees—many from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq—sparked a furious backlash across Europe.

After 10 years of back-to-back slumps, global livability is finally showing an improvement, according to report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit

Chinese steel prices are falling this week after spiking to record highs last week as a series of curbs targeting speculative trading kick in.

India's consumer inflation is expected to have picked up in July after easing for three straight months, with food prices back on the rise, but is expected to remain well below the central bank's target.

The Bank of England (BOE) has decided to keep using polymer, an ingredient containing beef, for its banknotes despite a backdrop of animal rights activists angered by the move.

Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 57.9 percent. Direct bidders, which includes domestic money managers, bought 6.8 percent.

Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 64.1 percent. Direct bidders, which includes domestic money managers, bought 10.2 percent.

China reported July exports were up 7.2 percent in dollar terms, while imports were up 11.0 percent in dollar terms

Non-manufacturing economic activity grew at a slower pace than expected in July, declining 3.5 points compared to the previous month.

Private payroll growth increased by 178,000 in July, according to ADP and Moody's Analytics.

U.S. consumer spending barely rose in June as personal income failed to increase for the first time in seven months amid a decline in dividend payments, pointing to a moderate pace of consumption growth in the third quarter.

At-home DNA-testing company 23andMe is recruiting 25,000 people for a study to determine how genes influence brain functions in people diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorders.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/30/japan-june-industrial-output-rises-1-point-6-percent-from-prior-month.html

Japanese household spending in June jumped the most since 2015 as job availability improved to a fresh 43-year high, in a sign the tightening labor market is helping push up wages and consumer spending — albeit gradually.

Retiring baby boomers may offer the missing link to creating wage growth and inflation

The Australian housing market has peaked and could crash if the country's central bank raises rates by too much or too quickly according to researchers at the Swiss bank, UBS.

Oil prices were little changed on Monday following a steep fall in the previous session amid growing expectations that the joint OPEC and non-OPEC ministerial meeting later in the day would address rising production from Nigeria and Libya, two OPEC members exempted from the cuts.

Seattle was the first city in the United States to raise the minimum wage substantially, so a University of Washington study released last month showing big job losses has received a lot of attention, and prompted many an I-told-you-so.

Perhaps homeowners were scared by the recent jump in interest rates or by the expectation of higher rates ahead, but something sparked a jump in people applying for a mortgage refinance last week.

U.S. import prices fell for a second straight month in June amid further declines in the cost of petroleum products, suggesting inflation could remain benign in the near term.

It has nothing to do with debt, infrastructure spending or the other major economic topics du jour. It has to do with cash — specifically, how China is systematically and rapidly doing away with paper money and coins.

Singapore's annual non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew for the first time in two months in June, thanks to an extended uptick in electronics sales on the back of improving global demand

U.S. producer prices unexpectedly rose in June as sustained increases in the cost of services offset declining energy prices, suggesting a recent moderation in inflation was likely temporary.

The leader who oversaw the transition of his country's power to Nelson Mandela said Tuesday that the future looks bright for a continent previously blighted by war, famine and a lack of infrastructure.

With consumers feeling better about the economy, the amount of money borrowed has reached its highest level since the Great Recession.

Stocks are entering "frothy territory" and could fall soon due to a turnaround in monetary policy, a Deutsche Bank economist said Monday, citing analysis that is used by some of the more notable names in finance.

Many of the major risks U.S. banks face lay beyond their control, according to a review released by banking's top federal regulator on Friday that found the sector's financial performance remains strong.

All the major economies of the globe and the companies that make them up are picking up steam at the same time right now, the first such simultaneous recovery in years.

Multilateral banks are known as mega-infrastructure supporters, funding the likes of new roads, bridges and power plants in developing countries.

The attack had the hallmarks of something researchers had dreaded for years: malicious software using artificial intelligence that could lead to a new digital arms race in which A.I.-driven defenses battled A.I.-driven offenses while humans watched from the sidelines.

Consumer attitudes soured in June as U.S. consumer sentiment slid to a seven-month low, a new report showed on Friday, though still rising slightly above economists' expectations.

Consumers in Britain have suffered a sharp loss of confidence in the face of rising inflation and weakening wage growth, a survey showed on Friday, three weeks after the country's inconclusive national election.

Oil's slide has made Russia and Saudi Arabia case studies in how — and how not — to manage the fallout of weak energy prices.

The Trump administration is proposing parity for both small businesses and corporations in its blueprint to overhaul the tax code, bringing the rates from 35 percent for businesses to 15 percent.

Consumers were much less optimistic than economists had expected in June, according to a preliminary reading.

Central banks have long used inflation expectations to set policy, including interest rates, but some analysts wonder if Asia's policy makers should have bigger fish to fry.

While investors have been preoccupied with President Trump and chaos in Washington, nerve-rattling elections in Europe and the uncertainty created by Federal Reserve policy and Britain's decision to leave the European Union, a once-familiar — and possibly bigger — risk to global markets has been bubbling in the background.

Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) contracted for a second straight month in May, but the decline was less than expected as electronics shipments from the city state continued to be strong.

U.S. retail sales recorded their biggest drop in more than a year in May amid declining purchases of motor vehicles and discretionary spending, which could temper expectations for a sharp acceleration in economic growth in the second quarter.

U.S. producer prices were unchanged in May as energy costs recorded their biggest decline in more than a year, suggesting inflation pressures were easing after rising at the start of the year.

The U.S. budget deficit rose to $88.4 billion in May from $53 billion a year earlier, as government spending in areas such as Medicaid and defense rose at a faster pace than revenue.

U.S. wholesale inventories dropped 0.5 percent in April, falling short of economists' expectations, the Commerce Department announced on Friday.

The U.S. Congress may be headed for a reckoning with the federal debt limit within weeks, thanks to wealthy Americans and corporations deferring tax payments in the hope that they would benefit from the lower tax rates promised by President Trump.

ban communion with Qatar Saudi Arabia and others show no signs of backing off Qatar 21 Hours Ago | 03:15 Qatar's diplomatic crisis with its Middle Eastern neighbors could spur natural gas buyers to seek greater diversification in sourcing amid potential disruptions from United Arab Emirates ports refusing ships from the country.

South Africa plunged into its second recession in eight years in the first three months of the year, even before a political crisis in the ruling African National Congress triggered rating cuts to junk status.

If China intends to peg the yuan to the dollar, it will not be able to maintain free interest rates

Saudi Arabia and three other nations broke diplomatic relations with Gulf Arab state Qatar on Monday, pointing to Doha's ties to terrorism and the need to maintain national security.

The Federal Reserve sent a strong signal on Thursday that it will raise interest rates this month and soon begin shedding some of its $4.5 trillion in bond holdings despite weak U.S. inflation readings.

Weak recent inflation readings are a worry and suggest the Federal Reserve will make only "uneven" and slow progress toward its 2-percent goal, said Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan.

Looking ahead, consumers were somewhat less upbeat than in April, but overall remain optimistic that the economy will continue expanding into the summer months

Ongoing trade and diplomatic relations between Southeast Asian countries and North Korea could hurt Washington's efforts to stop international engagement with the rogue nation.

The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index hit 97.1 for its final reading in May. Economists expected the index to reach 97.5, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate, down from a preliminary reading of 97.7.

The proposed cuts are expected to be shared again by non-OPEC producers later on Thursday. Led by Russia, non-OPEC producers had initially curbed output in conjunction with OPEC in a landmark deal for the first half of the year from January.

Moody's Investors Service on Wednesday downgraded China's credit rating to A1 from Aa3, changing its outlook to stable from negative, citing concerns efforts to support growth will spur debt growth across the economy.

the integration of measures to fight climate change into economic policy will aid economic growth, both in the medium and long term.

A new mining boom may be just around the corner in Mongolia, mining industry executives said, as it moves to open nearly 21 percent, a bit more than one-fifth, of the country for exploration to shore up its finances following an IMF-led bailout.

Egypt's central bank raised its key interest rates by 200 basis points on Sunday, confounding the expectations of economists who saw rates unlikely to change, but in line with recent IMF statements.

The flurry of claims by funds who profit from falling share prices is raising concern over whether this is the beginning of a new wave of short attacks on Chinese groups.

Paul Mortimer-Lee, global head of market economics and chief economist for the U.S. at BNP Paribas, says that "fiscal policy is really the game in Japan."

American industry expanded production last month at the fastest pace in more than three years as manufacturers and mines recovered from a March downturn.

U.S. homebuilders are expecting stronger sales ahead, but mortgage applications for newly built homes don't currently support that hope.

"Significant long-term problems" such as high debt levels and limited central bank power "that are likely to create a squeeze." Required payments for social programs including pensions and health care are also increasing.

Europe will press the US and China for tougher world trade rules in a fresh effort to fend off the inequalities of globalisation that have been seized on by hard-right nationalists such as Marine Le Pen of France.

U.S. import prices increased more than expected in April amid rising costs for petroleum products and a range of other goods, which could help boost domestic inflation.

Asia-Pacific's long-term growth outlook remains the strongest in the world, but the medium-term picture is weighed down by an aging population and sluggish productivity, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned in a new report on Tuesday.

Since the financial crisis, the economy has never been called robust, but it may be in the longest expansion on record, with a couple more years to go.

Trade is going to find ways and means — either by way of multilateral arrangements, plurilateral arrangements, or bilateral arrangements — of moving forward

The U.S. trade deficit improved slightly in March amid broad declines in both imports and exports, government data showed on Thursday.

The real estate market is signaling stronger sales ahead as homebuyers finally returned to the mortgage market after two weeks of weakening during the height of the spring housing season.

Ford reports weaker than expected April sales Ford reports weaker-than-expected April sales 16 Hours Ago | 00:30 Ford, Nissan, General Motors and Toyota all reported U.S. sales declines in April, strong signs that demand for cars, trucks and SUVs is starting to slow after seven straight years of growth.

Economic activity in the manufacturing industry didn't expand as much as economists had anticipated for the month of April, data from The Institute for Supply Management revealed on Monday.

Wherever one may land on the applause-o-meter wired to President Trump's latest outline for a tax makeover, it aims to fix an aspect of the code that pretty much everyone agrees is broken: the way the global profits of American corporations are taxed.

The outlook for shipping in Singapore The outlook for shipping in Singapore Wednesday, 26 Apr 2017 | 12:12 AM ET | 02:05 Singapore has emerged as the world's top maritime capital in a report launched Wednesday, by Norwegian consulting firm Menon Economics.

Consumers' assessment of current economic conditions fell in April, as fewer people believe business conditions are "good," according to the latest data from The Conference Board.

The average price of a gallon of regular-grade gasoline jumped 3 cents nationally over the past two weeks, to $2.46.

Singapore's Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh said rising protectionism in the West was a threat to Asia's prosperity.

New applications for U.S. jobless benefits rose slightly more than expected last week, but a drop in the number of Americans on unemployment rolls to a 17-year low suggested the labor market continues to tighten.

When entrepreneur Phoebe Song launched her organic, vegan skincare line, she had big plans to sell around the world, including in China, the world's largest consumer market.

Overall U.S. industrial production rose 0.5 percent in March because of an 8.6 percent weather-driven surge in utilities generation, the Federal Reserve said on Tuesday.

Brazil's economy is showing signs it's climbing out of its two-year recession, and international investors are snatching up the country's stocks.

The dollar's recent downdraft hasn't ended, with further weakness likely ahead, Dominic Schnider, head of Asia-Pacific foreign exchange at UBS, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday.

Home sales jumped nearly 9 percent in March compared with March 2016, even as the number of homes for sale plunged 13 percent, according to a new report from Redfin, a national real estate firm.

.S. import prices recorded their biggest drop in seven months in March as the cost of petroleum declined, but the underlying trend pointed to a moderate rise in imported inflation as the dollar's rally fades.

For all the concerns about the EU breaking apart, analysts say the euro should eventually strengthen as the trade bloc solidifies economically and politically.

Emerging economies are set to slow this year as the U.S. Federal Reserve begins raising interest rates and there's a rising protectionist rhetoric in advanced economies , the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday.

Nonfarm payrolls grew by just 98,000 in March though the unemployment rate fell to a 10-year low of 4.5 percent, according to a closely watched report Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Activity in China's service sector expanded at its weakest pace in six months in March, hurt by slower growth in new orders and intensifying cost pressures, a private survey showed, painting a less rosy picture of a sector that Beijing is counting on to maintain economic momentum.

Economic activity in the non-manufacturing sector grew in March for the 87th consecutive month, the Institute of Supply Management reported on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of U.S.-China trade relations since his days on the campaign trail, often calling for a stronger stance against Beijing.

Government debt and budget deficits are both set to spiral higher in the coming three decades if current patterns hold, according to new projections released Thursday by the Congressional Budget Office.

Homebuyers are trickling back into the mortgage market, but not enough to offset the industry's steep and steady drop in refinance business.

he average price of a gallon of regular-grade gasoline dipped about a penny nationally during the past two weeks, to $2.34.

HONG KONG, March 27 (Reuters) - China's yuan firmed on Monday, reflecting the U.S. dollar's broad declines as President Donald Trump's inability to pass a healthcare reform bill raised doubts about his ability to see through planned fiscalstimulus measures.

Traders have been driving themselves crazy trying to handicap the health-care vote tonight, but there's a bigger issue for the markets: Will getting a tax bill through be easier or harder than getting a health-care bill through?

The fast-rising cost of housing today is shrinking demand for home loans but also pushing those who are in the market toward cheaper, adjustable-rate mortgages.

All signs point to rising inflation, but investors aren't properly pricing that into their decision making, according to one portfolio manager.

Bill Gates suggested in a recent interview that robots should be taxed when they are doing the role of a human worker, but the CEO of a leading automation firm took issue with that idea.

Progress on fiscal reforms could prompt S&P to return Indonesia's credit rating to investment grade this year, economists and fund managers told CNBC.

Inflation is back, but economy remains weak.

Stronger than expected fourth quarter growth in Singapore driven by improved global demand led economists to upgrade their 2017 projections for the Southeast Asian city state, an official survey of forecasters showed Wednesday.

American banks currently have some of "the best balance sheets in a generation," according to independent analyst Mike Mayo.

For chaebol reform, better late than never The market impact of S.Korean reforms 1 Hour Ago | 01:54 Local markets may get a boost as South Korea moves onto the next chapter of its months-long political scandal: presidential elections due by May 9.

US weekly jobless claims total 243,000 vs 235,000 estimate.

Deutsche Bank survey says investors optimistic on hedge fund performance.

Asia-Pacific nations must be leaders in promoting free trade as global growth slows, senior trade experts said in a Monday report.

One of China's biggest trade partners is worried Beijing will turn to its 'old toolbox' of protectionism

The shortages were first caused by lower oil prices, but policymakers ultimately made the situation worse by pegging the Nigerian naira [its official currency] at a rate analysts say was overvalued.

The analysts forecast that China will overcome recent macroeconomic challenges and the prospect of a financial shock to transition into a high income economy by 2027.

More Wells Fargo customers may have been affected by a scandal over phony accounts than previously believed, the third-largest U.S. lender said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

Q4 GDP up 1.9% (annual rate) Revised fourth quarter GDP growth remains at 1.9% 16 Hours Ago | 02:00 U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter as previously reported, with robust consumer spending offset by downward revisions to business and government investment.

Bankruptcy cases surged in Chinalast year, indicating growing economic stress as well as progress in the ruling Communist party's efforts to use the country's courts to deal with indebted "zombie" companies and reduce industrial overcapacity.

Turns out that "made in China" is not so cheap anymore as labor costs have risen rapidly in the country's vast manufacturing sector.

Growth in euro zone business activity surged in February to its highest level in almost six years, according to the latest survey of the services and manufacturing sectors by IHS Markit.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/21/euro-zone-flash-pmi-comes-in-560-for-february-versus-forecast-of-543-highest-since-april-2011.html

Is the dollar’s bull run over? Is the dollar’s bull run over? Thursday, 16 Feb 2017 | 4:00 PM ET | 02:53 The U.S. dollar finished the week just barely positive, and some strategists see the greenback heading lower as political uncertainty mounts.

Japan's efforts to put the kibosh on karoshi, or "death by overwork," by addressing excessive overtime could weigh heavily on economic growth, Deutsche Bank said.

The three major Singapore banks may have gotten past the build-up in bad loans from the oil and gas sector by setting aside billions of Singapore dollars combined, but economic uncertainties are expected to persist through 2017 may hinder growth.

U.S. consumer prices recorded their biggest increase in nearly four years in January as households paid more for gasoline and other goods, suggesting inflation pressures could be picking up.

British consumer prices rose last month, caused by higher global oil prices and the Brexit vote-fueled fall in the value of sterling.

Bank, rescued by a group of hedge funds in 2013, has put itself up for sale as it seeks to build its capital to meet regulatory requirements

U.S. import prices rose more than expected in January amid further gains in the cost of energy products, but a strong dollar continued to dampen underlying imported inflation.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to near a 43-year low, amid a further tightening of the labor market that could eventually spur faster wage growth.

Rising mortgage rates, bigger jumps in home prices and still-moderate income growth are adding up to a triple threat for the housing market this spring.

Recession risk has declined, according to a new Deutsche Bank analysis of a Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey.

The US economy grew at an annual pace of 1.9% in the fourth quarter of last year, according to official figures. That was slower than the 2.2% growth rate economists had been expecting and below third quarter growth of 3.5%. For the year, GDP rose by 1.6%, the slowest since 2011 and down on 2015 when the world's largest economy expanded by 2.6%.

Traders were not expecting the central bank to raise its key short-term rate after approving a quarter-point hike in December.

The retreat of the advanced economies from the global economy – and, in the case of the UK, from regional trading arrangements – has received a lot of attention lately. At a time when the global economy’s underlying structures are under strain, this could have far-reaching consequences.

China’s escalating crackdown on capital outflows is sending shudders through property markets around the world 

Brexit poses a threat to Ireland’s aircraft-leasing business?THE glass office blocks of Dublin’s docklands still stand proud; the banks that built them no longer do. The financial crisis of 2008 took down Ireland’s six biggest lenders.