Reuters - Before the Bell

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Friday, June 30, 2017

Dollar sulky on hawkish central banks, Asia stocks join global slump

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The dollar extended its losses on Friday as major central banks signalled that the era of cheap money was coming to an end in a boon to sterling, the euro and the Canadian dollar, while Asian shares were hit by dismal performances of European and U.S. markets.

Crude oil prices firm, set for biggest weekly gain since mid-May

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Crude oil futures on Friday were on track for their biggest weekly gain since mid-May, ending five weeks of losses with prices underpinned by a decline in U.S. output.

U.S. SEC to allow firms to file confidential draft statements before IPOs

(Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Thursday it was expanding the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, by allowing all public companies to file confidentially prior to initial public offerings, in a move designed to revitalize the IPO market.

Western Digital says Toshiba's actions in chip spat harm customers

TOKYO (Reuters) - Western Digital Corp said on Thursday that legal action and other moves taken by Toshiba Corp in their dispute over the sale of its prized memory chip unit were harming Toshiba's stakeholders and customers.

Deutsche Bank rejects Democrats' call for Trump finance details

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank's external counsel in Washington, D.C. rejected on Thursday demands by U.S. House Democrats to provide details of President Donald Trump's finances, citing privacy laws.

RadioShack creditors' lawsuit says Sprint killed 6,000 jobs

WILMINGTON, Del./BOSTON (Reuters) - Sprint Corp used confidential information from its alliance with RadioShack Corp to open competing mobile phone stores, dooming the comeback by the electronics retailer and destroying jobs, according to a lawsuit filed on Wednesday by RadioShack creditors.

Europe M&A surges but U.S. slows sharply amid uncertainty

(Reuters) - Acquisitions of European companies surged in recent months, amid optimism about the region's economic prospects, but global deal-making subsided and the total value of U.S. deals fell sharply due to uncertainty about President Donald Trump's tax reform and deregulation agenda.

Nike to launch pilot program with Amazon; results top estimates

(Reuters) - Nike Inc , the world's largest footwear maker, said on Thursday it would launch a pilot program with Amazon.com Inc to sell a limited product assortment on its website.

Wall Street hit hard as tech softness continues

(Reuters) - Wall Street fell sharply on Thursday, with the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials suffering their worst daily percentage drops in about six weeks, as a recent decline in technology shares deepened and outweighed strength in bank shares.

MetLife board approves Brighthouse spinoff, sets effective date

(Reuters) - MetLife Inc on Thursday came a step closer to spinning off its U.S. retail life insurance and annuity business after the company's board of directors approved the plan, it said on Thursday.