Career News 24/7: Before the Bell: Shares fall, euro at 2014 high on euro zone inflation

Friday, February 28, 2014

Before the Bell: Shares fall, euro at 2014 high on euro zone inflation

Click to View in Browser

02/28/2014

Reuters Election 2012 Daily round-up of the day's top news from the campaign trail, the White House and all the politics in between

Shares fall, euro at 2014 high on euro zone inflation

LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks fell on Friday and the euro rose to its highest level this year after euro zone inflation unexpectedly held steady this month, cooling growing expectations the European Central Bank might ease monetary policy as early as next week.

Fourth-quarter growth cut to 2.4 percent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government slashed its estimate for fourth-quarter growth as consumer spending and exports were less robust than initially thought, leaving the economy on a more sustainable path of modest expansion.

EU-U.S. trade talks face growing hostility, ministers warn

ATHENS (Reuters) - Free-trade talks between the United States and the European Union are in danger of being derailed by populist groups opposing everything from globalization to multinationals, EU ministers and business leaders said on Friday.

Euro zone inflation stabilizes in 'danger zone'

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone inflation stabilized in the European Central Bank's "danger zone" in February but did not fall as expected, making it less likely the ECB will loosen monetary policy further at its monthly meeting next week.

Mt. Gox files for bankruptcy, blames hackers for losses

TOKYO (Reuters) - Mt. Gox, once the world's biggest bitcoin exchange, filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan on Friday, saying it may have lost nearly half a billion dollars worth of the virtual coins due to hacking into its faulty computer system.

Japan's factory output jumps, inflation up but anxiety lingers

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's factory output rose in January at the fastest pace in more than two years and core inflation hovered at five-year highs, suggesting the economy has enough momentum to withstand an expected hit from a sales tax hike scheduled for April.

Insight: Mt. Gox: a quick rise and even faster fall

(Reuters) - Mt. Gox filed for bankruptcy on Friday but bitcoin insiders say its downfall began nearly a year ago as the virtual currency exchange tangled with regulators, split from former business partners and grappled with cyber attacks.

Mexican telecoms bill to raise pressure on Slim: draft

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico will give its new telecoms regulator sweeping powers to police dominant telecommunications companies, right down to their prices and discounts, according to a draft bill that fleshes out a constitutional reform passed last year.

EBay founder rejects Icahn's call for PayPal spinoff

(Reuters) - EBay Inc founder and Chairman Pierre Omidyar rejected investor Carl Icahn's call to separate the company's fast-growing PayPal payments unit, saying the businesses were better off together.

Weather seems to blame for U.S. slowdown, Fed's Yellen says

(Reuters) - Unusually harsh winter weather appears to be behind recent signs of weakness in the U.S. economy, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Thursday, suggesting the central bank was poised to press forward in ratcheting back its stimulus.