Category: News

U.S. small-business optimism jumped in June by the most since December 2016 as states reopened and owners expected the current recession to be short-lived, the National Federation of Independent Business said Tuesday. The group’s index of sentiment increased 6.2 points in June to 100.6, the second straight gain after hitting a seven-year low two months earlier. Even...

In pandemic recovery news Monday, California and Florida saw hospitalizations spike, while talks toward a Senate stimulus bill remained in a standstill. Markets nevertheless managed to spend the first six hours of the session in the green. Traders again pointed to morsels of positive data lurking within the troves of facts released each day by...

Asian stocks climbed on Monday together with U.S. and European equity futures ahead of the start of an earnings season that will provide more clues on how companies are coping with the pandemic. The dollar slipped. Japanese shares outperformed, rising more than 2%. Gains were more modest in Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia, while...

Even with fewer Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week, the labor-market outlook remains bleak. While initial jobless claims fell by the most in a month, according to Labor Department data Thursday, they’re still double the highest level during the last recession. And further declines are in question after states including Texas and Florida delayed...

European governments that frantically assembled plans to help their economies weather the coronavirus lockdowns are starting to focus on a cliff edge: how to prevent cascading bankruptcies that could derail the rebound. The next big idea gaining traction among officials and economists is potentially taking stakes in small and medium-sized businesses, in contrast to early...

Asian stocks slipped Wednesday as concern lingered over the economic impact of the coronavirus. The rally in Chinese shares continued. Stocks traded lower in Australia, Japan and South Korea, and were little changed in Hong Kong. The Shanghai Composite Index climbed for a seventh session. Futures on the S&P 500 dipped after the gauge closed...

Global stocks were mixed Tuesday after a strong start to the week for shares on Monday. The dollar pared losses. Equities retreated in Japan and South Korea, fluctuated in Australia and Hong Kong, and saw modest gains in China. S&P 500 futures slipped after the benchmark closed higher for a fifth session, with tech gains...

Asian stocks rose along with U.S. and European futures as investors weighed expectations for ongoing policy support against increasing global coronavirus cases. The dollar and Treasuries dipped. Shares in Shanghai surged more than 4% on strong volume, amid positive commentary on the market from state media. Benchmarks in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul were also higher. U.S. equity futures...

U.S. and European stock futures were flat on Friday, with global stocks poised to cap their best week in a month as improving economic data provided solace against an acceleration in infections in the U.S. Contracts on the S&P 500 were little changed after the index rose in the wake of a stronger-than-anticipated U.S. jobs...

U.S. exports of goods and services sank in May to the lowest in more than a decade as the coronavirus pandemic halted demand and shipments. The overall gap of goods and services widened to $54.6 billion in May from a revised $49.8 billion in April, according to Commerce Department data released Thursday. The median estimate...