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Kerry pushes $2.1 billion Raytheon deal in Oman
MUSCAT, Oman (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is talking with officials in Oman about their plans to buy a $2.1 billion air defense system from American manufacturer Raytheon.
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Weak yen a help for Japan, but headache elsewhere
TOKYO (AP) — A steady decline in the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota and has won solid support from Japan's main trading partners, who are betting the impact on their own currencies will be offset by gains from a recovery in the world's third-largest economy. It's not such good news for entrepreneurs like Thamonwan Thawornthaweewong, whose Angry Bird fish balls, squid rings and other products now cost more to sell in Japan.
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Insight: No more easy pickings in Russia's banking market
By Megan Davies MOSCOW (Reuters) - Foreign banks that once treated Russia as virgin land where easy money could be made are now finding it a cut-throat market tougher than some bargained for. While players such as Citi and Austria's Raiffeisen thrive, many have found post-Soviet Russia too hard to crack: rife with credit, legal and corruption risks, and dominated by state giants Sberbank and VTB. The latest to hit trouble has been France's Societe Generale. ...
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Asian stocks supported by Fed reassurance; BOJ stands pat
By Masayuki Kitano and Vidya Ranganathan SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Some Asian stock markets rose on Wednesday following a positive lead from Wall Street, with Japan's Nikkei reaching a 5-1/2 year high and staying firm as the Bank of Japan stood pat after unleashing massive stimulus last month. European stocks are expected to inch lower with markets taking a breather from a month-long rally before U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony to Congress. Financial spreadbetters expect Britain's FTSE 100 to open down 0.16 percent, Germany's DAX to open 0. ...
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Japan's central bank says economy picking up
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's central bank says the world's third-biggest economy is "picking up" as demand recovers in other countries and remains resilient at home, though the trade deficit widened in April, for the tenth straight month.
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Merck signs $5 billion share buyback agreement with Goldman Sachs
(Reuters) - Merck & Co Inc said it has entered into a $5 billion share repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs Group Inc, as the drug giant looks to prop up shareholder value in face of stiff competition from makers of less-costly generics. Under the accelerated share repurchase agreement (ASR), Merck has agreed to repurchase about 99.5 million shares from Goldman Sachs based on current market prices. ...
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Asia stocks rise as Fed official backs easy policy
BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stock markets were mostly higher Wednesday after investor confidence was boosted by a Federal Reserve official's comments that the U.S. central bank should stick with its super-easy monetary policy.
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US auto factories cutting back on summer downtime
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit auto factories are forgoing their traditional two-week summer break and speeding up production to meet buyers' growing demand for new cars and trucks.
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BOJ holds steady despite bond turmoil, upgrades economic outlook
By Stanley White and Leika Kihara TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan kept policy steady on Wednesday despite concerns over recent volatility in bond market, saying growth is starting to pick up even as risks loomed from an uncertain global outlook. The central bank upgraded its assessment of the economy, saying it "has started picking up," as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's program of aggressive fiscal and monetary stimulus has boosted sentiment and a weaker yen has halted a decline in exports. ...
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Prosecutors consider using racketeering law against SAC: source
By Emily Flitter NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prosecutors are considering charging Steven A. Cohen's SAC Capital Advisors as a criminal enterprise engaged in a long pattern of insider trading in stocks, according to a person familiar with the matter. Prosecutors may use the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, most commonly associated with prosecutions against the mafia, to move against Cohen's $15 billion hedge fund company, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity. While this is one option under consideration, no final decision has been made, the source added. ...
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Apple case seen as possible spur to tax action
WASHINGTON (AP) — Now that tech darling Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for Congress to take action to close loopholes or reform the law.
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Bernanke testimony to be studied for policy clues
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Ben Bernanke testifies about the U.S. economy Wednesday, the Federal Reserve chairman's words will be examined for any clues that the Fed might soon taper — or increase — its support for the economy.
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Ford adds production in North America to meet new car demand
By Deepa Seetharaman DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co is adding a week of production at 20 North American factories this year to build an additional 40,000 vehicles and help sustain its gains in U.S. market share. The second-largest U.S. automaker said on Wednesday that those factories will be idled for just one week this summer instead of the traditional two-week "summer shutdown" period. This is the second year in a row that the automaker has taken this step. The added capacity comes at a time when Ford sales are outpacing the overall U.S. auto market. Strength in the U.S. ...
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The Irish loophole behind Apple's low tax bill
By Tom Bergin LONDON (Reuters) - Apple's ability to shelter billions of dollars of income from tax has depended on an unusual loophole in the Irish tax code that helps the country compete with other countries for investment and jobs. A U.S. Senate investigation revealed Tuesday that Apple, maker of iPhones, iPads and Mac computers, channeled profits into Irish-incorporated subsidiaries that had "no declared tax residency anywhere in the world. ...
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Senate panel approves immigration bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — Far-reaching legislation to grant a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses.
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Dimon clings to JPMorgan chairman title, after fight
By David Henry TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase & Co took an unusual step to fight off investors seeking more oversight of his activities - he hinted he might quit. And it worked. At the bank's annual meeting on Tuesday, JPMorgan shareholders voted down a proposal to strip Dimon of his chairmanship, giving the measure even less support than last year. Investors showed some unhappiness with the bank's management by only barely re-electing three directors who oversaw a massive trading loss last year. ...
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Exclusive: Bob Lutz, Chinese in bid to buy Fisker Automotive - sources
By Deepa Seetharaman DETROIT (Reuters) - A boutique carmaker led by former General Motors Co executive Bob Lutz and China's largest auto parts supplier made an offer this month to buy cash-strapped "green" car company Fisker Automotive, people familiar with the matter said. VL Automotive and China's Wanxiang Group are looking to gain control of Fisker through a prepackaged bankruptcy. This comes alongside a separate push by investors in Europe and Hong Kong, including billionaire Richard Li, to buy out the U.S. Department of Energy's position in Fisker. ...
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Does France have right plan to revive its economy?
PARIS (AP) — The man charged with reviving France's shrinking economy and attracting businesses to invest here is gaining a reputation for doing the opposite.
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JPMorgan's Dimon survives shareholder referendum
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jamie Dimon, the CEO and chairman of JPMorgan Chase, easily survived a vote Tuesday that would have called on him to give up his role as chairman of the nation's largest bank. But shareholders sent a message that the bank needs better oversight by giving only narrow approval to three of the bank's board members.
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Apple CEO makes no apology for company's tax strategy
By Patrick Temple-West and Kevin Drawbaugh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook made no apology on Tuesday for the iPad maker saving billions of dollars in U.S. taxes through Irish subsidiaries and told lawmakers that his company backs corporate tax reform, even though it may end up paying more. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has found that Apple in 2012 alone avoided paying $9 billion in U.S. taxes, using a strategy involving three offshore units with no discernible tax home, or "residence. ...