World markets up on manufacturing data, positive British bank earns

LONDON — World stock markets mostly rose Monday after upbeat manufacturing data and positive earnings news from big British banks helped stoke a renewed bout of buying at the start of a new month.

Manufacturing, British banks lift world markets; S&P breaks 1,000

LONDON — World stock markets mostly rose Monday after upbeat manufacturing data and positive earnings news from big British banks helped stoke a renewed bout of buying that sent the Standard & Poor’s 500 index over 1,000 for the first time this year.

Survey finds Britain’s manufacturing sector grew in July; pound rallies on the news

LONDON — Figures showing the first uptick in Britain’s manufacturing sector in over a year sent the pound surging to a near ten-month high against the dollar Monday.

Japan unemployment rate rises to 6-year high and prices fall, threatening recovery

TOKYO — Japan’s unemployment rate hit a six-year high in June as mounting job losses and sharply falling prices threaten to stall a recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy.

July jobs report out next week likely to show far fewer layoffs than in June, economists say

WASHINGTON — Fewer people are claiming jobless benefits, leading economists to project that next week’s employment report will show a sharp drop in job losses for July compared with June.

Meltdown 101: Companies are slashing costs to prop up earnings, but is it sustainable?

For anyone looking for signs that the recession may finally be giving up its firm grip on the economy, the steady stream of quarterly earnings reports coming out of the nation’s companies could offer some signs of hope.

Euro zone surveys point to smaller economic contraction in July

LONDON — The 16 countries that use the euro saw activity in services and manufacturing contract far less than expected in July, a closely-watched survey showed Friday, in another sign the European economy may be stabilizing after a steep drop earlier in the year.

ALL BUSINESS: Troubled labor market threatens a significant turnaround in US economy

NEW YORK — All the talk about a “jobless recovery” being ahead for the economy misses the point. There won’t be much of a recovery at all if the labor market stays in such dire straits.

Six-fold increase in Myanmar’s foreign investment reported, driven by China

YANGON, Myanmar — Foreign investment in Myanmar swelled sixfold to almost $1 billion in the last fiscal year, most of it coming from China, according to government statistics seen Thursday.

German manufacturing work force down 2.3 percent over past year

BERLIN — The German manufacturing sector’s work force decreased by 2.3 percent in the year to May, its sharpest decline in five years, government data showed Wednesday.

Jobless claims indicate economy remains weak, as benefit rolls reach record near 7 million

WASHINGTON — Even though new claims for jobless benefits fell more than expected last week, dipping below 600,000 for the first time since early January, the number of Americans seeking this safety net points to an economy that is still very weak.

Stocks decline in early trading as US unemployment rate reaches 26-year high

NEW YORK — Stocks fell Thursday morning after a new report showed more job losses than expected in June.

Stock futures point to lower opening as unemployment rate reaches 26-year high

NEW YORK — Stock futures are extending their decline as the June unemployment rate hit a 26-year high.

Brighter manufacturing news spurs hopes that recession could be nearing an end

WASHINGTON — Brighter news on manufacturing is offering more hope that the longest recession since World War II is near an end. But with construction and many other segments of the economy still weak and unemployment rising, any rebound likely will be slow.

Prices for gold, other metals bounce back as dollar retreats; energy futures falter

NEW YORK — Prices for gold and other metals rebounded Wednesday as the dollar lost ground against other major currencies.

Manufacturing recovery hopes buoy world markets as Q3 starts with a flyer

LONDON — World stock markets made an upbeat start to the tbird quarter Wednesday after manufacturing surveys reinforced hopes that the global economic downturn is easing and that growth may emerge in the second half of the year.

Stocks open higher after ADP report shows job losses slowed in June

NEW YORK — Upbeat global economic reports are giving stocks a lift.

Manufacturing helps world markets kick off Q3 in optimistic mood

LONDON — European stock markets rose Wednesday as solid manufacturing news helped fuel investor optimism. Wall Street was set to open higher too ahead of data on the manufacturing and housing industries.

European markets kick off third quarter in optimistic mood after strong manufacturing data

LONDON — European stock markets rose Wednesday as investors started the third quarter with mild optimism following some upbeat economic data, but Asian markets were only mixed after a disappointing Japanese business survey.

Wall Street opens flat on last day of 2Q, consumer confidence data expected

NEW YORK — Stocks are holding steady in early trading as investors look to seal the market’s best quarterly performance in more than a decade.

Japan’s jobless rate rises to 5 1/2-year high while household spending edges up

TOKYO — Japan’s jobless rate rose to a five-and-a-half year high in May, the government said Tuesday, possibly delaying a recovery for the world’s second-largest economy even as manufacturers enjoy a nascent rebound.

Japan unemployment rises to 5.2 percent in May while stimulus boosts household spending

TOKYO — Japanese companies may be starting to boost production, but they certainly aren’t hiring yet.

Misfit carmaker Mini blames low quality marks on ‘idiosyncrasies,’ not fundamental problems

NEW YORK — For Mini, the maker of sporty — if sometimes eccentric — pint-sized hatchbacks, landing at the bottom of another closely watched vehicle quality study this week is almost a point of pride.

Euro zone manufacturing improvement helps recession ease in June, surveys find

LONDON — The recession in the 16 countries that share the euro eased slightly in June as conditions in the crucial manufacturing sector improved, closely-watched surveys found Tuesday.

In Pa. speech, George W. Bush says private sector, not government, will lead economic comeback

ERIE, Pa. — Former President George W. Bush says businesses will be at the leading edge of helping to lift the United States out of the recession.

German May inflation rate at zero percent, lowest level in 22 years, as economy suffers

FRANKFURT — Inflation in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, fell to its lowest in 22 years in May as manufacturers’ revenues dropped and business failures increased, the Federal Statistical Office said Wednesday.

Japan’s machinery orders drop 5.4 percent in April to 22-year low amid recovery doubts

TOKYO — Japan’s core machinery orders, a closely watched indicator of corporate capital spending, tumbled to a 22-year low in April as uncertainty about an economic recovery kept companies cautious.

Japan’s machinery orders drop 5.4 percent in April

TOKYO — Japan’s core machinery orders, a closely watched indicator of corporate spending, dropped 5.4 percent in April, the government said Wednesday, dimming prospects for a quick recovery in the world’s second-largest economy.

Canada unemployment rate rises to 8.4 percent, highest level in 11 years

TORONTO — Canada’s unemployment rate rose to 8.4 percent in May, the highest level in 11 years and up from 8 percent registered in April.

AP News in Brief

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