Nasdaq News

(RTTNews) - U.K. stocks were moving lower on Friday, though markets came off their day's lows amid a slight softening of pound, which powered to record its highest level since December 16 against the euro the previous day.

Dutch bank NIBC Holding NV is in advanced talks over a buyout proposal from private equity firm Blackstone that values the lender at 1.44 billion euros ($1.6 billion), it said on Friday.

South Africa's labour court on Friday dismissed an application by two trade unions over planned job cuts at embattled South African Airways (SAA).

The UK's competition watchdog gave Slug and Lettuce owner Stonegate the green light to buy Ei Group on Friday, in a deal that would create Britain's largest pub company, and said it will not refer the merger to an in-depth investigation.

Sweden's Mathem said on Friday it had raised 500 million Swedish crowns ($51.68 million) in a funding round that saw pension firm AMF buy a 10% stake in the country's biggest online grocery retailer.

European shares inched up to a record high on Friday ahead of fourth-quarter GDP data from the EU, while concerns over the coronavirus outbreak eased after the World Health Organization downplayed a recent spike in cases.

The Russian rouble strengthened on Friday after China reported a slowdown in the number of new coronavirus cases, easing fears over the epidemic and giving riskier markets a tentative reprieve.

China's property developers and realtors are turning to virtual reality salesrooms and livestream marketing to thaw a frozen market as the coronavirus epidemic keeps physical offices shut and potential buyers are afraid to leave their homes.

China stocks closed higher on Friday, marking their first weekly gain in four, on hopes that measures by the government to contain the coronavirus outbreak and limit its economic impact could continue to help equities.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

For years, Bank of England boss Mark Carney warned of the economic risks of Britain leaving the European Union. Now that it has happened, he says there could be a silver lining in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plans to boost growth.

Singapore's economy could enter recession due to the blow from the coronavirus outbreak, its prime minister said on Friday, adding that the city-state was bracing for a "significant" hit in the coming quarters.

(RTTNews) - West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) jumped $12.18 or 7.51% on Thursday after the medical instruments supplier reported higher fourth-quarter earnings. The stock closed the day's trade at $174.38, close to its 52-week high of $175.11

Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 10 points higher on Friday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures up 0.2% ahead of the cash market open.

(RTTNews) - French electric utility EDF (EDFEF.PK) reported Friday that its net income, Group share, rose more than four folds for the full year, with 4 percent growth in sales. Sales grew 3.5 percent organically during the year.

(RTTNews) - AstraZeneca plc (AZN.L, AZN) reported profit before tax of $1.55 billion for the year ended 31 December 2019 compared to $1.99 billion, previous year. Earnings per $0.25 ordinary share was $1.03, a decline of 40% (44% at CER). Core operating profit was $6.44 billion,

Royal Bank of Scotland's new Chief Executive Alison Rose unveiled a new strategy for the taxpayer-backed bank on Friday, including radically cutting back the size of its loss-making investment bank and renaming the company NatWest.

Leaning on its SARS experience, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd has slashed flights, asked staff to take unpaid leave and is re-assessing its fleet as it battles an epidemic and a crisis of morale after pro-democracy protests.

China's ByteDance, the owner of video-sharing app TikTok, will appoint an executive to exclusively lead its nascent gaming business, sources said, signalling its growth ambitions in the sector and an intensifying rivalry with tech giant Tencent.

(RTTNews) - Shares of furniture retailer Wayfair Inc. (W) were down $13.52 or 14.13% on Thursday after reports that the company is cutting jobs. The stock closed the day's trade at $82.16.