Market and Exchange

LONDON (Reuters) - World stocks fell and measures of investor risk aversion surged on Thursday on signs the U.S. central bank may soon start scaling back the support measures that have been driving global assets higher. Unexpected weakness in China's...

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chinese factory activity declined in May for the first time in seven months and U.S. manufacturing grew at its slowest clip since October, suggesting it may take a while before the global economy starts to pick up steam....

* Chinese factory activity declines in May -PMI * Data and comments from Bernanke send shares plummeting * Euro zone downturn eases slightly * Recovery still looks a way off By Andy Bruce LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Chinese factory activity shrank...

* FTSEurofirst 300 down 2.1 percent at 1,229.58 * Bernanke spooks markets saying stimulus may end * Weak China, euro zone data adds to investor anxiety * Banks, miners top the fallers * Dividend concerns hit Halford By David Brett LONDON, May 23...

* Praet says ECB could expand its instruments * Noyer: ECB mulls measures to ease financial fragmentation * Nowotny says ECB support still needed * Bernanke says Fed could start tapering off bond buys By Leigh Thomas and Jason Lange PARIS/WASHINGTON,...

PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is looking into expanding its range of policy tools, while the U.S. central bank is mulling scaling back its support measures, highlighting the contrasting fortunes between the world's two biggest...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The yen advanced sharply against the dollar and the euro on Thursday after a slide in stocks sparked by a drop in Chinese factory activity prompted a rush for the safe-haven Japanese currency . China's factory activity shrank for the...

TOKYO (AP) — A steady fall in the value of the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota. The cheaper yen is making their products more affordable overseas. Japan's trading partners are generally pleased, too, even though the lower...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Below is the text of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's prepared testimony on the U.S. economy to the congressional Joint Economic Committee on Wednesday. Chairman Brady, Vice Chair Klobuchar, and other members of the...

* Disclosure levels at oil majors lags those of secretive traders * Risk appetite bigger at top Wall Street banks * Pressure for stricter oversight rises both in US, EU By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Claire Milhench LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Europe's...

By Sakari Suoninen FRANKFURT, May 22 (Reuters) - Almost a year after ECB President Mario Draghi vowed to do whatever it takes to save the euro, a key indicator of euro zone tension is much diminished and economic recovery will likely bring further...

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A top Federal Reserve official urged the European Central Bank on Tuesday to consider employing a U.S.-style quantitative easing program to counter slowing inflation and recession in the euro zone. The ECB has engaged in bond...