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BP Refocuses on Oil Amid Elliott Pressure, But Cuts Buybacks

(Bloomberg) -- BP Plc announced a major pivot back to its core oil and gas business and promised to sell assets and reduce spending, but shares fell as the company sharply cut buybacks. Most Read from BloombergNYC’s Congestion Pricing Pulls In $48.6 Million in First MonthThe Trump Administration Takes Aim at Transportation ResearchShelters Await Billions in Federal Money for Homelessness ProvidersNYC to Shut Migrant Center in Former Hotel as Crisis EasesNew York’s Congestion Pricing Plan Faces A

Lowe's forecasts muted annual profit on uncertain economy, cautious spending

Lowe's Cos joined rival Home Depot in forecasting lackluster annual sales and profit on Wednesday, signaling that a downturn in the home improvement sector would linger amid higher interest rates. Shares of the Mooresville, North Carolina-based retailer were up 3.7% in premarket trading as it reported a surprise rise in fourth-quarter same-store sales, helped by demand for water cans, generators and cleaning supplies after Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year. The home improvement sector has witnessed a sharp slowdown over the last two years as high mortgage rates, rising home prices as well as refinancing costs stifled demand.

Oil holds at two-month low on rising supply concerns

Oil prices held at two-month lows on Wednesday as a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine continued to weigh on prices while lower U.S. crude stockpiles provided some support. Brent crude was down 19 cents at $72.83 a barrel by 1256 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures fell by 13 cents to $68.80. Prospects for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine are improving, ING commodities strategists said in a note on Wednesday, adding that the market was also watching for potential implications of a minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine.

US dollar rises as economic, tariff outlook gauged

NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. dollar rose on Wednesday to move further from recent 11-week lows, as investors assess the strength of the economy and tariffs outlook after the most recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump. The greenback stumbled on Tuesday as economic data showed a sharp drop in consumer confidence, the latest in a string of data points that have prompted concerns about the strength of the U.S. economy and persistent inflation, and caused U.S. Treasury yields to tumble. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield plunged nearly 10 basis points (bps) on Tuesday and was last down 4.2 basis points to 4.256% after falling to 4.249%, its lowest since December 11 as an earlier attempt to stabilize dissipated.

Australia’s Monthly Inflation Holds Steady as Housing Gains Ease

(Bloomberg) -- A gauge of Australian headline inflation surprisingly held steady in January, suggesting price pressures in the economy are contained and reinforcing the Reserve Bank’s decision to cut interest rates last week.Most Read from BloombergNYC’s Congestion Pricing Pulls In $48.6 Million in First MonthThe Trump Administration Takes Aim at Transportation ResearchNYC to Shut Migrant Center in Former Hotel as Crisis EasesNew York’s Congestion Pricing Plan Faces Another Legal ShowdownShelter

US and Ukraine near an economic deal with mineral rights but no security promise, officials say

Ukraine and the U.S. have reached an agreement on a framework for a broad economic deal that would include access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals, three senior Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. One of them said that Kyiv hopes that signing the agreement will ensure the continued flow of U.S. military support that Ukraine urgently needs. The agreement could be signed as early as Friday and plans are being drawn up for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to travel to Washington to meet President Donald Trump, according to one of the Ukrainian officials.