WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Construction starts on new U.S. homes rose by a surprisingly strong 8.2 percent in April and applications for new building permits turned up for the first time in five months, the Commerce Department said on Friday in a report showing that the hard-hit housing sector still had some spring vigor.
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Two weeks after Microsoft Corp abandoned its pursuit of Yahoo Inc, a proxy fight launched by activist investor Carl Icahn has put Microsoft in the driver's seat.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures added to gains on Friday on optimism about the housing market after the government said construction starts on new U.S. homes rose in April and applications for new building permits turned up for the first time in five months.
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States should cut barriers to
its markets to help it tackle economic turmoil, and boost
exports to deal with its current account deficit, the World
Trade Organisation (WTO) said.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Electric Co said on Friday it may sell or spin off its century-old appliances unit in a bid to lower its exposure to the slumping U.S. housing market.