Shares of top US defence contractors were fired up on Thursday after the Trump administration called for stronger missile defence capabilities.

Google’s rumoured foray into smartwatches may have taken a step forward after it agreed to buy the intellectual property related to wearables technology being developed by watch and accessories purveyor Fossil Group.

The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a resolution of disapproval against a new Treasury plan to lift sanctions on three companies controlled by Oleg Deripaska — the latest sign of backlash to the deal in Congress.

JPMorgan Chase is merging its payments operations for small businesses and its platform that serves some of the world’s big institutions into a single division, as the bank tries to defend and grow market share in the rapidly-changing payments world.

The UK government has issued an order which enables army reservists to be called up to support full-time troops as they prepare for the possible impact of a no-deal Brexit.

US stocks overcame early weakness to trade marginally higher at midday on Thursday, putting the S&P 500 on track its third consecutive gain.

Signet Jewelers shares tumbled on Thursday to their lowest level in more than nine years after the company reported disappointing holiday sales figures and lowered its earnings and sales outlook.

Royal Bank of Scotland has taken steps to accelerate its return to the private sector with a proposal allowing it to buy back government-owned shares in off-market deals.

Mike Turner will step down as chairman from the board of Babcock International after a turbulent time for Britain’s second-largest defence contractor which has been battling to shore up confidence in its performance and that of its board.

Philips has decided to shut its UK factory that makes baby bottles and soothers, putting around 400 jobs at risk.

At least eight people were killed and 10 were injured in a car bomb attack in the Colombian capital Bogotá on Thursday in one of the deadliest acts of violence in the city in years.

Adrian Croxson, one of the three most senior European executives in the London office of embattled US hedge fund group Och-Ziff, is leaving the firm after a difficult period of performance, according to multiple people informed on the decision.

Small banks may benefit from simpler regulation after Brexit, the UK’s top banking supervisor has suggested.

Les Moonves is set to fight CBS for his $120m severance, after the US television company denied its former chief executive and chairman a payout in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations last year. 

The Brazilian government is forecasting this year’s coffee crop to total between 50m and 55m 60kg bags, a 15 per cent decline from last year’s record harvest.

Portugal is to create special airport corridors to facilitate the entry of British tourists after the UK leaves the EU, António Costa, the prime minister, said on Thursday.

Visitors to the UK spent 15 per cent less in the third quarter than they did during a record period the previous year, according to new data released on Thursday.

The Pensions Regulator is subjecting “finely balanced” decisions to an extra layer of scrutiny after its move to allow Kodak UK to jettison it pension liabilities in 2013 was questioned by MPs.

US stocks edged lower on Thursday, threatening to snap a two-day winning streak, as traders monitored the latest earnings reports and trade news.

Germany is looking at ways to prohibit the use of Huawei products in developing its 5G network, making it the latest western country to clamp down on the Chinese company over mounting security concerns.

Palladium hit a record above $1,400 an ounce on Thursday, extending a bull run that has seen the precious metal climb 65 per cent since the middle of August.

ITV faced a brutal cut to its price target on Thursday from a leading investment bank which said declining TV consumption, sliding advertising revenues and competition from online platforms would hit the UK broadcaster and its European rivals.

A Dutch journalist deported from Turkey was expelled as a “precautionary measure” after Ankara was informed that she was under investigation in a terror probe, Turkey said on Thursday. 

Russian supermarket chain Magnit is revamping its management structure by hiring former Lenta chief executive Jan Dunning, the company said on Thursday.