The S&P 500’s attempt to reclaim a record high faltered as the benchmark’s three-week winning streak came to an end.

President Donald Trump’s trade pact with Mexico and Canada would drive growth in the US economy amid a boost for the automotive sector, according to an analysis by the International Trade Commission.

Niron Metals, the new investment vehicle of mining grandee Sir Mick Davis, has been given the green light to export iron ore from a deposit in Guinea through neighbouring Liberia.

Shares in US railroads are trading near all-time highs after a trio of America’s largest train operators steamrollered earnings forecasts this week, backed by higher shipping rates.

Hyundai has appointed José Muñoz, the most senior Nissan executive to leave the Japanese carmaker in the wake of the Carlos Ghosn arrest, as its chief operating officer.

Debenhams chief executive Sergio Bucher stepped down on Thursday after lenders took control of the embattled department store chain following its fall into administration last week.

Shares in Pinterest opened up 25 per cent on their first day of trading on Thursday, completing an IPO that has given many investors their first chance to back an advertising-supported consumer internet company with an audience numbering in the hundreds of millions.

Shares in video conferencing service Zoom opened at $65 on their first day of trading on Friday, an 81 per cent jump from the level the shares were priced at the night before.

Andrew Adonis, a vehemently pro-Remain politician, has been selected to stand for the European Parliament elections as a Labour candidate — despite the party’s formal pro-Brexit position.

Honeywell raised its full-year guidance as strong business aviation and defence sales helped it to produce bigger than expected rise in first-quarter earnings.

US retail sales recorded their biggest jump in 18 months in March, driven by sales of motor vehicles, petrol and clothing, which signalled consumers continue to support the economy.

Blackstone said on Thursday that it would convert to a corporation, ditching a partnership status that has shielded much of its income from corporate taxation after concluding that tax cuts meant the complex structure was no longer worth the trouble.

Retail sales “smashed expectations” in March as consumers continued to power the UK economy, despite a sharp rise in credit card defaults, official figures showed on Thursday.

Investment in the US shale oil industry continues to fall, production growth is slowing and the balance of spending is shifting to other parts of the world, the oilfield services group Schlumberger has said.

Chrysaor, the private-equity backed UK oil company, has bought the North Sea assets of US energy major ConocoPhillips in a $2.7bn deal that will catapult it into the top ranks of producers in the region.

Gerard Batten, leader of the UK Independence party, insisted his group was the “true” voice of Leave voters as he tried to shrug off the swift rise of the new Brexit party set up by former leader Nigel Farage. 

Turkey’s currency weakened on Thursday after the Financial Times revealed the country’s central bank has used billions of dollars in short-term borrowing to bulk out its reserves.

Eurostar lost 110,000 passengers because of industrial action by French customs officers in March, according to Getlink, which operates the Channel tunnel rail infrastructure.

The eurozone’s manufacturing sector remains stuck in a rut as its two largest economies missed expectations and continued to contract in April, according to a closely watched survey of industry executives.

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods group Unilever delivered 3.1 per cent underlying sales growth in the first quarter, ahead of expectations, helped by strong demand in Asia and for household products.

The increase in the UK energy price cap earlier this year led to a surge in the number of people switching supplier, according to price comparison site Moneysupermarket.

Nestlé, the world’s largest food manufacturer, got off to a good start to the year as sales of its Purina pet food and infant formula picked up, allowing it to confirm its annual targets. 

You could call it divine intervention. A Hong Kong-listed unit of Foxconn surged by almost 60 per cent on Thursday after the Taiwanese Apple supplier’s chairman launched a presidential bid.

Chinese coffee start-up Luckin has raised $150m from investors including US asset manager BlackRock in a funding round which values the company at $2.9bn, as it pushes to overtake Starbucks by number of outlets in China.