Financial News

Markets across Asia ended broadly lower in uninspired trading Friday, as investors looked to next week's Fed meeting for resolution on the direction of U.S. interest rates. The Nikkei 225edged down 0.08% to close at 15,124.04. The Topix index of Tokyo shares fell 0.23% to 1,545.57. On Thursday, the Nikkei rose 3.36% for its largest gain since January. Analysts said although recent data showi ...

SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones) -- News Friday that Anadarko Petroleum, the nation's biggest independent exploration and production company, is spending $21.1 billion to get even bigger gave a boost to the entire independent energy group with analysts again drawing circles around possible takeover targets as the sector continues to contract. In one fell swoop, Anadarko (APC) took Kerr-McGee Corp. (KM ...

U.S. stocks closed lower on the day and week Friday, with the broad-based S&P 500 logging a third straight week of declines, after a wary session spent marking time ahead of next week's Federal Reserve rates decision. However, the energy sector was a notable gainer after two major deals suggested a round of consolidation among oil and gas producers may be on the cards. The Dow Jones Indu ...

By Deepa Babington and Mark McSherry NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. oil and gas producer Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it agreed to buy smaller rivals Kerr-McGee Corp. (KMG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Western Gas Resources Inc. (WGR.N: Quote, Profile, Research) for more than $21 billion (11.6 billion pounds) in cash to expand in the U.S. Gulf of Mexi ...

U.S. stocks held onto modest gains Friday in a week where investors have preferred to mark time on hopes a clearer picture on interest rates will emerge at next week's Federal Reserve meeting. The energy sector was a notable gainer after two major deals suggested a round of consolidation among oil and gas producers may be on the cards. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was last up 19 po ...

U.S. stocks turned higher Friday as the lure of attractively-valued shares won out over caution ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting on interest rates, with the energy sector a notable gainer after two major deals suggested a round of consolidation among oil and gas producers may be on the cards. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was last up 40 points at 11,059. The Nasdaq Compo ...

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) - Anadarko Petroleum Corp., in a bid to assemble one of the world's biggest independent energy producers, said Friday it would spend $ 21.1 billion to acquire Kerr-McGee Corp. and Western Gas Resources Inc. The deal, the ninth biggest merger ever in the oil and gas sector, according to Thomson Financial, was seen by analysts as the latest chapter in an ongoing consolidation ...

Shares in London turned lower Friday after data on durable-goods orders couldn't eliminate recurring market chatter that U.S. interest rates will rise by a half-point next week. Traders marked down miners and fund managers in reaction. The FTSE 100declined 0.2%, or 13.6 points, at 5,670, with European stock markets also lower. Led by a big drop in orders for aircraft, U.S.-made durable goods ...

U.S. stocks moved lower Friday as investors turned cautious ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting on interest rates, but the energy sector rallied after two major deals suggested a round of consolidation among oil and gas producers may be on the cards. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was last down 29 points at 10,990. The Nasdaq Composite Index (RIXF) was off 4 points at 2,119  ...

U.S. stocks turned mixed Friday as merger and acquisition activity in the energy sector gave investor sentiment a boost at a time when the market remains nervous ahead of a Federal Reserve decision on interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose 9 points to 11,028. The Nasdaq Composite Index (RIXF) was off 3 points at 2,120 while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) added nearly 1 poin ...