Shares of spread-betting firm Plus500 surged Wednesday after it said it had benefited from increased interest in cryptocurrencies. Plus500 said in a trading update it had achieved record quarterly revenues in the fourth quarter of 2017, and an additional 246,000 customers, owed in part to its cryptocurrency contracts for difference (CFD). CFDs let traders bet […]
Read moreRipple, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by value, hit a record high on Wednesday as its strong rally continues. The digital coin reached $2.51, according to data from CryptoCompare, which tracks the price of various cryptocurrencies based on different exchanges. This passed the previous all-time high of $2.44 on December 30. Ripple’s strong rally has seen […]
Read moreBeijing’s crackdown on pollution has put China on track to overtake Japan this year as the world’s biggest importer of natural gas, used to replace dirtier coal. China — already the biggest importer of oil and coal — is the world’s third biggest user of natural gas behind the United States and Russia, but has […]
Read moreMusic streaming company Spotify was sued by Wixen Music Publishing Inc last week for allegedly using thousands of songs, including those of Tom Petty, Neil Young and the Doors, without a license and compensation to the music publisher. Wixen, an exclusive licensee of songs such as “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty, “Light My Fire” by […]
Read moreNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un reopened a key cross-border communication channel with South Korea for the first time in nearly two years Wednesday as the rivals explored the possibility of sitting down and talking after months of acrimony and fears of war. Even among the sudden signs of easing animosity, however, President Donald Trump […]
Read moreAmazon’s push into new advertising products will not threaten Google’s search business, analysts at Mizuho said in a note on Tuesday. CNBC reported in December that the U.S. e-commerce giant is experimenting with various advertising products across its portfolio and off of its website. This includes e-commerce search and video products too. Sources also told […]
Read moreCurrency, United States Finance
Europe markets seen higher; investors monitor sweeping reforms to EU financial sector laws
European markets are expected to open higher on Wednesday morning, as investors reacted to a string of robust economic data and monitored the release of a fresh set of rules for the continent’s financial sector. The FTSE 100 is poised to open up by 8 points at 7,645, while the DAX is seen up 56 […]
Read moreSouth Korea is willing to roll out more than just the red carpet for its northern neighbor should the latter decide to participate in the upcoming Winter Olympics held in PyeongChang. The provincial government of Gangwon, in which the games will be held, indicated Wednesday it would provide a cruise ship to North Korea to […]
Read moreA Vietnamese tycoon detained in Singapore last week remains in the city-state, one of his lawyers said on Wednesday, easing his family’s immediate fears that he could face the death penalty if he were sent back home. Phan Van Anh Vu, 42, a property developer and former secret service officer who media say is wanted […]
Read moreNorth Korea announced Wednesday that it will reopen a cross-border communication channel with South Korea, officials in Seoul said, another sign of easing animosity between the rivals after a year that saw the North conduct nuclear bomb and missile tests and both the Koreas and Washington issue threats of war. The announcement, which came on […]
Read more