A California judge on Thursday reduced a $2 billion jury verdict, slashing the award for a couple who blamed Bayer AG's glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup for their cancer to $86.7 million.
Oil prices fell on Friday after a Reuters poll showed global economic growth is likely to slow further amid the U.S.-China trade war, although losses were limited by tensions in the Middle East.
Alphabet Inc shares rose about 8% after the company reported quarterly results that eased investors' concerns about growth challenges facing its Google advertising business.
Australia's antitrust watchdog will be strengthened with a special branch to oversee the market power of U.S. technology giants Facebook and Google under sweeping regulatory reforms proposed by the government on Friday.
Australia said it would establish the world's first dedicated office within an antitrust regulator to police Facebook Inc and Google , setting a precedent for global lawmakers grappling with the U.S. technology giants' dominance.
SoftBank Group Corp announced on Friday a second Vision Fund aimed at investing in technology firms, saying it has secured memoranda of understanding (MOU) for about $108 billion from companies including Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp .
Asian share prices dropped on Friday following mixed U.S. earnings reports and after the European Central Bank unexpectedly held interest rates steady, while the euro held above two-year lows struck overnight.
SoftBank Group Corp announced on Friday a second Vision Fund aimed at investing in technology firms, saying it has secured memoranda of understanding (MOU) for about $108 billion from companies including Microsoft Corp .
Oil prices nudged higher on Thursday amid Middle East tensions and after weekly U.S. crude stocks dropped more than expected, but gains were stemmed by a fragile demand outlook on increasing signs of slowing global economic growth.
Anheuser-Busch InBev , the world's largest brewer, beat earnings expectations in the second quarter after beer sales grew at their fastest pace in five years.
Asian shares rose after a cautious start, while the euro hovered near two-month lows as soft economic data fueled hopes the European Central Bank could cut rates at its meeting on Thursday.
Consumer goods giant Unilever Plc reported slightly weaker-than-expected quarterly underlying sales growth on Thursday, hit by wet weather in Europe and North America, and moderating growth in India.
Volkswagen Group said its second-quarter operating profit rose 29.9% despite a 1.8% drop in vehicle sales after the VW brand launched a raft of higher-margin sports utility vehicles and amid rising sales at Porsche and Skoda.
When Saudi Aramco was on the verge of a deal last year to buy a stake in an Indian oil refinery, its boss quickly boarded a company jet in Paris and flew to New Delhi.
French energy giant Total said on Thursday it will sell assets worth around $5 billion mostly from its upstream exploration and production business as it seeks to focus on low breakeven projects that can withstand low oil prices.