Reuters - Before the Bell

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Friday, January 19, 2018

Petrobras owes Brazil billions, unlikely to pay in 2018, minister says

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA owes the government billions of dollars tied to offshore exploration rights but is unlikely to pay this year, a cabinet minister said.

Wall Street traders brace for meager paychecks as bonus season approaches

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Some traders at the largest Wall Street banks are about to get big, fat zeroes for bonuses while they watch markets thrive.

Futures climb as investors shrug off government shutdown fears

(Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a record open for the benchmark S&P 500 index on Friday as investors bet on strong corporate earnings, while playing down fears of a potential U.S. government shutdown.

Lowe's names two directors after talks with activist investor

(Reuters) - Lowe's Cos Inc said on Friday it added two board members, a week after reports that hedge fund D.E. Shaw & Co had built an active stake in the home improvement chain, sending its shares up 2 percent.

U.S. shutdown fears hurt dollar, Treasury yields at highest since 2014

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar wallowed near three-year lows on Friday as heightened fears of a U.S. government shutdown unnerved investors, while U.S. Treasury yields continued an upward march to hit their highest levels since September 2014.

Exclusive: Most U.S. states lost coal mining jobs in 2017 – data

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly two-thirds of U.S. coal producing states lost coal mining jobs in 2017, even as overall employment in the downtrodden sector grew modestly, according to preliminary government data obtained by Reuters.

Japan, U.S. to discuss trade 'framework', U.S. envoy says: NHK

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and the United States next week will start to discuss a framework of negotiations with the aim of concluding a trade pact and fixing bilateral trade imbalances, Japanese public broadcaster NHK quoted the U.S. ambassador to Japan as saying.

SEC says bitcoin funds raise 'investor protection issues'

(Reuters) - The U.S. securities regulator on Thursday raised alarm about the safety of bitcoin-themed investments, telling the fund industry they want answers to their concerns before endorsing more than a dozen proposed products based on cryptocurrencies.

Xerox-Fujifilm deal should have been changed long ago: Icahn

(Reuters) - Hedge fund investor Carl Icahn has called for the termination or renegotiation of Xerox Corp's long-running photocopier joint venture with Fujifilm Holdings , reiterating demands for a change of leadership at Xerox.

Emirates A380 orders allow Airbus to maintain minimum production - COO

PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier said on Friday that Emirates' latest order for up to 36 A380 aircraft worth $16 billion at list price would allow the European planemaker to maintain a minimum production level of the superjumbo.