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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - After trending lower over the past sessions, stocks are likely to move back to the upside in early trading on Monday. The major index futures are currently pointing to a notably higher open for the markets, with the S&P 500 futures up by 0.8 percent.

Technology stocks may help lead an early rebound on Wall Street, as reflected by the 1.2 percent jump by the Nasdaq 100 futures.

Shares of Alphabet (GOOGL) are surging by 5.0 percent in pre-market trading after a report from Bloomberg said Apple (AAPL) is in talks to build Google's Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone.

Nvidia (NVDA) is also seeing significant pre-market strength ahead of its GTC Conference, where the chipmaker is expected to provide updates on its AI initiatives.

Overall trading activity may be somewhat subdued, however, as traders look ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Fed is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, but the central bank's accompanying statement and economic projections could have a significant impact on the outlook for rates.

Recent hotter-than-expected inflation readings have reduced optimism about the likelihood of the Fed's first rate cut coming in June.

Shortly after the start of trading, the National Association of Home Builders is scheduled to release its report on homebuilder confidence in the month of March. The housing market index is expected to come in unchanged in March after rising to 48 in February.

With traders looking ahead to the Fed meeting, stocks moved mostly lower over the course of the trading session on Friday. With the downward move, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 closed lower for the third straight day.

The major averages finished the day off their worst levels but still firmly negative. The Nasdaq slumped 155.36 points or 1.0 percent to 15,973.17, the S&P 500 slid 33.39 points or 0.7 percent to 5,117.09 and the Dow fell 190.89 points or 0.5 percent to 38,714.77.

For the week, the tech-heavy Nasdaq declined by 0.7 percent, while the S&P 500 edged down by 0.1 percent and the Dow was nearly unchanged.

In overseas trading, stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region moved mostly higher during trading on Monday. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index surged by 2.7 percent, while China's Shanghai Composite Index jumped by 1.0 percent.

The major European markets have shown more modest moves to the upside on the day. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index, the German DAX Index and the French CAC 40 Index have all risen by 0.2 percent.

In commodities trading, crude oil futures are rising $0.28 to$81.32 a barrel after slipping $0.22 to $81.04 a barrel last Friday. Meanwhile, after edging down $6 to $2,161.50 an ounce in the previous session, gold futures are inching up $4.40 to $2,165.90 an ounce.

On the currency front, the U.S. dollar is trading at 149.13 yen versus the 148.04 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Friday. Against the euro, the dollar is trading at $1.0901 compared to last Friday's $1.0889.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Initial trends on the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might open positive.

Asian shares ended all positive, while European shares were trading mostly up.

Investors might be interested in the Fed's monetary policy meeting this week and reports on Homebuilder Confidence, Housing Starts and existing home sales.

As of 7.45 am ET, the Dow futures were up 58.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were adding 36.25 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were progressing 199.50 points.

The U.S. major averages finished firmly negative on Friday. The Nasdaq slumped 155.36 points or 1.0 percent to 15,973.17, the S&P 500 slid 33.39 points or 0.7 percent to 5,117.09 and the Dow fell 190.89 points or 0.5 percent to 38,714.77.

On the economic front, the Housing Market Index for March will be released at 10.00 am ET. The consensus is for an increase of 48, while it was up 48 in the prior month.

The six-month Treasury bill auction will be held at 11.30 am ET.

Asian stocks ended mostly higher on Monday. Chinese markets ended higher. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index jumped 0.99 percent to 3,084.93 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged up marginally to close at 16,737.12.

Japanese markets gained. The Nikkei average soared 2.67 percent to 39,740.44. The broader Topix index settled 1.92 percent higher at 2,721.99. Gainers were led by real estate, machinery, and insurance issues.

Australian markets fluctuated.

European shares are trading mostly higher. CAC 40 of France is gaining 12.15 points or 0.33 percent. DAX of Germany is declining 16.95 points or 0.15 percent. FTSE 100 of England is progressing 19.21 points or 0.25 percent. The Swiss Market Index is down 53.52 points or 0.46 percent.

Euro Stoxx 50 which provides a Blue-chip representation of supersector leaders in the Eurozone, is up 0.26 percent.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European shares were flat to slightly higher on Monday ahead of key Eurozone inflation data due out later in the day and the Fed and Bank of England policy meetings due this week.

The flash estimate showed that Eurozone inflation softened to 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent in January.

The pan European STOXX 600 was marginally higher at 505.13 after declining 0.3 percent on Friday.

The German DAX rose 0.3 percent, France's CAC 40 was up marginally and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 inched up 0.2 percent.

Signify NV jumped 4 percent after Barclays upgraded its rating on the stock.

Swiss tech firm Logitech plunged 7 percent after announcing the departure of its CFO in May.

Julius Baer Group declined 1.1 percent after announcing its financial targets for the 2023-25 period.

Miners traded mostly lower, with Antofagasta falling nearly 2 percent.

British building materials group Marshalls plunged 6.5 percent after annual pretax profit and revenue fell amid challenging end-market conditions.

Electronics retailer Currys rallied 3.5 percent after raising its profit guidance.

British American Tobacco rose 1.3 percent. The company started a £1.6 billion ($2 billion) buyback program after selling part of its stake in India's ITC.

British Land Company jumped 2.2 percent after it announced the formation of a new 50:50 joint venture with Royal London Asset Management Property to boost the delivery of 1 Triton Square into a best-in-class science and innovation building at Regent's Place.

German reinsurer Hannover Re was marginally higher after it posted higher full-year net income and forecast improved results for FY24.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks were flat to slightly higher on Monday after top metal consumer China's industrial output and retail sales figures for the first two months of the year beat forecasts.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 9 points, or 0.1 percent, at 7,734 after closing 0.2 percent lower on Friday.

Miners traded mostly lower, with Antofagasta falling nearly 2 percent.

Building materials group Marshalls plunged 6.5 percent after annual pretax profit and revenue fell amid challenging end-market conditions.

Electronics retailer Currys rallied 3.5 percent after raising its profit guidance.

British American Tobacco rose 1.3 percent. The company started a £1.6 billion ($2 billion) buyback program after selling part of its stake in India's ITC.

British Land Company jumped 2.2 percent after it announced the formation of a new 50:50 joint venture with Royal London Asset Management Property to boost the delivery of 1 Triton Square into a best in class science and innovation building at Regent's Place.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks were subdued on Monday after a slew of Chinese data painted a mixed picture of the world's second-largest economy.

The latest readings on Chinese industrial output, retail sales and fixed asset investment for the first two months of 2024 beat forecasts.

On the contrary, property investment declined, unemployment unexpectedly rose and new bank loans data for February disappointed - adding to expectations that policymakers will announce more stimulus to stabilize growth in the world's second-largest economy.

The benchmark CAC 40 was down 11 points, or 0.1 percent, at 8,153 after ending little changed with a positive bias on Friday.

China-linked shares dipped, with LVMH falling half a percent and Kering losing 1.8 percent.

Key Eurozone inflation data is awaited later in the day.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks were seeing modest gains on Monday ahead of key Eurozone inflation data due out later in the day and the Fed and Bank of England policy meetings due this week.

The flash estimate showed that Eurozone inflation softened to 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent in January.

Eurozone foreign trade data is also due. The trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 16.8 billion in December.

The benchmark DAX was up 26 points, or 0.1 percent, at 17,962 after finishing marginally lower on Friday.

The euro inched lower against the dollar in European trade following last week's warmer-than-expected U.S. inflation data.

In corporate news, reinsurer Hannover Re was marginally higher after it posted higher full-year net income and forecast improved results for FY24.

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CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Asian stocks ended mostly higher on Monday as Chinese industrial output and retail sales figures beat estimates and investors looked ahead to a slew of central bank decisions.

The dollar held steady while the yen wavered ahead of the BOJ, RBA, Fed, SNB, and BOE meetings due this week. Gold dipped while oil ticked higher, building on last week's gains amid signs of tightening supplies.

Chinese markets ended higher as mixed economic data helped to keep hopes for stimulus alive.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite index jumped 0.99 percent to 3,084.93 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged up marginally to close at 16,737.12.

The latest readings on Chinese industrial output, retail sales and fixed asset investment for the first two months of 2024 beat forecasts.

On the contrary, property investment declined, unemployment unexpectedly rose and new bank loans data for February disappointed - adding to expectations that policymakers will announce more stimulus to stabilize growth in the world's second-largest economy.

Japanese markets led regional gains, tracking a weaker yen as investors braced for a BOJ policy shift when the central bank makes its policy announcement on Tuesday.

The central bank is widely expected to end its negative interest rates and yield curve control policies after this year's spring wage negotiations involving major Japanese firms delivered robust pay increases.

The Nikkei average soared 2.67 percent to 39,740.44, shrugging off new data that showed Japan's core machinery orders fell more than expected in January.

The broader Topix index settled 1.92 percent higher at 2,721.99. Gainers were led by real estate, machinery and insurance issues.

Honda Motor rose 2.7 percent and Nissan Motor added 4.1 percent after they signed a strategic pact to collaborate on developing electric vehicles.

Seoul stocks rose notably ahead of the FOM meeting due on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Kospi average rose 0.71 percent to 2,685.84 led by tech shares and battery makers. SK Hynix, LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI surged 2-4 percent.

Australian markets fluctuated before finishing marginally higher ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's interest-rate decision due on Tuesday.

No change in interest rates is expected but the central bank is expected to maintain its hawkish stance, citing sticky inflation.

Miners declined as iron ore fell below $100 a ton in Singapore to its lowest level since last May.

Across the Tasman, New Zealand's benchmark S&P NZX-50 index dipped 0.33 percent to 11,728.01.

U.S. stocks ended lower on Friday while bond yields ticked higher as investors looked ahead to cues from upcoming FOMC meeting.

On the data front, manufacturing output rebounded in February while consumer sentiment and inflation expectations held steady in March, separate reports revealed.

The New York Empire State Manufacturing Index sank to -20.9 in March 2024 from -2.4 in February.

The tech=heavy Nasdaq Composite shed 1 percent and the S&P 500 gave up 0.7 percent to extend losses for the third day running while the Dow dropped half a percent.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks may open on a positive note Monday, though the upside may remain capped ahead of a slew of central bank meetings due this week.

Asian markets traded mostly higher after Chinese retail sales and industrial output data beat expectations.

Industrial output posted an increase of 7.0 percent in the January to February period, compared with 5.0 percent growth forecast by economists.

Retail sales also topped forecasts to increase 5.5 percent during the period while fixed asset investment expanded 4.2 percent.

On the contrary, the real estate sector remained sluggish, with investment in real estate falling 9 percent in January-February compared to the same period a year earlier.

China's new bank loans dipped more than expected in February, spurring some optimism over possible stimulus measures.

Japan's Nikkei jumped more than 2 percent as a BOJ policy shift loomed.

The Bank of Japan is expected to put an end to its extremely dovish monetary policy at the end of a two-day policy meeting concluding on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, the Reserve Bank of Australia is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at the conclusion of a two-day meeting on Tuesday.

The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to announce no changes on Wednesday, but the policy statement and dot plots may offer some clarity on future interest rate moves.

The Swiss National Bank and the Bank of England are also scheduled to make their monetary policy announcements this week.

The day's economic calendar remains light, with Eurozone CPI data for February and U.S. housing market data for March likely to garner investor attention.

Gold was under pressure in Asian trading as the dollar held steady ahead of the FOMC meeting. Oil steadied after its biggest weekly advance in a month.

U.S. stocks ended lower on Friday while bond yields ticked higher as investors looked ahead to cues from upcoming central bank meetings.

On the data front, manufacturing output rebounded in February while consumer sentiment and inflation expectations held steady in March, separate reports revealed.

The New York Empire State Manufacturing Index sank to -20.9 in March 2024 from -2.4 in February.

The tech=heavy Nasdaq Composite shed 1 percent and the S&P 500 gave up 0.7 percent to extend losses for the third day running while the Dow dropped half a percent.

European stocks closed lower on Friday amid inflation and interest-rate concerns. The pan European STOXX 600 declined 0.3 percent.

The German DAX finished marginally lower and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 eased 0.2 percent while France's CAC 40 ended with a positive bias.

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CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Asian stock markets are trading mixed on Monday, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street on Friday, as traders seemed reluctant to make significant moves and look ahead to the U.S. central bank's monetary policy meeting this week. While the US Fed is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, traders will look to the accompanying statement for clues about the outlook for rates. Asian markets closed mostly lower on Friday.

Recent hotter-than-expected inflation readings have reduced optimism that the Fed's first rate cut may come in June. According to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, the probability of the Fed leaving rates unchanged at its June meeting has climbed to 43.3 percent from 25 percent.

The Australian stock market is slightly lower in choppy trading on Monday, adding to the losses in the previous two sessions, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 staying below the 7,700.00 level, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street on Friday, as traders remain cautious ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's monetary policy meeting this week, where the RBA is widely expected to maintain its hawkish stance.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index is losing 7.00 points or 0.09 percent to 7,663.30, after hitting a low of 7,642.00 earlier. The broader All Ordinaries Index is down 9.20 points or 0.12 percent to 7,914.60. Australian stocks closed notably lower on Friday.

Among the major miners, Rio Tinto and Mineral Resources are edging up 0.3 to 0.5 percent each, while Fortescue Metals is losing more than 1 percent. BHP Group is flat.

Oil stocks are mixed. Beach energy is gaining more than 1 percent. Origin Energy and Woodside Energy are losing almost 1 percent each, while Santos is edging down 0.1 percent.

Among tech stocks, Afterpay owner Block and Xero are losing almost 1 percent, while Appen is surging more than 7 percent, Zip is gaining more than 5 percent and WiseTech Global is edging up 0.4 percent.

Gold miners are higher. Gold Road Resources is gaining more than 1 percent. Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining are edging up 0.1 to 0.5 percent each, while Newmont and Resolute Mining are adding more than 1 percent each.

Among the big four banks, Westpac is losing almost 1 percent, while ANZ Banking and National Australia Bank are edging down 0.3 percent each. Commonwealth Bank is edging up 0.2 percent.

In the currency market, the Aussie dollar is trading at $0.657 on Monday.

The Japanese stock market is trading sharply higher on Monday, recouping the losses in the previous session. The benchmark Nikkei 225 is surging more than 2 percent to above the 39,500 level, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street on Friday, with gains across most sectors led by index heavyweights and technology stocks.

Traders are also looking ahead to the Bank of Japan's monetary policy meeting this week for any possible changes in monetary policy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index closed the morning session at 39,521.43, up 813.79 points or 2.10 percent, after touching a high of 39,612.94 earlier. Japanese shares ended modestly lower on Friday.

Market heavyweight SoftBank Group is gaining almost 1 percent and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing is adding more than 4 percent. Among automakers, Honda is gaining almost 3 percent and Toyota is adding more than 2 percent.

In the tech space, Screen Holdings is gaining more than 3 percent, while Advantest and Tokyo Electron are advancing almost 3 percent each.

In the banking sector, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial are gaining almost 2 percent each, while Mizuho Financial is adding more than 1 percent.

The major exporters are higher. Canon and Mitsubishi Electric are gaining more than 1 percent each, while Panasonic is edging up 0.4 percent and Sony is adding almost 2 percent.

Among other major gainers, Rakuten Group is soaring almost 8 percent, Nissan Motor is surging more than 5 percent and Lasertec is gaining almost 5 percent, while Sumitomo Realty, GS Yuasa and Nidec are up more than 4 percent each. Osaka Gas, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Tokyo Gas, Otsuka Holdings, Fujikura, Nomura Holdings, Mitsubishi and Hitachi Construction Machinery are advancing almost 4 percent each.

Conversely, Tokyo Electric Power is plummeting more than 10 percent.

In economic news, the value of core machine orders in Japan was down a seasonally adjusted 1.7 percent on month in January, the Cabinet Office said on Monday - coming in at 823.8 billion yen. That missed forecasts for a decline of 1.0 percent following the downwardly revised 1.9 percent increase in December (originally 2.7 percent).

On a yearly basis, core machine orders slumped 10.9 percent - but that beat expectations for a fall of 11.2 percent following the 0.7 percent decline in the previous month. For the first quarter of 2024, core machine orders are forecast to rise 4.9 percent on quarter and fall 0.1 percent on year.

In the currency market, the U.S. dollar is trading in the higher 148 yen-range on Monday.

Elsewhere in Asia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia are lower by between 0.1 and 0.4 percent each, while China, South Korea and Taiwan are up 0.4 percent each.

On Wall Street, stocks moved mostly lower over the course of the trading session on Friday, with traders looking ahead to next week's Federal Reserve meeting. With the downward move, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 closed lower for the third straight day.

The major averages finished the day off their worst levels but still firmly negative. The Nasdaq slumped 155.36 points or 1.0 percent to 15,973.17, the S&P 500 slid 33.39 points or 0.7 percent to 5,117.09 and the Dow fell 190.89 points or 0.5 percent to 38,714.77.

Meanwhile, the major European markets turned in a lackluster performance on the day. While the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index dipped by 0.2 percent, the German DAX Index and the French CAC 40 Index ended the day roughly flat.

Crude oil prices dropped on Friday, retreating from multi-month highs, due largely to profit taking after recent strong gains. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for April ended down by $0.22 at $81.04 a barrel.

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TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese stock market is trading sharply higher on Monday, recouping the losses in the previous session. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is surging more than 2 percent to above the 39,500 level, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street on Friday, with gains across most sectors led by index heavyweights and technology stocks.

Traders are also looking ahead to the Bank of Japan's monetary policy meeting this week for any possible changes in monetary policy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index is up 822.52 or 2.12 percent at 39,530.16, after touching a high of 39,612.94 earlier. Japanese shares ended modestly lower on Friday.

Market heavyweight SoftBank Group is gaining almost 1 percent and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing is adding more than 4 percent. Among automakers, Honda is gaining almost 3 percent and Toyota is adding more than 2 percent.

In the tech space, Screen Holdings is gaining more than 3 percent, while Advantest and Tokyo Electron are advancing almost 3 percent each.

In the banking sector, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial are gaining almost 2 percent each, while Mizuho Financial is adding more than 1 percent.

The major exporters are higher. Canon and Mitsubishi Electric are gaining more than 1 percent each, while Panasonic is edging up 0.4 percent and Sony is adding almost 2 percent.

Among other major gainers, Rakuten Group is soaring almost 8 percent, Nissan Motor is surging more than 5 percent and Lasertec is gaining almost 5 percent, while Sumitomo Realty, GS Yuasa and Nidec are up more than 4 percent each. Osaka Gas, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Tokyo Gas, Otsuka Holdings, Fujikura, Nomura Holdings, Mitsubishi and Hitachi Construction Machinery are advancing almost 4 percent each.

Conversely, Tokyo Electric Power is plummeting more than 10 percent.

In economic news, the value of core machine orders in Japan was down a seasonally adjusted 1.7 percent on month in January, the Cabinet Office said on Monday - coming in at 823.8 billion yen. That missed forecasts for a decline of 1.0 percent following the downwardly revised 1.9 percent increase in December (originally 2.7 percent).

On a yearly basis, core machine orders slumped 10.9 percent - but that beat expectations for a fall of 11.2 percent following the 0.7 percent decline in the previous month. For the first quarter of 2024, core machine orders are forecast to rise 4.9 percent on quarter and fall 0.1 percent on year.

In the currency market, the U.S. dollar is trading in the lower 149 yen-range on Monday.

On Wall Street, stocks moved mostly lower over the course of the trading session on Friday, with traders looking ahead to next week's Federal Reserve meeting. With the downward move, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 closed lower for the third straight day.

The major averages finished the day off their worst levels but still firmly negative. The Nasdaq slumped 155.36 points or 1.0 percent to 15,973.17, the S&P 500 slid 33.39 points or 0.7 percent to 5,117.09 and the Dow fell 190.89 points or 0.5 percent to 38,714.77.

Meanwhile, the major European markets turned in a lackluster performance on the day. While the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index dipped by 0.2 percent, the German DAX Index and the French CAC 40 Index ended the day roughly flat.

Crude oil prices dropped on Friday, retreating from multi-month highs, due largely to profit taking after recent strong gains. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for April ended down by $0.22 at $81.04 a barrel.

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BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - IAE International Aero Engines AG, a consortium comprised of RTX Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney and others, has successfully tested the V2500 engine with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel or SAF.

In a statement, RTX said the V2500 engine, which currently powers the A320ceo family aircraft and the Embraer C-390 Millenium, was tested at MTU Maintenance Hannover, Germany. MTU Maintenance Hannover is the first maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility worldwide to carry out a 100 percent SAF test on a V2500.

It is expected that the majority of eight IAE company shops will be prepared to use SAF in their operations in the next few years.

IAE consortium, which also includes Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines Corp. and German engine maker MTU Aero Engines AG, said the V2500 engine test was run on 100 percent Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosine or HEFA-SPK fuel supplied by Neste.

HEFA-SPK is produced by hydrotreating renewable raw materials, such as waste oils or fats, into an aviation turbine fuel. It is considered a prominent sustainable alternative to conventional jet fuels.

According to RTX, the V2500 engine offers the most fuel-efficient propulsion system in its class, with up to 3 percent fuel burn and emissions advantage over prior generation engines. This results in significant fuel savings and lower emissions.

The V2500 engine is approved for operation on SAF blended at up to 50 percent with conventional Jet A and A-1 fuel. The V2500 is a versatile engine, powering commercial, cargo and military platforms.

The company noted that Pratt & Whitney continues collaborating closely with the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative or CAAFI and ASTM International with a view to develop future specifications for 100 percent SAF.

Kim Kinsley, president, IAE AG, and vice president, Mature Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney, said, 'This test with 100 percent SAF demonstrates that V2500 engines can continue contributing towards making aviation more sustainable in the decades ahead. With nearly 3,000 V2500-powered aircraft in service today, IAE recognizes our important role in supporting the industry's goal to meet net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.'

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SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) announced the completion of its acquisition of Splunk on Monday.

The acquisition at $157 per share in cash, amounted to around $28 billion in equity value.

This combination of Cisco and Splunk aims to offer customers a comprehensive range of benefits, including enhanced security solutions for threat prevention, detection, investigation, and response across organizations of all sizes.

The collaboration also promises a solution for optimizing digital experiences in a multi-cloud hybrid environment, a secure networking solution built on intelligent and resilient infrastructure, improved AI integration within organizations and applications, and a platform-driven approach by Cisco and Splunk to enhance business outcomes and reduce costs.

It is anticipated that this transaction will generate positive cash flow and result in non-GAAP gross margin accretion for Cisco in fiscal year 2025, with non-GAAP earnings per share accretion expected in fiscal year 2026.

Furthermore, the acquisition is poised to accelerate revenue growth and non-GAAP gross margin expansion for Cisco.

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - United States Steel Corp. (X) Monday initiated earnings guidance for the first quarter, that came in below analysts' estimates.

For the first-quarter, excluding items, earnings are projected to be in the range of $0.80 to $0.84 per share.

On average, six-analysts, polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to earn $0.89 per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

The company expects net profit of $160 million, whereas adjusted earnings at $205 million.

United States Steel anticipates EBITDA of $365 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $425 million.

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NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) has successfully completed its acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics, Inc. Karuna shares have ceased trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and Karuna is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb. The company said, as previously disclosed, the transaction is expected to be dilutive to non-GAAP earnings per share by approximately $0.30 in 2024 from the financing cost of the transaction.

Bristol Myers Squibb noted that the transaction will be accounted for as an asset acquisition resulting in an approximately $12 billion one-time, non-deductible Acquired In-Process Research and Development or Acquired IPR&D charge impacting both 2024 first quarter and full-year GAAP and non-GAAP EPS by approximately $5.93.

For More Such Health News, visit rttnews.com.

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A.O. Smith Corp. (AOS) announced on Monday that Stephen Shafer will assume the role of president and chief operating officer starting on March 18, 2024.

In his new position, Shafer will oversee the company's worldwide business divisions, encompassing operations, engineering, and IT.

Before joining A.O. Smith, Shafer had held the position of president at 3M Company's Automotive and Aerospace Solutions Division. His previous experience includes roles at McKinsey & Company and Ford Motor Company.

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Pizza giant Domino's Pizza Inc. is offering customers 50 percent off on all menu-priced pizzas ordered online to celebrate the ongoing college basketball tournaments.

From today through March 24, the 50 percent off deal is available on menu-priced pizzas ordered through Domino's online ordering channels, which include www.dominos.com and Domino's mobile app.

Christopher Thomas-Moore, Domino's senior vice president - chief digital officer, said, 'Domino's is making an assist to customers for a slam dunk of a deal. What's better than enjoying delicious pizza while cheering on your favorite team? Enjoying delicious pizza when it's half off!'

Domino's noted that it sold more than 3 million pizzas during the men's 2023 national semifinals and championship game nights combined.

During the 2023 men's and women's college basketball tournaments, the company produced enough dough to match the weight of more than 22 million basketballs.

Domino's Pizza's previous offer was for its customers visiting its corporate and franchise owned-stores. From January 22 through 28, the customers were offered to buy large two-topping carryout pizzas for $6.99 each.

The largest pizza company in the world has a global enterprise of more than 20,500 stores in over 90 markets, and generated global retail sales of nearly $18.3 billion in 2023.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Accenture (ACN) has agreed to acquire Aris Group, a technology services provider focused on supporting public sector transformation across Europe. It specializes in the management of complex public sector IT projects, including systems integration, informatics and analytics, solution implementation and program management.

Based in Luxembourg, Aris Group has more than 2,330 people across Luxembourg, Belgium, and Greece primarily. It focuses on work with the European Union, including the EU Commission, its various institutions and member state organizations.

'The addition of Aris Group will expand our ability to deliver public service transformation services across Europe,' said Olivier Girard, market unit lead for Accenture France & Benelux.

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LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Witan Investment Trust PLC (WTAN.L) Monday reported profit before tax of 184.19 million pounds for the full year, compared with loss of 278.77 million pounds in the previous year, mainly due to gain on investments.

The company had a gain on investments held at fair value of 165.48 million pounds compared with a loss of 303.61 million pounds last year.

Witan posted net profit of 181.48 million pounds or 27.86p per share compared with loss of 280.55 million pounds or 39.65p per share a year ago.

Investment income, however, declined to 41.25 million pounds from 43.61 million pounds in the previous year.

NAV per share increased to 257.6p per share from 234.1p per share last year.

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LONDON (dpa-AFX) - British American Tobacco plc (BATS.L, BTI), on Monday, announced that it has commenced its programme to buyback BAT ordinary shares using proceeds from the sale of 436,851,457 ordinary shares in ITC Limited.

The final net proceeds received by the BAT Group were £1.57 billion and the Programme will buy back £1.60 billion of BAT ordinary shares starting with £700 million in 2024 and with the remaining £900 million in 2025. The Programme will commence on 18 March 2024 and will end no later than 31 December 2025.

The objective of the Programme is to reduce the issued share capital of the company. The shares that are purchased will be cancelled. The company has agreed with UBS AG London Branch to facilitate the purchase of Ordinary Shares for the initial stage of the Programme. UBS will purchase the company's ordinary shares as the principal, and the company will buy such a number of ordinary shares from UBS by the terms of the engagement.

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ROMANEL-SUR-MORGES (dpa-AFX) - Logitech International SA (LOGI), a Swiss computer peripherals and software provider, said on Monday that its Chief Financial Officer, Charles 'Chuck' Boynton, will step down to pursue other opportunities.

He will remain with the company as CFO through mid-May to ensure a smooth transition.

Logitech said that it will announce his successor at a later date.

In addition, the company has reaffirmed its annual guidance.

For the full year, the company still expects adjusted operating income of $610 million to $660 million, on sales of $4.2 billion to $4.25 billion.

Fourteen analysts on average expect Logitech to report revenue of $4.25 billion for the full year.

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting will be it the spotlight this week, with the central bank due to announce its latest interest rate decision on Wednesday.

The Fed is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, but the accompanying statement and economic projections could have a significant impact on the outlook for rates.

Recent hotter-than-expected inflation readings have reduced optimism about the likelihood of the Fed's first rate cut coming in June.

CME Group's FedWatch Tool is currently indicating a 55.5 percent chance the Fed will cut rates by a quarter point in June but a 41.5 percent chance rates will remain unchanged.

The Fed's announcement is likely to overshadow several key housing reports this week, including this morning's report on homebuilder confidence in the month of March.

The report from the National Association of Home Builders is expected to show the housing market index came in unchanged in March after rising to 48 in February.

On Tuesday, the Commerce Department is due to release its report on new residential construction in the month of February.

Housing starts are expected to jump to an annual rate of 1.435 million in February after plunging to a rate of 1.331 million in January, while building permits are expected to rise to a rate of 1.500 million in February after falling to a rate of 1.470 million in January.

The National Association of Realtors is also scheduled to release its report on existing home sales in the month of February on Thursday.

Economists expect existing home sales to dip to an annual rate of 3.95 million in February after jumping to a rate of 4.00 million in January.

Reports on weekly jobless claims, Philadelphia-area manufacturing activity and leading economic indicators may also attract attention later this week along with remarks by Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Friday.

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LONDON (dpa-AFX) - UK house prices increased at a faster pace in December as the market continued its recovery after a muted 2023, the property website Rightmove said on Monday.

The average asking price grew 1.5 percent on a monthly basis in March, following a 0.9 percent rise in February. The rate was also higher than the historic average March increase of 1.0 percent and was also the strongest in ten months.

On a yearly basis, house price growth advanced to 0.8 percent from 0.1 percent in February.

The number of sales being agreed was 13 percent higher than at this time last year. Moreover, buyer demand was 8 percent above last year.

However, Rightmove's realtime data indicated that the growth in buyer demand was weakened by a lacklustre Spring Budget, with no direct support for first-time buyers. In addition, the average time to find a buyer was 71 days, the longest at this time of year since 2019.

'March is typically a strong month for asking price growth, as both buyer and seller activity levels rise and the spring selling season gets underway,' Rightmove's Director of Property Science Tim Bannister said.

The stronger than usual price increase in the latest month suggests that new sellers are feeling much more confident, with some perhaps being over-optimistic, that there is enough buyer activity and affordability in their local market to achieve a higher price, Bannister noted.

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BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The euro area trade surplus increased in January as exports increased amid falling imports, Eurostat reported Monday.

The trade surplus rose to a seasonally adjusted surplus of EUR 28.1 billion in January from EUR 14.3 billion in December.

Exports increased 2.1 percent on month, while imports decreased 4.0 percent in January.

On an unadjusted basis, the trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 11.4 billion in January compared to a shortfall of EUR 32.6 billion in the same period last year.

Exports registered an increase of 1.3 percent. By contrast, imports logged a sharp decline of 16.1 percent.

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BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Eurozone inflation softened as estimated in February largely reflecting the decline in energy prices, final data from Eurostat showed on Monday.

The harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP posted an annual increase of 2.6 percent after rising 2.8 percent in January. The rate matched the flash estimate published on March 1.

Core inflation that excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco slowed to 3.1 percent, as estimated, from 3.3 percent a month ago.

On a monthly basis, the HICP gained 0.6 percent in February, in line with the initial estimate.

The European Central Bank Staff projected overall inflation to average 2.3 percent this year, 2.0 percent in 2025 and 1.9 percent in 2026.

At the last governing council meeting in March, policymakers decided to leave its benchmark rates unchanged. The bank observed that most measures of underlying inflation eased further but domestic price pressures remained high in part owing to strong growth in wages.

Core inflation that excludes energy and food is projected to average 2.6 percent this year, 2.1 percent in 2025 and 2.0 percent in 2026.

Data showed that highest contribution to annual inflation came from services as services cost advanced 1.7 percent. This was followed by food, alcohol and tobacco, which climbed 5.6 percent.

Non-energy industrial goods prices gained 2.0 percent. By contrast, energy prices plunged 6.1 percent.

In the EU27, annual inflation was 2.8 percent, down from 3.1 percent in January.

The lowest annual rates were registered in Latvia, Denmark and Italy. At the same time, the highest annual rates were recorded in Romania, Croatia and Estonia.

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BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - China industrial production grew more than expected in the January to February period, but retail sales growth softened and property investment continued a notable decline, adding scope for policy stimulus as the government aims to achieve around 5 percent growth.

Industrial output posted an increase of 7.0 percent in the January to February period, faster than the 6.8 percent rise in December, the National Bureau of Statistics reported Monday. Output was forecast to grow moderately by 5.0 percent.

At the same time, retail sales increased 5.5 percent in the January to February period from the previous year. This was slower than the 7.4 percent increase in December, but well above economists' forecast of 5.2 percent.

Fixed asset investment expanded 4.2 percent in the first two months of the year from the prior year. Economists had forecast an increase of 3.2 percent.

Property investment registered a 9.0 percent fall, which was less severe than the 24 percent decrease in December.

The unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent from 5.1 percent in December, data showed.

The NBS usually combines economic data of January and February to avoid distortions caused by the timing of the Lunar New Year.

Economists at Capital Economics forecast the recovery to continue over the coming months given the increase in the policy support outlined by the government.

However, the recovery may prove short-lived and achieving the government's growth target of around 5.0 percent looks challenging, economists added.

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PRAG (dpa-AFX) - The Czech Republic's industrial producer prices declined for the second straight month in February, though at a slower-than-expected pace, figures from the Czech Statistical Office showed on Monday.

The industrial producer price index fell 0.9 percent year-on-year in February, following a 1.8 percent decrease in the previous month. The expected drop was 1.2 percent.

Among the main industrial groupings, prices for intermediate goods decreased 5.5 percent from last year, and those for non-durable consumer goods were 1.3 percent lower. Meanwhile, energy prices rose 0.7 percent.

Excluding energy, industrial producer prices declined at a stable rate of 1.7 percent.

On a monthly basis, producer prices climbed 0.5 percent in February, versus an expected rise of 0.3 percent.

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BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Austria's consumer price inflation eased to the lowest level in more than two years, as initially estimated in February, the latest data from Statistics Austria showed on Monday.

The consumer price index climbed 4.3 percent year-over-year in February, slower than the revised 4.6 percent increase in January. That was in line with the flash data published on March 1.

Further, this was the lowest level of inflation since December 2021, but still twice as high as the European Central Bank's stability target of 2.0 percent.

The slowdown in inflation was mainly due to the fact that the pressure on food prices eased significantly, and prices in restaurants no longer rose quite as sharply as recently, Tobias Thomas, director general at Statistics Austria, said.

Costs for food and non-alcoholic beverages grew at a slower rate of 3.7 percent annually in February versus a 5.4 percent rise a month ago. Expenses for restaurants and hotels were 8.3 percent more expensive, compared to 9.1 percent in January.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices climbed 0.7 percent in February, as estimated.

EU harmonised inflation also moderated slightly to 4.2 percent from 4.3 percent a month ago, confirming the flash data.

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OSLO (dpa-AFX) - The Mainland Norwegian economy recovered at a faster-than-expected pace in January amid positive contributions from wholesale and retail trade and the electricity industry, Statistics Norway reported Monday.

Gross domestic product advanced a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent month-on-month in January, in contrast to a 0.3 percent decrease in December. The expected increase was 0.1 percent.

Meanwhile, overall GDP remained flat in January, versus 0.4 percent growth in the prior month.

Increased value added in wholesale and retail trade contributed the most to the monthly growth in January, the agency said.

The electricity industry also contributed to the overall expansion, while fishing dampened growth.

On the expenditure side, household consumption declined 0.4 percent over the month, largely reflecting a sharp drop in car purchases.

Data showed that government consumption remained unchanged, and gross fixed capital formation decreased by 5.5 percent. Exports fell 0.7 percent, while imports grew by 1.4 percent.

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BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Final inflation data from the euro area is the only major economic news due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 3.00 am ET, Statistics Norway releases GDP data for January. The Mainland Norway is forecast to grow 0.1 percent, in contrast to the 0.1 percent decrease in December.

At 4.00 am ET, producer price data is due from the Czech Republic. Producer prices are forecast to rise 0.3 percent on month, following a 2.5 percent rise in January.

At 6.00 am ET, Eurostat is scheduled to issue euro area final inflation and foreign trade data for February. The flash estimate showed that inflation softened to 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent in January. The trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 16.8 billion in December.

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BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - China industrial production grew more than expected in the January to February period, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics revealed Monday.

Industrial output posted an increase of 7.0 percent in the January to February period, faster than the 6.8 percent rise in December. Output was forecast to grow moderately by 5.0 percent.

At the same time, retail sales increased 5.5 percent in the January to February period from the previous year. This was the slower the 7.4 percent increase in December but well above economists' forecast of 5.2 percent.

Fixed asset investment expanded 4.2 percent in the first two months of the year from the prior year. Economists had forecast an increase of 3.2 percent.

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