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Bloomberg US stocks rose, Treasuries fluctuated and the dollar advanced as investors weighed comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell saying the central bank won’t rush to raise rates even though the economy should pick up steam. Powell’s testimony signalled optimism in economy, while data on durable orders fell well short of estimates and the US balance of trade worsened. …

Bloomberg As Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election meddling unfolds, investors should expect stocks to fall on major developments, according to a new index aimed at tracking political risks from the probe. The Mueller Risk Index “suggests that increased risk associated with the Mueller investigation (and by extension, the increased risk of impeachment) may hurt stocks but help …

LONDON / Reuters More than $200 billion of investment in liquefied natural gas is needed to meet a boom in demand by 2030, Royal Dutch Shell, the world’s top LNG trader, said. The LNG market is set to continue its rapid expansion into 2020 as facilities approved for construction in the first half of the decade come on line, in …

TOKYO / Reuters The United States will overtake Russia as the world’s biggest oil producer by 2019 at the latest, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday, as the country’s shale oil boom continues to upend global markets. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said at an event in Tokyo the United States would overtake Russia as the biggest crude …

RIYADH / Reuters Marriott International expects to attract $2 billion of investment in Saudi Arabia in the next four years by almost doubling the number of hotel rooms it operates there, an executive said. The kingdom aims to boost domestic and international tourism in its drive to diversify the economy away from oil exports. It is has set a target …

Bloomberg Oil traded near a three-week high after a supply disruption in Libya and as investors await US inventory data. Futures in New York slid 0.3 percent after closing at the highest since February 5 as crude exports from a key Libyan terminal were disrupted. The focus now shifts to US stockpiles, which are forecast to have risen last week. …

Bloomberg Japan’s financial supervisor is laying the groundwork for a regulatory overhaul that could lead to a shakeup in the nation’s $10 trillion banking industry. The Financial Services Agency is examining how to change the legal framework so that all providers of financial services are subject to the same rules — a move that would allow emerging companies such as …

Bloomberg The Bank of Korea left its benchmark interest rate unchanged in Governor Lee Ju-yeol’s last policy meeting, as it weighs risks to its economic outlook against the cost of raising borrowing costs for the nation’s indebted households. The unanimous decision to keep the seven-day repurchase rate at 1.5 percent was forecast by all 17 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. “With …

Bloomberg Deutsche Bank AG is expanding in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the lender expects sovereign bond sales and initial public offerings to drive deals this year. The Frankfurt-based bank plans to hire in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to cover sovereigns and large corporates, Jamal Al Kishi, chief executive officer for the Middle East and Africa, said …

Bloomberg Bank of America Corp. plans to open 500 branches across the US during the next four years, including an expansion of its retail business into Ohio. Consumer-banking services will be available in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based firm said in a statement. The bank plans to hire more than 5,400 workers as part of the …