German car giant Volkswagen said Friday it would plough 60 billion euros ($66 billion) by 2024 into its switch to electric, hybrid and connected vehicles, as automakers around the world rev up electrification plans.

U.S. stocks were upbeat at the open on Friday, amid new positive signs that Washington and Beijing are moving towards at least a partial deal to end the lingering trade conflict.

The nationwide strike at General Motors walloped American industry last month, causing the biggest tumble in factory output in a year and a half, the Federal Reserve reported Friday.

Five of the biggest emerging economies railed against protectionism on Thursday as they vowed to overcome "significant challenges" facing multilateralism, in a swipe at U.S. tariffs and unilateral action.

Michael Bloomberg's likely run for the presidency would create a hornet's nest of practical and ethical problems for his company, which as one of the world's biggest news organizations would be thrust into coverage of its owner.

Global economic worries on Thursday caused Wall Street to retreat from record highs following sour economic data from major economies and signs of persistent deadlock in U.S.-China trade talks.

Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday approved an increase in defense spending that will mark a new record, as President Volodymr Zelensky vows to end the country's long conflict with Russian-backed separatists.

China on Thursday said eliminating tariffs was a "condition" for reaching a trade agreement with the United States, a demand U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he had rejected.

The U.S.-China trade war threatens almost 1.5 million jobs across the United States that depend on the movement of goods through ports in southern California, according to a report released Tuesday.

Boeing on Monday said it expects the 737 MAX airplane, which was grounded after two crashes killed 346 people, to resume flying in January, delaying its return by one month.