EU, US reps meet ahead of free-trade talks
US Trade Ambassador Michael Froman received his European counterpart Karel De Gucht in Washington Monday, preparing for next month's fourth round of talks on creating the world's largest free-trade area.
Japan's Rakuten paying $900 mn for Cypriot app-maker
Rakuten, Japan's largest online shopping mall operator, said Friday it would buy Cyprus-based application maker Viber Media for $900 million, as its expands an overseas empire that includes Canadian e-reader company Kobo.
Oil markets tight, IEA warns
World oil markets are unexpectedly tight as growth in advanced economies picks up, the IEA warned on Thursday, urging OPEC to skip a seasonal output drop as stocks touch six-year lows.