Sri Lanka's central bank on Friday raised its key interest rate for the first time in five years and asked commercial banks to reduce lending in the face of a trade deficit.

Sri Lanka's central bank on Friday raised its key interest rate for the first time in five years and asked commercial banks to reduce lending in the face of a worsening trade deficit.

Brazil posted a $1.29 billion trade deficit last month, as imports rose sharply and exports to the debt-hit European Union slumped, official statistics showed Wednesday.

South Korea posted its first trade deficit in two years in January as falling overseas demand hit exports but inflation eased, official figures showed Wednesday.

A US industry and union coalition accused China Tuesday of sweeping illegal subsidies to its auto-parts sector that threaten to destroy more than a million US jobs.

A US industry and union coalition accused China Tuesday of sweeping illegal subsidies to its auto parts sector that threaten to destroy more than a million US jobs.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to a weaker open for equities on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 down 0.4 to 0.5 percent.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures fell on Friday as the latest setback in Greek negotiations for a financial bailout package put the S&P 500 on track to snap a three-day winning streak.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures fell on Friday as the latest setback in Greek negotiations for a bailout package put the S&P 500 on track to snap a three-day winning streak.

Asian markets rose Wednesday after a strong earnings report from Apple and on hopes Greece will agree on a debt-reduction deal with creditors, although worries persisted over Europe's ongoing fiscal woes.

Japan announced its first annual trade deficit for more than 30 years on Wednesday after the March quake-tsunami and strong yen hit exports in 2011, while high fuel costs pushed up import bills.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan logged an annual trade deficit in 2011 for the first time in 31 years, Ministry of Finance data showed on Wednesday, as last year's earthquake and tsunami, weak global demand and a strong yen battered exports.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan logged its first annual trade deficit in 2011 for over 30 years as the aftermath of the March earthquake raised fuel import costs even as slowing global growth and the yen's strength hit exports, threatening to erode the country's ability to fund its huge public debt with domestic savings.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years calls into question how much longer the country can rely on exports to help finance a huge public debt without having to turn to fickle foreign investors.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years calls into question how much longer the country can rely on exports to help finance a huge public debt without having to turn to fickle foreign investors.

Japan is to announce its first annual trade deficit for more than 30 years on Wednesday after the March quake-tsunami and strong yen hit exports, and high fuel costs pushed up import bills.

LONDON (Reuters) - What do Nobel Prize-winning development economist Amartya Sen and IMF chief Christine Lagarde have in common? They both oppose the prevailing orthodoxy that all heavily indebted governments must cut their way back to prosperity as soon as they can.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan probably produced its first trade deficit last year in more than three decades as energy imports surged to cover for the loss of nuclear power following the Fukushima disaster, a major blow to an economy built on its exports prowess.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan probably produced its first trade deficit last year in more than three decades as energy imports surged to cover for the loss of nuclear power following the Fukushima disaster, a major blow to an economy built on its exports prowess.

Canada's trade balance with the world went from a revised deficit of Can$487 million (US$487 million) in October to a surplus of $1.1 billion in November, the country's statistics agency said Friday.