Oil $1 lower as Iran jitters ease The price of oil dips by $1 after news that Iran had sent the US a letter, suggesting a recent conflict could reach resolution.
Dollar falls 1% against the yen The dollar falls 1% on the yen, after the US says Japan must continue to refrain from talking down its currency.
EU lifts eurozone growth estimate The eurozone will grow by 2.1% this year, the European Commission says, up from a previous forecast of 1.9%.
Three Gorges Dam 'built by May' Construction of China's Three Gorges Dam is likely to be completed nine months ahead of schedule, reports say.
Palestinian Authority 'at risk' The cash-strapped Palestinian Authority may collapse if staff continue to have to go without wages, the World Bank warns.
Factory prices threaten inflation Rising energy costs are feeding through the UK's supply chain and pushing up prices, official figures indicate.
Chavez doubles tax for oil firms Foreign oil firms working in Venezuela will now have to pay an "extraction tax" of 33%, President Chavez says.
US budget deficit set to shrink A surging economy and the ensuing rise in federal tax revenues could cut the US budget deficit this year, says a report.
