SEOUL, Feb 28 (Reuters) - South Korean manufacturers' business confidence weakened a bit for March, a central bank survey showed on Wednesday.The Bank of Korea's manufacturing business survey index (BSI) for March stood at 79 on a seasonally adjusted basis, down marginally from 80 in February. But a March reading that was not adjusted for seasonal factors rose 82 from 77 a month earlier, clouding...Read More

* Powell sees U.S. economy strengthening since December* Powell downplays risk signaled by a flattening yield curve* Powell sticks to Fed's gradual rate-hike stance* U.S. durable goods fall again, consumer mood hits 17-year high (Updates market action, adds quote)By Richard LeongNEW YORK, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The margin between U.S. shorter- and longer-dated yields narrowed on Tuesday after Federal...Read More

BRASILIA, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Fernando Segovia, the director general of Brazil's federal police who spearhead the country's sprawling corruption cases, was replaced on Tuesday, the press office of the newly created Public Security Ministry said. Segovia, who took office in November, came under pressure from prosecutors, federal police investigators and media after he told Reuters in an interview ea...Read More

Eureka Resources (TSXV:EUK) ('Eureka' or the 'Company') is pleased to announce that it has signed an amalgamation agreement dated February 24, 2018 (the 'Agreement') with Kore Mining Ltd.Read full newsRead More

U.S. stocks have struggled today, as markets digest new Fed Chair Jerome Powell's latest comments in Washington, D.C. Among specific equities trading lower are drug store stock Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA), generic drugmaker Akorn, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKRX), and health products retailer Vitamin Shoppe Inc (NYSE:VSI), Here's a closer look at what shares of WAG, AKRX, and VSI are reacting to...Read More

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Uranium miner Energy Fuels said on Tuesday it has won federal approvals to expand operations at two mines in southeastern Utah, after years of challenges from conservation groups worried about radon gas emissions.The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service last week approved the expansion of the company's La Sal complex near the Manti-La Sal National Fo...Read More

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Uranium miner Energy Fuels said on Tuesday it has won federal approvals to expand operations at two mines in southeastern Utah, after years of challenges from conservation groups worried about radon gas emissions.The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service last week approved the expansion of the company's La Sal complex near the Manti-La Sal National Fo...Read More

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Argentina's central bank held its benchmark seven-day interbank lending rate at 27.25 percent on Tuesday, the monetary authority said in a statement, citing expectations February inflation would be higher than recent months.The central bank has held rates twice in a row after two cuts following the government's decision to loosen its 2018 inflation target to 15 per...Read More

Milan Patel, chief executive at dotdigital Group PLC (LON:DOTD), tells Proactive they're on course to meet full-year expectations after what he describes as a "transformational" first half of the fiscal year.Revenue in the six months to December 31, 2017, surged to ?18.77mln from ?14.98mln the year before.Organic revenue grew 17% to ?17.5mln from ?15mln the previous year.  Meet Scancell H...Read More

Retail stocks are in focus today, with shares of Macy's (M) and Dillard's (DDS) gapping higher after the department stores reported earnings earlier. Sector peers J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) and Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS) are both slated to unveil their quarterly results later this week, and options traders are blasting the equities this afternoon.J C Penney Options Traders Target April C...Read More

Jo??o Andrade, chief executive of WideCells Group PLC (LON:WDC), tells Proactive's Andrew Scott they've taken a significant step today towards becoming an end-to-end stem cell service company.The group's been granted a licence by the UK's Human Tissue Authority, which allows them to import, export, process, store and distribute for treatment umbilical cord blood and tissue.What in practice this of...Read More

By Trevor HunnicuttFeb 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve is "looking into" whether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) influenced the stock selloff earlier this month, but the investments were not likely "at the heart" of what happened, Chairman Jerome Powell said on Tuesday.The S&P 500 fell 10 percent from Jan. 26 to Feb. 8 in a decline investors linked to fears about risin...Read More

Nakama Group plc's (LON:NAK) shares tumbled after the recruitment firm issued a profit warning.When it released its interims at the end of November, the board had expected an improvement in trading in the second half of the year; that improvement has not materialised and the business has continued to make a loss in Australia, Singapore and London.With a new chief executive and non-executive chairm...Read More

Drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) will step up to the earnings plate before the open tomorrow. Despite a big earnings win for sector peer Mallinckrodt (MNK) today, the shares of VRX are down 0.5% to trade at $18.77 this afternoon. However, VRX stock has made huge moves after earnings, historically, and it looks like recent options buyers are betting on a rally soon.Looking back...Read More

(Kitco News)- Furthertightening of U.S. monetary policy will be negative for the gold market in thenear term, but according to one research firm, lower prices could represent along-term buying opportunity.Ina telephone interview with Kitco News Michael Howell, managing director atCrossborder Capital, said that he sees long-term potential for gold as the U.S.dollar weakens and bond yields rise as i...Read More

Stephen Van Deventer, chairman and CEO of PreveCeutical Medical Inc (CSE: PREV, OTCQB: PRVCF) and chief research officer Dr Harry Parekh discuss with Proactive the health sciences specialist's four exciting programmes.Their most advanced is centred around Cannabidiol (CBD) - a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant and is now widely used to treat chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and...Read More

The Graphene Flagship Head of Innovation Kari Hjelt tells Proactive Investors at the Graphene for U.S. 2018 Conference in New York that they are looking to commercialize the material that "solves all of the problems in the world."Hjelt says the ?,?1 bln European research program is seeking companies and investors to commercialize and create the whole ecosystem on graphene.  Meet Scancell Hold...Read More

David Linsley and Thomas Horton from Pembridge Resources plc (LON:PERE) update Proactive on the latest since their decision earlier this month to acquire Yukon-based Minto Explorations.In 2017, the open pit mine produced 16,332 tonnes of copper, 170,809 ounces of silver and 25,205 ounces of gold.This year, vendor Capstone Mining has forecast 19,000 tonnes of copper at a cash cost of US$2.35 to US$...Read More

(Adds amount of the IPO, company description and banks managing the offering)By Carolina Mandl and Aluisio AlvesSAO PAULO, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Brazilian healthcare insurer Hapvida Participa???ues e Investimentos SA filed for an initial public offering on the Sao Paulo stock exchange on Monday, according to a securities filing.The offering will have a primary portion, in which the company will issu...Read More

* Powell sees more rate increases despite U.S. stimulus * Gold seen falling below $1,300/oz by end of Q1 - analyst (Recasts throughout, updates prices, headline, market reaction; adds comment, NEW YORK to dateline)By Renita D. Young and Eric OnstadNEW YORK/LONDON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Gold prices were down 1 percent Tuesday after the new U.S central bank chairman pledged to stick with gradual intere...Read More