Reuters - Before the Bell

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Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Tech tremors spread to financials to spoil global rally

LONDON (Reuters) - Tremors in technology stocks spread to Europe and were set to dent U.S. trading on Wednesday, with weaker metals prices and flagging financials also tripping up a rally that had taken world equities to record highs.

UnitedHealth to buy DaVita's medical unit for $4.9 billion

(Reuters) - UnitedHealth Group Inc said on Wednesday it would buy kidney care services provider DaVita Inc's medical unit for about $4.9 billion cash, as the health insurer looks to expand operations in outpatient care services.

Home Depot sets new $15 billion buyback, long-term sales target

(Reuters) - Home Depot Inc , the largest U.S. home improvement chain, on Wednesday announced a new $15 billion share buyback plan and set a target to grow annual sales to between $114.7 billion and $119.8 billion for the year ending January 2021.

Luxury brands lifted by EU court backing for online sales ban

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Coty and other luxury brands scored a landmark victory on Wednesday in their bid to stop retailers selling their products on online platforms such as Amazon and eBay when Europe's top court backed their right to protect their image.

Canada scraps plan to buy Boeing fighters amid trade dispute: sources

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is scrapping a plan to buy 18 Boeing Co Super Hornet fighter jets amid a deepening dispute with the U.S. aerospace company, three sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

California Department of Insurance seeks to suspend Wells Fargo's licenses

(Reuters) - The California Department of Insurance is seeking to suspend or revoke Wells Fargo & Co's licenses for alleged improper insurance sales practices related to the company's online insurance referral program.

Google pulls YouTube from Amazon devices, escalating spat

(Reuters) - A rare public spat in the technology industry escalated on Tuesday when Google said it would block its video streaming application YouTube from two Amazon.com Inc devices and criticized the online retailer for not selling Google hardware.

Britain pushes back date for provisional findings in Sky-Fox deal

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator will publish its provisional findings into the planned takeover of pay-TV group Sky by Rupert Murdoch's Fox in January and not December as originally planned, it said on Wednesday.

Growing length of U.S. freight trains in federal crosshairs after crashes: GAO

SEATTLE (Reuters) - The investigative arm of the U.S. Congress is launching a probe into the safety of increasingly long freight trains being operated by CSX Corp , Union Pacific Corp and other major U.S. railroads to boost profitability, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) said.

China's budding coffee culture propels Starbucks, attracts rivals

SHANGHAI/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In Wu Qiong's small cafe in downtown Shanghai, coffee beans nestle in glass jars on the bar while various brews bubble away behind the counter.