US housing starts surge in boost to economy

US housing starts surge in boost to economy

Single-family housing starts increase 6.7% in July Single-family building permits rise 0.6% Overall housing starts climb 3.9%; permits gain 0.1% Manufacturing production increases 0.5% WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) – U.S. single-family homebuilding surged in July and permits for future construction rose amid an acute shortage of previously owned houses, but mortgage rates climbing back to … Read more

Japan’s struggling Rakuten to combine credit card and mobile payments business

Japan’s struggling Rakuten to combine credit card and mobile payments business

The logo of Rakuten is pictured at the headquarters of Rakuten in Tokyo, Japan, May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Sam Nussey TOKYO, Aug 10 (Reuters) – Japan’s Rakuten Group (4755.T) will fold its payments and points businesses into its credit card unit, it said on Thursday, a move that could set the struggling e-commerce company up to … Read more