TOP STORIES 
 
YELLEN SAYS FED COULD RAISE RATES 'IN COMING MONTHS' 

Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen said a rate increase would be appropriate "probably in the coming months" if the economy and labor market continue to strengthen.

VERIZON, UNIONS REACH LABOR PACT 

Verizon Communications and its labor unions have reached an agreement in principle that would end a weekslong labor strike.

U.S. STOCKS RISE, NOTCHING STRONG WEEKLY GAINS 

A rally in technology shares this week propelled the Nasdaq Composite to its largest weekly gain since February.

U.S. FIRST-QUARTER GDP GROWTH REVISED HIGHER TO 0.8% 

The U.S. economy's first-quarter slowdown was less pronounced than initially thought, and recent data have pointed to a pickup for growth this spring.

BANK OF AMERICA REVIVES SALE OF CREDIT-CARD ISSUER MBNA 

Bank of America has relaunched the sale of one of the U.K.'s biggest credit card companies MBNA, according to people familiar with the matter.

DELAY FOR BOEING'S NEW AERIAL TANKER 

Boeing Co. said that first deliveries of its KC-46 tankers to the U.S. Air Force will be delayed by five months.

CHINA'S ZOOMLION ABANDONS PURSUIT OF U.S. CRANE MAKER TEREX 

Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology has decided to end talks over a proposed acquisition of U.S. construction-crane maker Terex.

OIL PRICES RETREAT FROM $50 

Oil prices settled below the key $50 threshold again Friday, as investors took profits from the recent rally and the dollar strengthened.

PROSECUTORS: 1MDB MONEY LAUNDERING PROBE LARGEST EVER IN SINGAPORE 

A cross-border investigation involving embattled Malaysian state investment fund 1MDB is the largest money laundering probe ever undertaken in Singapore, state prosecutors said Friday.

NETFLIX LOSES BID TO RELEASE RELATIVITY FILMS AHEAD OF THEATERS 

A bankruptcy judge on Friday delivered a defeat to Netflix Inc., which has fought for the right to release two films produced by Relativity Media LLC on its streaming platform ahead of their expected theatrical release.

THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC TO BUY FEI FOR $4.2 BILLION 

The maker of high-end electron microscopes will join Thermo Fisher's analytical instruments segment after the cash deal.

CULLIGAN INTERNATIONAL EXPLORES A SALE 

Water treatment company Culligan International is weighing a sale that could value the business at about $900 million, according to people familiar with the matter.

SILICON VALLEY DRIVERLESS-CAR STARTUP RAISES FRESH CAPITAL 

The backer of a Silicon Valley autonomous car developer called Zoox said the secretive startup raised a fresh round of capital valuing it at more than $1 billion, roughly equal to a similar company General Motors Co. acquired earlier this month.

ARGENTINA PLANS AMNESTY OVER FUNDS STASHED ABROAD 

President Mauricio Macri says Argentina plans to offer an amnesty to encourage Argentines to repatriate billions of dollars thought to be stashed in storage vaults and bank accounts overseas.

CENTERVIEW UNIT TO LAUNCH BLANK-CHECK COMPANY 

Centerview Partners' private-equity arm plans to launch an acquisition vehicle that would target consumer-products companies.

U.S. CONSUMER SENTIMENT AT HIGHEST LEVEL IN 11 MONTHS 

Americans are more confident than at any time in almost a year-with the consumer sentiment index rising to 94.7 this month from April's 89.0-as cheap gasoline, low interest rates, and a rebound in stocks boost the economy's prospects.

JAPAN'S ABE HINTS AT TAX DELAY WITH GLOBAL-CRISIS WARNING 

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned that the world faced a possible economic crisis, opening the door to another delay in a planned sales-tax increase in Japan.

QUALCOMM WILL MAKE CHINA-CUSTOMIZED CHIPS THROUGH CHINESE VENTURE 

The move is an example of how U.S. tech companies are localizing products as Beijing tightens control of technology within its borders.

DE BEERS GETS A NEW CEO 

De Beers named a new chief executive as the diamond giant steers through a rough patch of low prices caused by weaker demand for the precious gems.

CANADA TO POST BUDGET DEFICIT FOR JUST-ENDED FISCAL YEAR 

Canada is on course to post a budget deficit for its just-ended fiscal year after recording one of the biggest one-month shortfalls on record owing to lower commodity prices.

 
 
 
  ======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES ======= 
 
 
Business 
BIG OIL COMPANIES STAY SHY DESPITE UPSWING IN PRICES 
 

The world's biggest energy companies are treating with caution the rally that briefly lifted crude-oil prices over $50 a barrel this week, wary of boosting spending and production too soon.

 
Financial Regulation 
FED TO MEET JUNE 3 TO PROPOSE RULES FOR BIG U.S. INSURERS 
 

The Fed's Board of Governors has scheduled an open meeting for June 3 to release and discuss proposed rules for the insurance industry.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 27, 2016 17:03 ET (21:03 GMT)