Business Today: U.S. payrolls surge in April, jobless rate hits 5-1/2 year low

		Click to View in Browser 05/2/2014 U.S. payrolls surge in April, jobless rate hits 5-1/2 year low WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. job growth increased at its fastest pace in more than two years in April and the unemployment rate dived to a 5-1/2 year low of 6.3 percent, suggesting a sharp rebound in economic activity early in the second quarter. Chevron profit drops 27 percent on lower oil production (Reuters) - Chevron Corp , the second-largest U.S. oil producer, said on Friday its first-quarter profit fell 27 percent due to falling crude oil production and prices. AstraZeneca rejects Pfizer's raised bid of $106 billion LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc increased its offer for AstraZeneca Plc to 63 billion pounds ($106 billion) on Friday, but the British company promptly rejected the proposal, which would create the world's biggest pharmaceuticals company. Fed seen hiking rates earlier in 2015 as US job creation surges (Reuters) - U.S. short-term interest-rate futures contracts dropped on Friday after a government report showed many more jobs were created in April than expected, prompting traders to price in an earlier first rate hike from the Federal Reserve. Wall Street set for slightly higher open after payrolls report NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street was set for a slightly higher open on Friday following a better-than-expected payrolls report that suggested a sharp rebound in economic activity early in the second quarter. Google faces antitrust lawsuit on U.S. mobile internet search (Reuters) - Consumer rights law firm Hagens Berman said it filed a nationwide antitrust class-action lawsuit against Google Inc alleging the company "illegally monopolized" the Internet and mobile search market in the United States. Twitter stock slumps 50 percent as Goldman, Deutsche Bank still say `buy' (Reuters) - Twitter Inc investors who heeded the advice of high-profile banks such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Deutsche Bank AG to buy the social media company's shares might be kicking themselves. RBS first-quarter profit trebles LONDON (Reuters) - Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) trebled its profit in the first quarter, beating analysts' expectations and handing a boost to new Chief Executive Ross McEwan as he looks to turn around the government-controlled bank's fortunes. Exclusive: U.S. anti-money laundering authority faces hiring probe - sources NEW YORK/ST LOUIS (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department has frozen all recruitment by its anti-money laundering arm and forced the agency to rescind 11 job offers, after an investigation found it violated the federal employment code during an aggressive hiring push, according to several government officials. SEC probing hedge funds' bets on Herbalife BOSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is probing whether a number of hedge funds many have acted improperly when they made bets on nutrition and weight loss company Herbalife Ltd last year, a source said. Related Video Big growth potential still in China - IHG CEO Solomons Brand Battles: Porsche vs. Maserati Economic News U.S. payrolls surge in April, jobless rate hits 5-1/2 year low Fed seen hiking rates earlier in 2015 as US job creation surges A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend