Several U.S. economic indicators improved in 2013, but millions of Americans remain jobless after the end of the worst economic downturn in decades.
China may raise the price of refined oil on Thursday, which would mark the seventh such increase within a year, industry analysts predicted.
Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange went down Tuesday on the market expectation that U.S. lawmakers will soon reach a deal to end a partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government and avert a debt default.
China will lower the per-tonne retail prices of gasoline and diesel by 95 yuan (15.32 U.S. dollars) and 90 yuan, respectively, starting from Friday, the country's top economic planner said Thursday.
China will raise the retail prices of gasoline by 300 yuan (47.8 U.S. dollars) per tonne and diesel by 290 yuan per tonne starting from Monday, the country's top economic planner said Sunday.
A new oil and gas field has been discovered in western Libya, the authorities said Thursday.
After China's released its official Gini coefficient last week, the capital, Beijing says it will release its own Gini coefficient for 2012 soon - the first city in the country, to do so.