VENTURE CAPITAL POST

U.S. consumer prices fell over the past year for the first time since 2009 as gasoline prices continued to tumble, which could allow a cautious Federal Reserve more room to hold off on raising interest rates.

Japanese stocks rose to a fresh 15-year high on Friday with the dollar boosted by upbeat U.S. data, but continuing uncertainty over the Greek debt negotiations weighed on the euro.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, offering fresh evidence that the labor market was gathering steam.

The dollar was on the defensive against the yen and euro on Thursday, paring gains after minutes of January's Federal Reserve policy meeting showed officials were concerned about hiking interest rates too soon.

Asian equities tracked a mild bounce on Wall Street, edging higher on Wednesday as pessimism about the Greek debt saga receded somewhat, while the dollar strengthened against the yen thanks to higher U.S. debt yields.

The euro skidded on Tuesday after a collapse in talks to secure a new debt deal for Greece kept markets guessing about the next chapter in the nerve-wracking saga as Athens tries to secure improved terms with its creditors.

Global shares hit their highest since September and the euro firmed on Monday with investors cautiously optimistic that euro zone finance ministers would reach a funding deal for debt-laden Greece.

Craig Uden, who fattens cattle for beef on his Nebraska feedlot, expects to cut his energy costs by as much as a quarter this year because of falling oil prices - a silver lining in an otherwise tough rural economy.

Oil’s dramatic price fall since mid-2014 cannot be explained by changes in production and consumption alone, with hedging and energy firms' high debt levels also playing a part, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) said on Saturday.

The dollar and U.S. government debt yields jumped on Friday as a strong American labor market report raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates by mid-year.

The good news from Friday's jobs report may already be reflected in the prices of the smallest U.S. stocks. With nearly all of their revenue coming from the United States, the companies in the Russell 2000 should be the most obvious beneficiaries of a growing U.S. economy.

The dollar edged up against a basket of currencies on Friday as investors looked to U.S. jobs and wages data later in the day for further clues as to when the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates.

At least 40 major U.S. companies have substantial exposure to Venezuela’s deepening economic crisis, and could collectively be forced to take billions of dollars of write downs, a Reuters analysis shows.

The dollar traded mixed on Friday after weaker-than-expected headline U.S. fourth-quarter gross domestic product data, which included the fastest pace of consumer spending since 2006 and left intact market expectations of long-term greenback gains.

Google Inc's (GOOGL.O) (GOOG.O) revenue grew 15 percent in the fourth quarter but fell short of Wall Street's target on declining online ad prices and unfavorable foreign exchange rates.