French digital payments company Worldline on Friday said gas roadworks accidentally damaged its network connection to its data centres in Italy, disrupting services for customers that have yet to be resolved.

Worldline, a French digital payments company, is experiencing significant service disruptions in Italy due to damaged network cables, affecting transactions during the Black Friday shopping period.

Mortgage rates fell over the course of this week as Barclays PLC (LSE:BARC) was among lenders to reduce interest in response to easing swap rates. According to Moneyfacts, interest on the average two-year fixed-rate mortgage sat at 5.5197% come Friday, against 5.5352% a week earlier.

The signs are getting hard to ignore.

Target (NASDAQ: TGT) has enough sales problems.

Oil futures fell Friday and were on track for hefty losses, feeling pressure after a cease-fire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah helped soothe remaining worries over a wider conflict that could threaten crude supplies.

International Paper has gained over 70% in the past year, driven by strategic alternatives and operational improvements, warranting a revisit of my stock outlook. Despite a decline in EPS last quarter, IP's investments in productivity and streamlining operations are expected to yield significant benefits by 2025 and 2026. The DS Smith acquisition and potential sale of the GCF business could enhance IP's global presence and enable substantial capital returns.

It's been an excellent year for stock market investors. The S&P 500 index has delivered an excellent 26% return thus far in 2024, driven by resilient macroeconomic conditions, record corporate earnings, and growing optimism about artificial intelligence's (AI) transformative potential across the economy.

The allure of quick riches often leads investors down unpredictable and volatile paths. While offering the potential for rapid gains, these investments also carry substantial risk.

Retailers' earnings reports over the past two weeks have illustrated a sharp divide between brands that are winning sales and those that are missing out. Target, Kohl's and Best Buy each reported disappointing results, but Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods and Abercrombie & Fitch posted strong sales in their most recent quarters.