TOP STORIES 
 
SLOW U.S. CONSUMER SPENDING SIGNALS CAUTION 

U.S. consumer spending grew slowly in October, rising only 0.1%, while Americans stepped up their savings, a sign of caution among households that could weigh on the economy heading into the final months of the year.

U.S. STOCKS LOOK FOR DIRECTION 

U.S. stocks were little changed Wednesday, the last full trading day of the week, as investors focused on potential changes in monetary policy on both sides of the Atlantic.

U.S. DURABLE ORDERS CLIMB IN OCTOBER 

Orders for long-lasting goods rose in October, a sign demand for manufactured products could be firming after falling for most of the year.

TAKATA U.S. EMPLOYEES SAW PROBLEMS IN AIR-BAG TESTS 

For a decade, Takata employees in the U.S. raised concerns internally about misleading testing reports on air bags that later became prone to explosions.

DEERE REPORTS CONTINUED SALES DECLINE 

Deere & Co. said fourth-quarter revenue tumbled and warned sales would continue to slide next year amid lower demand for its farm equipment.

U.S. JOBLESS CLAIMS FELL LAST WEEK 

The number of Americans filing for first-time unemployment benefits decreased last week, a healthily signal for the labor market.

PETROCHINA SELLING GAS PIPELINE UNIT STAKE 

Chinese state-controlled oil company PetroChina moved to shore up confidence in its balance sheet, announcing a plan to sell off a greater-than-$2 billion stake in natural-gas pipeline assets.

RUSSIA KEEPS UP TOUGH STANCE ON TURKEY JET SHOOTDOWN 

Turkish and Russian leaders issued warnings on Wednesday, stoking tensions between the two Black Sea neighbors a day after Turkey downed a Russian jet for what it said was violating its territory from Syria.

ROSNEFT REPORTS $1.7 BILLION NET PROFIT FOR THIRD QUARTER 

Rosneft's third-quarter net profit was based on a large foreign-currency gain, after the company posted zero profit for the same period last year.

SPAIN'S ABENGOA FILES FOR CREDITOR PROTECTION 

Spanish renewable energy and engineering firm Abengoa is filing for preliminary creditor protection, an initial step that could lead to the largest bankruptcy case in the country's history.

U.K. TREASURY CHIEF BACKTRACKS ON WELFARE CUTS 

U.K. Treasury chief George Osborne backtracked on cutting tax credits, a key plank of plans aimed at reducing government spending, but said he remained on course to achieve his goal of eliminating Britain's deficit.

CITIC SECURITIES OVERSTATED EQUITY-SWAP FIGURE 

Chinese brokerage Citic Securities said it overstated certain financial transactions during a period of extreme volatility for China's stock market around the middle of this year.

PFIZER'S LYRICA FAILS TO TREAT TRAUMATIC NEUROPATHIC PAIN 

Drug maker Pfizer Inc. said Wednesday that its drug Lyrica didn't reduce pain any more than a placebo for those suffering from chronic nerve pain caused by traumatic accidents or surgeries.

ECB SAYS NEGATIVE RATES HAVEN'T DISRUPTED MARKETS 

The experience of smaller European countries with negative interest rates suggests they don't pose a risk to financial stability, ECB Vice President Vitor Constancio said.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE FEUD GROWS, WITH HALTED FLIGHTS, ENERGY 

Kiev said it would close its airspace to Russian airlines and halt gas purchases from Russia, while Moscow accused Ukraine's government of "silent consent" to a power outage in the disputed Crimea region.

LAFARGEHOLCIM PLANS $3.5 BILLION IN CEMENT ASSET SALES 

LafargeHolcim plans to sell off cement assets around the world in the next year as the recently merged Franco-Swiss building-materials group reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter profit and sales.

FRANCE'S VALLS SAYS CONTROLLING EU'S EXTERIOR BORDERS IS ESSENTIAL 

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said it was essential for the European Union to control its exterior borders and suggested that countries neighboring Syria could step up to help ease the flow of migrants.

END OF EU BORDER-FREE SYSTEM COULD    SEE EURO FAIL, WARNS JUNCKER 

The head of the European Union's executive said Wednesday that the region's Schengen border-free system was under threat and warned that if it fails, the single currency could fall with it.

EU AGREES TO NEW RULES ON MARKET BENCHMARKS 

European Union negotiators struck a deal on new, tougher rules for market benchmarks such as the London interbank offered rate, aimed at restoring confidence in key indexes in the wake of a series of manipulation scandals.

CEO OF BRAZILIAN BANK BTG PACTUAL ARRESTED IN CORRUPTION PROBE 

Brazil's federal police on Wednesday arrested the chief executive officer of Brazilian bank BTG Pactual, Andre Esteves, and Sen. Delcidio do Amaral, of the ruling Workers' Party, in connection with the massive Petrobras oil company corruption scandal, according to a person close to the police.

 
 
 
  ======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES ======= 
 
 
Business 
SOME MALLS PRESSURE RETAILERS TO OPEN ON THANKSGIVING 
 

While most department stores set their own hours, the small shops that line mall hallways tend to follow the lead of their landlords, which take their cues from chains like J.C. Penney and Macy's.

 
Politics and Policy 
REPORT CRITICIZES AN AGENCY'S TACTIC IN BIAS CASE AGAINST AUTO LENDER 
 

Regulators calculated they could secure a settlement on discrimination claims by going after Ally Financial Inc. because it needed to clinch restructuring approval, according to a report from congressional Republicans.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 25, 2015 10:00 ET (15:00 GMT)

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