Singapore raised its risk assessment to the second highest level of alert on Friday as the number of coronavirus cases linked to China rose to 33. The system is color-coded, starting from green at the lowest level, followed by yellow, orange and red — the highest risk level. During the SARS outbreak 17 years ago, which killed 33 people in Singapore and infected 238, the status was orange. On Friday, three new cases were announced, which took Singapore’s total confirmed cases to 33, according to

Here’s how the coronavirus restrictions are impacting Chinese residentsCNBC’s Eunice Yoon reports on the latest details about the coronavirus outbreak in China.

Markets set to open lower after four-day winning streakU.S. stock index futures were lower Friday morning, erasing some gains following a four-day winning streak on Wall Street. CNBC’s Frank Holland reports.

U.S. sovereign bond yields fell on Friday morning as traders continued to monitor the outbreak of the coronavirus and looked ahead to fresh economic data. At around 4 a.m. ET, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to price, was lower at around 1.6162%, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was lower at 2.0802%. China’s National Health Commission on Friday confirmed 31,131 cases of the deadly pneumonia-like virus in the country, with 636 deaths. Investors

William Barr’s comments come after President Donald Trump expressed “apoplectic” fury towards U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson over Britain’s decision to allow Huawei limited participation in its 5G networks, according to a report from the Financial Times. 5G refers to next-generation mobile networks that promise super fast data speeds and will become critical to future infrastructure. The U.S. has been pressuring allies, including the U.K., to completely block Huawei from its 5G networks. Inst

U.S. stock index futures fell on Friday, erasing some gains following a four-day winning streak on Wall Street, as investors awaited the release of the latest jobs data. ET, Dow Jones futures fell 105 points, indicating a loss of 120 points at the open. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures also pointed to a weak start to Friday’s session. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect the U.S. economy added 158,000 jobs in January while the unemployment rate remained at 3.5%. The recent rally in U.S. markets l

One of the first doctors who flagged the new coronavirus outbreak in the city of Wuhan, China has died. His death triggered a wave of grief and anger among Chinese social media users, many of whom were already frustrated with the government’s handling of an outbreak that has killed hundreds and infected thousands in China. Ophthalmologist Li Wenliang sounded the alarm in December when he told a group of doctors on Chinese social media about seven cases he saw. Chinese social media had already be

Japanese household spending fell at a much faster pace than expected in December, sliding for the third straight month in a sign consumers are having a hard time coping with a sales tax hike. The world’s third-largest economy is struggling to regain momentum after last October’s sales tax hike led consumers to curb spending. China’s coronavirus epidemic also poses a new threat to the global growth outlook and Japan’s output and exports. Following the tax hike to 10% from 8%, the first such rise

The ongoing spread of a new coronavirus that originated in China is not just a test of public health systems worldwide — it’s also a fight against misinformation, a Singapore minister said on Friday. The coronavirus has infected more than 30,000 people globally and killed more than 600, mostly in mainland China. But Singapore has one of the highest number of infections outside of China, with 30 confirmed cases as of Thursday. “When you have an outbreak like this, it is not just a public health c

An Argor-Heraeus SA branded two hundred and fifty gram gold bar, center, sits in this arranged photograph at Solar Capital Gold Zrt. Gold prices edged higher on Friday as fears over a rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak and its economic impact fueled safe-haven buying. Spot gold was up 0.1% to $1,568.76 per ounce by 0052 GMT. The metal has fallen 1.3% so far this week, heading for its worst week since Nov. 8. Palladium advanced 0.4% to $2,355.36 an ounce, silver rose 0.1% to $17.83, and plati

A kayaker passes in front of an offshore oil platform in the Guanabara Bay in Niteroi, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. Oil prices rose on Friday after Russia said it backs a recommendation for the OPEC and its producer allies to deepen output cuts amid contracting demand for crude as China battles the coronavirus epidemic that has hit global markets. Brent crude futures rose 32 cents, or 0.6%, to $55.25 a barrel by 0104, after falling 0.6% on Thursday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fu

A bank employee counts U.S. currency and Chinese currency notes at a bank on August 6, 2019 in China. The dollar traded at 109.97 yen on Friday in Asia, just below a two-week high hit earlier. For the week, the dollar was on course for a 1.5% increase versus the yen, which would be its biggest weekly gain since July 2018. The mood for the dollar improved on Thursday after unemployment benefits dropped to a nine-month low and worker productivity rose. Against the dollar, the Swiss franc traded at

At just 32 years old, the Singaporean entrepreneur has built a multimillion-dollar, multinational business as co-founder and CEO of express delivery service, Ninja Van. “To convince our first client, I had to convince her that we were a proper logistics company,” Lai recalled in a recent interview with CNBC Make it. At the time, in 2015, Lai and his team of five had just one, second-hand van between them to deliver all orders. Ninja Van’s co-founders deliver their early orders with a second-hand

An official and journalist are seen in silhouette after a press conference during World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks on July 25, 2008 at the WTO headquarters in Geneva. One of the most contentious points is the future of the World Trade Organization (WTO) — an intergovernmental institution that regulates international trade practices. And without it, China wouldn’t be China, and China wouldn’t be where they are right now.” The latter was officially formed in 1995 and expanded world trade rules

The interior of a black truffle is lined with white veins which darken with age. France’s largest truffle marketIndeed, since the first truffle market took place at Richerenches in 1923, the medieval village has evolved to become the country’s biggest annual truffle market. Richerenches truffle market. A line forms at an open car trunk at the Richerenches truffle market. Courtesy of PlantinIn 1982, a black truffle brotherhood — made up mostly of truffle brokers and farmers — was created.

President Donald Trump meets with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Washington. Ireland will hold a general election on Saturday with the current ruling government at real risk of losing power. The lower house of Parliament that Varadkar heads is known as the Dáil Éireann (Assembly of Ireland). Varadkar leads his Fine Gael party in a minority government that has relied on the support of independent lawmakers as well as occasiona

The chief executive of Austrian energy firm OMV has quipped that he needs a bout of extreme cold weather to boost profits at a time of historically low natural gas prices. “Honestly speaking, if I have one wish for free, please send me an ice blizzard for the gas prices,” Rainer Seele, CEO of OMV, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Thursday. Natural gas prices traded at around $1.86 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) on Friday, up around 0.1% on the session. The commodity is almost 30% be

Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam FAFabrice Coffrini | AFP | Getty ImagesCredit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam is stepping down in the wake of a spying scandal, and will be replaced by Thomas Gottstein who currently heads the bank’s Swiss unit. “It is to his credit that Credit Suisse is standing on a very solid foundation and has returned successfully to profit.” The French-Ivorian joined Credit Suisse from Prudential in March 2015. Credit Suisse shares fell 4.2% at the start of Friday’s trading session

The White House said Thursday that the U.S. has killed Qassim al-Rimi, the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. A White House statement said al-Rimi was killed in Yemen but it did not say when. “Under Rimi, AQAP committed unconscionable violence against civilians in Yemen and sought to conduct and inspire numerous attacks against the United States and our forces,” the White House said in a statement. Al-Rimi was also the deputy of Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is said to be the leader of al Qae

European markets declined Friday morning, as investors monitor the latest coronavirus developments and breaking news on the corporate front. Chinese President, Xi Jinping, spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump on the phone Friday morning, Beijing time. A spokesperson for the White House said that “President Trump expressed confidence in China’s strength and resilience in confronting the challenge of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.” In corporate news, Credit Suisse announced that Tidjane Th