Business News Digest

Here are AP Business News' latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at newsroom.ap.org.

TOP STORIES:

US-CHINA-TRADE-PACT-SIGNING — After 18 months of economic combat, the United States and China are to take a step toward peace Wednesday. At least for now. President Donald Trump and China's chief negotiator are scheduled to sign a modest trade agreement in which the administration will ease some sanctions on China and Beijing will step up purchases of U.S. goods. Above all, the deal will defuse a conflict that has slowed global growth, hurt American manufacturers and weighed on China's economy. But the pact does little to force China to make the major reforms that the Trump administration has sought. By Paul Wiseman and Joe McDonald. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

NUDITY-NUANCES — The unclothed human body accounts for the bulk of the material Facebook removes from its service and some people are not happy. They are activists, sex therapists, artists and sex educators who say the company is unfairly censoring their work, suspending them in “Facebook jail” with no warning and little, if any recourse. By Barbara Ortutay. UPCOMING: 1,160 words at 11 a.m., photos.

SMALLBIZ-SMALL TALK-AMAZON AND COMPETITORS — Small business owners who want to sell their products on Amazon must weigh the pros and cons of the huge online retailer. By Joyce M. Rosenberg. UPCOMING: 990 words by 11 a.m., photos.

MARKETS & ECONOMY:

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks are opening slightly higher on Wall Street, led by gains in health care and technology companies. SENT: 600 words, photos. UPCOMING: Will be updated through 5 p.m.

PRODUCER PRICES — U.S. wholesale prices rose a slight 0.1% in December as a jump in the cost of energy was offset by falling food prices. By Martin Crutsinger. SENT: 280 words, photos.

DAVOS-FORUM-GLOBAL RISKS — A survey of key decision-makers carried out for the World Economic Forum identifies environmental issues as the top five global risks over the coming decade. By Pan Pylas. SENT: 670 words, photos.

INDUSTRY:

RETAIL-MISSING HOLIDAY CHEER — Target is reporting comparable-stores sales that are well below last year's, joining a growing list of retailers with meager performances during the critical holiday shopping season. By Michelle Chapman and Anne D'Innocenzio. SENT: 560 words, photos.

NISSAN-AIR BAG RECALL — Nissan is recalling nearly 346,000 vehicles worldwide to replace dangerous Takata air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel. SENT: 360 words.

EARNINGS:

UNITEDHEALTH-RESULTS — UnitedHealth Group’s net income jumped 16% in the fourth quarter as the nation’s biggest health insurer ended 2019 by topping Wall Street’s earnings expectations again. By Tom Murphy. SENT: 330 words, photos.

BANK OF AMERICA-RESULTS — Consumer banking giant Bank of America is saying its fourth-quarter profits fell 4% from a year ago, as the bank was impacted by the rapid decline of interest rates in late 2019. By Ken Sweet. SENT: 280 words, photos.

GOLDMAN SACHS-RESULTS — Goldman Sachs said its fourth-quarter profits dropped by 24% from a year earlier, as the bank saw significantly higher legal and compensation expenses. By Ken Sweet. SENT: 340 words, photos.

TECHNOLOGY & MEDIA:

EUROPE-DATA PROTECTION — A legal adviser at the European Union’s highest court said Wednesday that the bloc's data protection rules should prevent member states from indiscriminately holding personal data seized from Internet and phone companies, even when intelligence agencies claim that national security is at stake. By Samuel Petrequin. SENT: 440 words, photos.

PERSONAL FINANCE:

BEHIND THE WHEEL-TOP ELECTRIC VEHICLES — Edmunds picks five diverse electric vehicles that each offer over 200 miles of driving range that will be on sale in 2020. By Carlos Lago of Edmunds. SENT: 790 words, photos.

INTERNATIONAL:

HONG KONG ECONOMY — Visitor numbers to Hong Kong fell by nearly 40% in the second half of last year amid clashes between police and anti-government protesters. Overall, arrivals were off by 14.2% in 2019. SENT: 320 words, photos.

GERMANY-ECONOMY — The German economy expanded by 0.6% last year, its worst performance since 2013, as export growth slowed and manufacturing was weak. By Geir Moulson. SENT: 470 words.

BRITAIN-ECONOMY — Inflation in Britain has fallen to its lowest level since November 2016, official figures showed Wednesday, heightening expectations that the Bank of England will cut interest rates this month. By Pan Pylas. SENT: 510 words, photos.

SPAIN-INDUSTRIAL EXPLOSION — Emergency workers found a lifeless body Wednesday at a petrochemical plant in northeastern Spain, bringing the death toll to two from an industrial explosion and fire that also injured eight people, authorities said. SENT: 300 words, photos.

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