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TOKYO (AP) — International stock markets are mixed after China reported disappointing trade data for July, with little else to drive trading sentiment. Futures point to little opening movement on Wall Street. Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose above 49.50 a barrel. The dollar fell against the yen and the euro.
BEIJING (AP) — The pace of growth of China's exports and imports weakened in July in a discouraging sign for the world's second-largest economy and global demand. Exports rose 7.2 percent from a year earlier to $193.6 billion, down from June's 11.3 percent growth, according to customs data released Tuesday. Imports rose 11 percent to $146.9 billion, down from the previous month's 17.2 percent. Forecasters have warned Chinese economic growth will cool this year.
BERLIN (AP) — German imports dropped sharply in June over the previous month, outpacing a drop in exports and widening the country's trade surplus. The Federal Statistical Office said Tuesday exports fell 2.8 percent in June over May, while exports dropped 4.5 percent. The trade surplus widened to 21.2 billion euros ($25 billion) from May's 20.3 billion euros. The surplus has caused friction with the U.S. and other countries, which accuse Berlin of not doing enough to spur domestic demand for foreign goods.
UNDATED (AP) — U.S. officials are abandoning plans to require sleep apnea screening for truck drivers and train engineers, a decision that safety experts say puts millions of lives at risk. The Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said late last week that they are no longer pursuing the regulation that would require testing for the fatigue-inducing disorder that's been blamed for deadly rail crashes in New York City and New Jersey and several highway crashes. The agencies argue that it should be up to railroads and trucking companies to decide.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Casinos are slowly embracing competitive video game tournaments as a way to help their bottom lines, but the money is coming from renting hotel rooms to the young players and selling them food and drinks, not from turning them into gamblers. Competitive video game tournaments, known as esports, are a growing industry around the world. The fast-paced action, vivid graphics and often violent on-screen action is catnip to millennials, the audience casinos are targeting as their core slot players grow old and die.
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