Business & Financial News, U.S & International Breaking News

U.S. stocks rose on Monday, lifted by technology companies, as investors eyed fresh U.S.-China trade developments during a busy week of corporate earnings with results from marquee names including Facebook and Amazon on tap.

Microsoft Corp agreed to pay about $25.3 million, including an $8.75 million criminal fine, to settle U.S. charges it violated a federal anti-bribery law by making improper payments to government officials in Hungary and other countries.

Remarks by U.S. officials on China's role in the South China Sea are slanderous, its foreign ministry said on Monday, after the United States voiced concern over reports of Chinese interference with oil and gas activities in the disputed waters.

Fitch Ratings lowered its debt outlook for Boeing Co to "negative" from "stable" on Monday, citing regulatory uncertainty around the timing of its 737 MAX jets' return to service.

U.S. congressional and White House negotiators are close to a deal to extend the Treasury Department's borrowing authority until July 31, 2021 and enact spending caps on a wide range of federal programs, a source close to the talks said on Monday.

Credit-reporting company Equifax Inc will pay up to $700 million to settle U.S. federal and state probes into a massive 2017 data breach of personal information that affected around 147 million consumers, authorities said on Monday.