Investing

Dutch tulipomania and the future of cryptocurrencies.

Silver isn’t just tracking gold, it’s seeing strong physical demand on its own.

Ferrari revealed the California T, its next-generation front-engine convertible, before March’s Geneva motor show debut next week.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- An improving economy boosted Berkshire Hathaway Inc. [s:brka][s:brkb] earnings, Warren Buffett's conglomerate reported Saturday, with full-year earnings of about $19.5 million compared with $124.8 billion in 2012.In his annual letter to shareholders, also released Saturday, Buffett said Berkshire's gain in net worth was $34.2 billion after deducting certain charges, The Wall Street Journal reported. Its book value, or assets minus liabilities, per Class A and B share rose 18.2%, according to the report. "On the operating front, just about everything turned out well for us last year," The Journal reported Buffett as writing.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The CBOE Volatilty Index surged 25% Friday, its biggest one-day percentage rise since the Boston Marathon bombing, in a heavy selloff of U.S. stocks. The so-called "fear index" jumped nearly 28% to 17.58 in recent activity, its largest one-day gain since April 15, when it jumped 43% to 17.27. The Dow Jones Industrial Average , which was down 267 points, or 1.7%, in recent activity, was on track to lose 3.3% for the week, its worst percentage weekly loss since the week ended May 18, 2012. The S&P; 500 Index fell 33 points, or 1.8%, on the day, and was down 2.4% for the week. For the week, the VIX was up 41%, its largest weekly gain since the week ending July 29, 2011.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The CBOE Volatility Index jumped Friday to levels not seen since mid-October as U.S. stocks experienced a second day of heavy selloffs. The "fear index," or VIX, surged 22% to 16.83, after touching an intraday high of 16.90, its highest level since Oct. 16. The VIX has advanced nearly 34% on the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced its second consecutive day of triple-digit losses and was recently down 177 points, or 1.1%, and heading for a weekly loss of 2.7%. The S&P; 500 Index fell 23 points, or 1.3%, for a weekly loss of 1.8%.

The euro jumps to its highest level of 2014 after a report shows steady euro-zone inflation in February, which could reduce some pressure on the European Central Bank to take action at its next meeting.

Better-than-expected U.S. data lift European stock markets out of the red on Friday, capping a month in which the Stoxx Europe 600 climbs 4.8%.

　米金融大手ゴールドマン・サックスは2月28日、債券、為替、株式その他有価証券の取引に対する規制当局の措置一覧を開示し、「確定利付証券の配分ならびに取引」が当局の調査対象になっていることを新たに明らかにした。