Finance News Update, what you need to know

WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:

The Australian dollar has breached 72 US cents after the greenback suffered a fourth straight day of losses.

At 0700 AEDT on Friday, the local unit was trading at 72.03 US cents, up from 71.72 cents on Thursday.

And the Australian share market looks set to open lower after mixed performances in world stocks in a chopping trading sessions and as oil pared earlier gains.

At 0645 AEDT on Friday, the share price index was down 32 points at 4,901.

ELSEWHERE:

WASHINGTON - Orders to US factories fell sharply in December, closing out a year in which demand for American manufactured goods retreated for the first time in six years.

WASHINGTON - US productivity fell sharply in the final three months of 2015, closing out a fifth straight year of weak gains in worker efficiency.

WASHINGTON - More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, but applications stayed near historically low levels in a positive sign for the job market.

FRANKFURT - Europe's top economic authorities warned of dangers to the region's economy amid slower growth in China, weaker global trade and heightened geopolitical uncertainties.

LONDON - The Bank of England has cut its economic growth forecasts due to a darker global outlook, and the lone policymaker who had backed a rate rise in recent months unexpectedly abandoned this position.

NEW YORK - US toymakers Mattel Inc and Hasbro Inc have held talks about a possible merger, Bloomberg is reporting, citing people familiar with the matter.

DUBLIN - Ryanair has reported a 25 per cent year-on-year increase in passengers last month.

FRANKFURT - German car and truck maker Daimler has reported record profits for last year as sales of its luxury cars rose despite a troubled global economy.

NEW YORK - Chocolate bars have shrunk and economic growth in Asia has slowed, meaning people are eating less chocolate and its key ingredient cocoa, which has seen its price fall this year after defying commodities trends to soar in 2015.