SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices inched higher on Friday, clawing back narrow losses earlier in the session as a massive storm raced inland past the heart of the U.S. oil industry in Louisiana and Texas without causing any widespread damage to refineries.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s factory activity likely expanded at a slightly faster pace in August, fuelled by rising infrastructure spending and improving global demand, a Reuters poll showed on Friday, as the Chinese economy continues to recover from the coronavirus crisis.

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar held gains against major currencies on Friday, after the Federal Reserve’s aggressive new strategy to lift employment and increased tolerance for higher inflation pushed U.S. bond yields up.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Oil prices fell in early trade on Friday as a massive hurricane raced inland past the heart of the U.S. oil industry in Louisiana and Texas, with a storm surge weaker than predicted.

Thailand, the world’s largest natural rubber supplier, is ramping up domestic production of gloves with the coronavirus outbreak fueling a global shortage.

BANGKOK, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Thailand’s manufacturing production index (MPI) declined a bigger-than-expected 14.69% in July from a year earlier, led by lower production of cars and petroleum amid the coronavirus outbreak, the industry ministry said on Wednesday.