German flag carrier Lufthansa said on Friday it had to reduce the buy-on-board meal offer for some short- and medium-haul routes departing from Frankfurt as its catering contractor Gate Gourmet struggles with staff shortages.

Indonesia's plan to ban palm oil exports will deal a blow to the world's top food and consumer products companies including Unilever, Procter & Gamble and Nestle.

Indonesia's ban on palm oil exports shocked global edible oils markets that already reached record high prices this year, and sparked alarm among major importers of the cooking medium.

Investors are hoping a flood of U.S. quarterly reports next week, including those from megacap growth titans, will confirm a solid profit outlook for corporate America and bolster the case for stocks after a rocky start to the year.

McDonald's Corp on Friday defeated a union-backed organizing group's challenge to a settlement with a U.S. labor agency over claims that the company helped franchisees across the country suppress workers' demonstrations calling for higher wages.