Finance news you need to know today

FACEBOOK is testing a service that will allow users to hail Uber rides directly from the Messenger app, by tapping on a car icon within a chat.

(FILES) In this May 10, 2012 file photo, a view of and Apple iPhone displaying the Facebook app's splash screen in front of the login page on a computer are shown in Washington, DC. The US presidential race, dominated by firebrand Republican contender Donald Trump and former first lady Hillary Clinton, was the most discussed topic on Facebook this year, the site announced December 9, 2015. The Democratic and Republican parties may not have nominated their candidates yet and America is still a year from electing the next leader of the free world, but it's got the world's 1.5 billion Facebook users abuzz. AFP PHOTO / KAREN BLEIER

HERE are nine things making news in business and finance around the world today.

1. SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook Inc is testing a service that will allow users of its Messenger app to hail Uber rides directly from the app.

The ride sharing company revealed in a blog post that it is the first partner for the Transportation on Messenger service, which will initially be rolled out in the United States

Users can hail a ride in the latest version of Messenger by choosing “transportation” from a menu or by tapping on a car icon within a chat.

2. WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade on Wednesday, signalling faith that the US economy had largely overcome the wounds of the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

3. WASHINGTON — A big jump in apartment construction in the US Midwest and South boosted the pace of homebuilding in November, marking a solid bounce back after tumbling in October.

4. WASHINGTON — The United States appears on the brink of ending a four-decade ban on most exports of crude oil.

5. LONDON — Donald Trump has denounced the Scottish government as “foolish, small minded and parochial” after the US Republican presidential front runner lost a long-running legal battle.

6. MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin has ordered his government to suspend Russia’s free trade zone with Ukraine from January 1, as Kiev seeks closer ties with the European Union.

7. BERLIN — Volkswagen will suspend production at its small showcase factory in the German city of Dresden next year as the carmaker alters its model strategy to cut costs in the wake of the emissions test scandal.

8. JOHANNESBURG — Thousands of marchers have demanded President Jacob Zuma step down in rallies across South Africa, blaming him for a week of financial turmoil triggered by his sacking of the finance minister.

9. TOKYO — Japan’s ruling coalition has endorsed an $US8 billion ($A11.13 billion) exemption in a planned sales tax hike, a move widely seen as a bid to lure voters in upper house polls next year.