Asia stocks off 1-month high SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian and European stocks eased on Tuesday as caution over the global economy persuaded investors took profits on recent gains, while the euro fell after a newspaper report rekindled fears about the vulnerability of European banks.
Oracle hires former HP's Mark Hurd NEW YORK (Reuters) - Silicon Valley technology giant Oracle Corp has hired Mark Hurd, the former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Co who resigned amid a scandal, as president.
Obama kicks off campaign with infrastructure plan MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, scrambling to spur job creation, proposed a six-year plan on Monday to rebuild infrastructure with an initial $50 billion investment and prepared new business tax cuts.
Barclays appoints Diamond as chief executive LONDON (Reuters) - British bank Barclays has appointed Bob Diamond, the head of its investment and wealth management business Barclays Capital, as its new group chief executive to replace current head John Varley next year.
Justice department probes Google's ITA Software deal: report BANGALORE (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice department is looking into Google Inc's takeover of airline ticketing software firm ITA Software Inc, to determine whether the deal would exert too much influence on the online travel industry, the Wall Street Journal said.
Strong yuan would hurt China: economists BEIJING (Reuters) - China must resist external pressure for yuan appreciation because a stronger exchange rate would take a big bite out of economic growth, according to a pair of senior government researchers.
Oil operations in Gulf unaffected by storm HOUSTON (Reuters) - BP Plc , the largest oil producer in U.S.-regulated areas of the Gulf of Mexico, and Shell Oil Co said Monday that Tropical Storm Hermine was not affecting their offshore operations.
AIG seen leaning towards new Taiwan unit sale HONG KONG/TAIPEI (Reuters) - American International Group Inc is leaning toward a new sale of its Taiwan unit, according to one of the original buyers, opening the way for a number of Taiwanese banks who have expressed interest.
Basel committee seeks 9 percent Tier 1 capital: report FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Global banks will be required to hold Tier 1 capital of nine percent including a 3 percent so-called "conservation buffer," German weekly Die Zeit reported, quoting a draft proposal from the Basel Committee, the body tasked with drawing up global banking rules.
Fed should not set limit on economy aid: Kohn WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve should not announce a limit on its actions if it resumes purchases of Treasury securities to stimulate the U.S. economy, the former vice chairman of the central bank said.
Obama kicks off campaign with infrastructure plan MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, scrambling to spur job creation, proposed a six-year plan on Monday to rebuild infrastructure with an initial $50 billion investment and prepared new business tax cuts.
Australia PM Gillard to form second-term govt CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard secured a second term in office Tuesday, winning the support of independent lawmakers to form a minority Labor government after losing her majority at elections last month.
Storm Hermine slams into far northeastern Mexico MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Hermine slammed into northeastern Mexico near the Texas border on Monday, dumping heavy rain on a region still recovering from Hurricane Alex's visit in June.
China, U.S. aim to ease tensions BEIJING (Reuters) - China wants to reduce tensions with the United States through quiet talk, not shouting matches, a top diplomat told White House advisers on Tuesday, aiming to pave the way for a visit by President Hu Jintao early next year.
U.S. commander seeks 2,000 new troops for Afghanistan BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan has requested another 2,000 troops for the foreign force fighting the Taliban insurgency, despite waning support for the war in troop-contributing nations, NATO officials said.
U.N. watchdog says Iran boosts nuclear work VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is pushing ahead with its nuclear program in defiance of tougher sanctions and is hampering the U.N. atom watchdog's work by barring some inspectors, the IAEA says in a new report.
U.S. Afghanistan commanders condemn Koran-burning plan MIAMI (Reuters) - U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan warned on Monday that a small Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks could endanger the lives of American troops.
Israel PM sees deal possible in year: spokesman JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told visiting U.S. congressmen he thinks it could be possible to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians in a year despite huge differences, his spokesman said.
Guatemala resumes rescue work after landslide GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Emergency services in Guatemala on Monday resumed their search for victims of landslides that killed and buried dozens of people, as further rain was predicted for the Central American country.
Nineteen killed in suicide bombing in Pakistan LAKKI MARWAT, Pakistan (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomber rammed his car into a police station in northwest Pakistan on Monday killing at least 19 people, police said, in a new wave of attacks by al Qaeda-linked militants.
Australia PM Gillard to form second-term govt CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard secured a second term in office Tuesday, winning the support of independent lawmakers to form a minority Labor government after losing her majority at elections last month.
French unions test Sarkozy in pensions strike PARIS (Reuters) - French trade unions mounted a show of strength on Tuesday with strikes backed by street marches over unpopular pension reforms that President Nicolas Sarkozy says he is determined to implement.
China, U.S. aim to ease tensions BEIJING (Reuters) - China wants to reduce tensions with the United States through quiet talk, not shouting matches, a top diplomat told White House advisers on Tuesday, aiming to pave the way for a visit by President Hu Jintao early next year.
Quake-hit New Zealand city struggles back to business WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's second-biggest city, Christchurch, struggled to get back to business on Tuesday as aftershocks caused more damage and kept parts of the city cordoned off three days after a magnitude 7.1 quake.
India PM warns China wants foothold in South Asia NEW DELHI (Reuters) - China is seeking to expand its influence in South Asia at India's expense, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned in rare public criticism of his country's rival for regional resources and geopolitical clout.
Iraqi Al Qaeda group says it behind army base raid BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a daylight raid by suicide bombers on an army base in central Baghdad in which 12 people died.
U.S. Afghanistan commanders condemn Koran-burning plan MIAMI (Reuters) - U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan warned on Monday that a small Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks could endanger the lives of American troops.
U.N. watchdog says Iran boosts nuclear work VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is pushing ahead with its nuclear program in defiance of tougher sanctions and is hampering the U.N. atom watchdog's work by barring some inspectors, the IAEA says in a new report.
Nineteen killed in suicide bombing in Pakistan LAKKI MARWAT, Pakistan (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomber rammed his car into a police station in northwest Pakistan on Monday killing at least 19 people, police said, in a new wave of attacks by al Qaeda-linked militants.
U.S. commander seeks 2,000 new troops for Afghanistan BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan has requested another 2,000 troops for the foreign force fighting the Taliban insurgency, despite waning support for the war in troop-contributing nations, NATO officials said.
A.I.G. Seen Leaning Towards New Taiwan Unit Sale American International Group is leaning toward a new sale of its Taiwan unit, according to one of the original buyers, opening the way for a number of Taiwanese banks who have expressed interest.
Why I.B.M. Took a Different Path in Storage I.B.M. has said it looked at 3Par and other companies more than two years ago, when it was building up in the field of clustered storage, an important technology in handling data remotely for so-called cloud computing systems. Instead of 3Par, it bought an Israeli clustered-storage specialist, XIV.
In Europe's Debt Crisis, Lending Was Still Strong Even as Europe's sovereign debt crisis intensified early this year, banks continued to load up on debt from Greece and other countries with the most acute fiscal problems, according to a report released on Sunday.
Retiring Fed Official Considers More Bank Action The former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, who retired last week after 40 years at the central bank, says that the economy is in "a slow slog out of a very deep hole," and that the Fed should consider additional stimulus unless the recovery shows signs of "decent progress."
German Banks May Need New Capital The 10 biggest lenders in Germany, including Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, may need about $135 billion in capital because of new regulation, the Association of German Banks said.
Many Line Up to Go Public, but Market Mood Is Iffy Two years after the financial crisis, the stock market remains fragile. While there has been a robust rally in bonds, with companies aggressively issuing debt to take advantage of low interest rates, the appetite for equity remains weak.
Soros to Donate $100 Million to Rights Group George Soros, the billionaire investor and philanthropist, plans to announce on Tuesday that he is giving $100 million to Human Rights Watch to expand the organization's work globally.
Sorkin: Lehman's Last Hours New e-mails and notes released as part of a commission's investigation provide a different version of the demise of Lehman Brothers, The New York Times's Andrew Ross Sorkin writes in his latest DealBook column.
Once a Dynamo, the Tech Sector Is Slow to Hire Despite soaring profits, high-tech companies have been slow to hire - a sign of just how difficult it will be to address persistently high joblessness.
Air Products Raises Airgas Offer to $65.50 a Share Air Products and Chemicals raised its takeover offer for Airgas to $5.48 billion in cash, as it presses forward with a proxy fight over its target's board of directors.
Mariner and the MAC Question A fire at a Mariner Energy platform in the gulf raised concerns that Apache might exercise the material adverse change clause in their merger agreement. But the Deal Professor says there is no cause for MAC litigation.
Wall St. Said to Finance Dinallo for Attorney General The onetime lieutenant of Eliot Spitzer is now being backed by financiers as the next attorney general of New York, The Financial Times reports, citing an analysis of campaign contributions.
Barclays Elevates Diamond to C.E.O. Robert E. Diamond Jr., 59, helped turn the bank into a global brand with the acquisition of Lehman Brothers' operation in the United States.
Soros to Donate $100 Million to Rights Group The billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros will help an advocacy group that investigates human rights abuses around the world.
Obama Offers a Transit Plan to Create Jobs President Obama, looking to jump-start the economy, called on Congress to approve a far-reaching plan to rebuild and modernize transportation over the next six years.
Afghanistan Pledges Support for Troubled Bank The chairman of the Central Bank of Afghanistan promised Monday to lend the embattled Kabul Bank ?as much as it wants? to stave off a collapse.
Germany Extends Nuclear Plants? Life Germany will extend the life spans of 17 plants while alternative energy sources are developed, which is likely to make money for power companies and the government.
Once a Dynamo, the Tech Sector Is Slow to Hire Despite soaring profits, high-tech companies have been slow to hire ? a sign of just how difficult it will be to address persistently high joblessness.
Once a Dynamo, the Tech Sector Is Slow to Hire Despite soaring profits, high-tech companies have been slow to hire ? a sign of just how difficult it will be to address persistently high joblessness.
Google to Simplify Its Privacy Policies Google will update its privacy policies next month to offer simpler, more transparent language, but a privacy expert worry that the changes are actually bad for consumers.
Apple Faces Many Rivals for Streaming to TVs Apple TV may be ?an elementary effort? with little content available, but analysts point out that the iPod was also marginal when it was introduced.
From Viral Video to Billboard 100 The ?Bed Intruder Song? was a rare case of a product of Web culture jumping the species barrier and becoming a pop hit.
Craigslist Blocks Access to ?Adult Services? Pages Craigslist, the classifieds Web site, has blocked access to its ?adult services? section and replaced the link with a black label with the word ?censored.?
H.P. Outbids Dell for Data Storage Company Hewlett-Packard offered about $2.3 billion, ending an 18-day bidding war. The price reflects a growing urgency to use acquisitions to fuel growth.
Texas Probes Google on Ranking of Search Results The Texas attorney general has opened an antitrust investigation into how Google ranks search results, striking at the heart of its main search business.
Talking Business: The Struggle for What We Already Have The angst over net neutrality reaches from boardrooms to living rooms, but take heart: companies will breach its principles at their own peril. Consumers have come to expect an open Internet.
YouTube Ads Turn Videos Into Revenue YouTube is expected to turn a profit this year, on revenue of about $450 million, with help from its onetime critics.
Consumer Watchdog Group Goes After Google A consumer watchdog group began an advertising campaign aimed at Google and its chief executive. It hopes to create a "Do Not Track Me" list for Web users.
Diamond to be new Barclays chief Bob Diamond is to become chief executive of Barclays, while HSBC chairman Stephen Green steps down to become a government trade minister.
Gillard to stay as Australian PM Julia Gillard is to remain as Australia's prime minister after winning the backing of two key independent MPs.
Strike severely disrupts Tube Services on the London Underground are severely disrupted on the first morning of a series of 24-hour strikes.
Housing group 'near administration' Connaught, the property services group that specialises in social housing, is on the brink of going into administration, the BBC learns.
France strikes over pension plans France is braced for disruption as a strike over pension reform gets under way, with parliament also debating a ban on full face veils and a security bill.
AV referendum bill passes MP vote Plans to change the way MPs are elected to Parliament survive their first Commons hurdle - despite criticism from Tory MPs.
Scam fear over electricity credit Criminals have managed to clone prepayment meter keys in order to make money by offering discounted credit to customers.
Christchurch hit by aftershocks Violent aftershocks rattle the New Zealand city of Christchurch following the weekend's powerful earthquake that caused widespread damage.
Service to commemorate the Blitz A remembrance service is to be held later to mark the 70th anniversary of the start of the Blitz.
Fry slams BBC 'culture of fear' Stephen Fry criticises a culture of fear at the BBC which is creating "incredibly bland" programmes
Inbred bumblebees 'facing extinction' Some of the UK's rarest bumblebees are at risk of becoming extinct as a result of inbreeding, research suggests.
Saatchi art gallery deal hits setback Charles Saatchi's plan to donate his gallery to the British public hits a stumbling block after talks with Arts Council England break down.
Capello insists Rooney will play England manager Fabio Capello insists striker Wayne Rooney will play in the Euro 2012 qualifier away to Switzerland on Tuesday.
Federer cruises into last eight Roger Federer continues his smooth progress through the US Open draw with a straight-sets win over Jurgen Melzer in round four.
Houllier poised to take Villa job Former Liverpool and Lyon boss Gerard Houllier is set to be appointed as Aston Villa's new manager on Wednesday, BBC Sport understands.
Hartson interested in Wales job Ex-Wales striker John Hartson will be interested in the Wales job if boss John Toshack quits.
Kobayashi to remain with Sauber Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi will remain with Sauber for the 2011 season, the Formula 1 team have confirmed.
Police plea to dead baby's mother Detectives investigating the death of a newborn baby found dumped in a garden are still trying to trace the mother.
Ringo's debut club fire tackled Firefighters spend the night tackling a fire at a disused nightclub where drummer Ringo Starr made his Beatles debut.
UK mobile firms to merge networks Customers of Orange and T-Mobile will soon be able to hop between the two mobile networks as the firms merge their networks.
US firm buys Realtime Worlds game Part of collapsed computer games firm Realtime Worlds has been bought by an anonymous American company, administrators confirm.
Buzz lawsuit to cost Google $8.5m Google proposes settling a lawsuit over its Buzz social network, whilst regulators launch a review of the firm's US search practices.
Tiny solar cells fix themselves A mix of chemicals borrowed from plants with tiny tubes of carbon can spontaneously create tiny, self-repairing solar cells.
PS3 hack escapes court challenge Sony has won a permanent ban in Australia of a hack for its PS3, but the code behind it has been released for free on the web.
Craigslist ends adult service ads Online marketplace Craigslist closes its US adult services listing following pressure from attorneys general and advocacy groups.
Memristor revolution backed by HP A potentially revolutionary circuit component, once a laboratory curiosity, is to be mass-produced for the first time.
Global broadband divide revealed The global disparity in access to broadband around the world and the cost of a connection is revealed by UN figures.
Samsung releases iPad competitor Samsung has become the latest manufacturer to enter into the tablet computer market with its Galaxy Tab.
Apple creates a social network Apple launches a music-based social network called Ping as part of its latest upgrade to the iTunes music software.
First 'intelligent' stamp on sale The Royal Mail launches the world's first "intelligent" stamp, the first to work with image recognition technology.
New gadgets unveiled at IFA fair Samsung's Galaxy Tab and Toshiba's Folio 100 are amongst the gadgets showcased at the world's largest consumer electronics fair in Berlin.
Johnson & Johnson CEO Bill Weldon's painful year What started last year as a series of small drug recalls at Johnson & Johnson exploded this summer into a full-blown crisis in quality control. But for months there was nary a peep from CEO Bill Weldon.
What went wrong with Gardasil There's a liquid drug that women can get injected into a layer of muscle -- three separate times over a six-month period -- that can protect them from a kind of cancer. From a scientific perspective, that's amazing. In terms of public health, it's a breakthrough.
Mark Hurd lands at Oracle Mark Hurd, who abruptly resigned last month as chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, has landed at another big tech company.
Wall Street faces an economy at a 'crossroads' Stocks started September with a bang as investors cheered a rare dose of good economic news but investors may need to buckle in for the coming week: It's a holiday-shortened week with little on the docket to set the tone.
81% rate U.S. economy as 'poor' - CNN poll A new national poll released Sunday indicates that eight in 10 Americans say that the economy is in poor shape, and the number that say conditions are very poor is on the upswing after steady declines through the spring.
Dollar slips on return to risk As better-than-expected economic data boosted investor morale this week, the greenback lost some of its luster, falling against a basket of currencies.
Where the jobs are now, and where they'll be next U.S. companies modestly added jobs in August, easing concerns that the nation might slip back into a recession. The latest jobs report released by the Labor Department today is better than expected. Employment in the private sector rose by 67,000 payrolls, after a revised 107,000 increase in July that was more than originally estimated. The report immediately sent stocks rallying, despite the fact that overall employment dropped and the unemployment rate climbed to 9.6% from 9.5%, as more people actively searched for jobs.
What went wrong at Burger King It's not yet clear what Burger King's new owner, the Brazilian-backed private equity firm 3G Capital, has in mind for the troubled No. 2 fast-food chain. But a total strategic revamp is in order.
Dow back in the black for 2010 Stocks closed near session highs Friday, with the Dow erasing its losses for the year, as investors welcomed a better-than-expected report on the U.S. job market.
Kia recalling fire-prone cars Hyundai-Kia Motors is recalling more than 35,000 cars with fire-prone electrical wiring systems, said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Stock futures pop after jobs report Stocks futures jumped Friday after the August employment report showed that employers cut fewer jobs than economists were expecting and added more private-sector jobs than forecast.
Should US government debt be rated junk? A few weeks ago, Hedgeye, the investment research firm where I'm a managing director, hosted a conference call for our subscribers that posed the question, "Should U.S. Government Debt Be Rated Junk Status?" Given that debt issued by the U.S. government continues to trade at almost all-time lows in yield, this is a contrarian call to say the least.
I have $10,000 and four months. Where do I invest? Question: I have a budget of $10,000 for a stock simulation I'm doing for a business and personal-finance class. What stocks should I invest in to make the most money in four months? -- Matt
From Detroit, a fix for smog-belching motorcycles When Americans debate the impact of fuel emissions on the environment, they usually talk about cars and trucks. But what about smaller vehicles like motorcycles, scooters, lawnmowers and ATVs?
The fading iPod Classic The iPod helped Apple rise from the dead in the last decade. But the iPod Classic, the device that jump-started that resurrection, didn't get so much as a mention from Steve Jobs at Apple's iPod event on Wednesday.
Why Analysts Don't Want to Say 'Buy' They're turning more pessimistic even as they push up profit growth estimates. Economic weakness is a big worry
Bullishness on Stocks Jumps from 17-Month Low Optimism about U.S. stocks increased by the most since July as economic reports emboldened investors following three straight weekly losses in the Standard & Poor?s 500 Index, according to a survey from the American Association of Individual Investors.
Oracle Hires Mark Hurd as a President Hewlett-Packard's recently departed CEO will serve alongside President Safra Catz and report to Larry Ellison as Oracle expands into server sales
Eisman Bets Against Strayer on Doubt Over Loan Repayment Rate Hedge-fund manager Steven Eisman is betting against for-profit college provider Strayer Education Inc. because the company?s federal student loan repayment rate is much lower than it claims.
Rosetta Stone's Management and Marketing Woes The language-learning company hopes a new product and international growth will revive investor enthusiasm that waned after the stock's 2009 debut
The Treasury's New Research Office The new research office to be set up within Treasury has broad powers, so much so that some are calling it the CIA of finance
Posco, JFE Shares Rise as China Curbs Steel Output Posco, JFE Holdings Inc. and other Asian steelmakers advanced after steel prices in China, the biggest consumer of the metal, jumped amid production cuts.
Japanese Stocks Drop, Led by Carmakers on Yen; Traders Decline Japanese stocks fell for the first time in five days as a stronger yen and lower oil prices countered expectations President Barack Obama?s proposed stimulus will boost the U.S. economy.
Gillard Set to Form Minority Government in Australia Julia Gillard will remain as Australia?s first female prime minister after two independent lawmakers agreed to prop up a minority Labor Party government to settle the closest election in 70 years.
Papandreou Changes Greek Cabinet Amid Growth Slump Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou reshuffled his Cabinet for the first time, demoting a key minister in charge of economic growth. Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou retained his post.
Stocks Fall as Central Banks Note Concern About U.S.; JGBs Rise Asian stocks fell, with the benchmark MSCI Asia Pacific Index snapping four days of gains, and U.S. futures declined after central bankers in Japan and Australia said the outlook for U.S. growth is deteriorating. Japanese government bonds rose and the euro weakened.
Audi’s $66,000 A7 to Challenge BMW, Daimler for Luxury Lead Volkswagen AG?s Audi brand will target families looking for a sportier car with the new A7 Sportback as the automaker aims to leapfrog Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Daimler AG in luxury car sales.
Web Impostors May Face Prison in California Internet users pretending to be others could be prosecuted?and sued?if Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signs an "e-personation" bill
Fixing China's Banks: The Next Round No rest for China's weary banking reformers. Over the summer, they got Agricultural Bank of China over the finish line, with the state-owned bank pulling off the world's largest IPO. AgBank was the weakest of the Big Four state-owned banks, and with its listing all of the large Chinese banks are ...
Once a Dynamo, the Tech Sector Is Slow to Hire Despite soaring profits, high-tech companies have been slow to hire ? a sign of just how difficult it will be to address persistently high joblessness.
Obama to Propose Tax Write-Off for Capital Investments A tax deduction would let businesses keep more money and would give big corporations, many of which are sitting on cash because of economic uncertainty, an incentive to spend and invest.
In a New Role, Teachers Move to Run Schools At a 650-student school in Newark, in an increasingly common move, the teaching staff is the administration, raising morale but potentially blurring educators? focus.
Chief of ABC News Is Resigning David Westin said he would resign after a long conflict with the network over the budget.
Jakarta Journal: Indonesians Go Home, by the Millions An annual exodus called ?mudik? at the end of Ramadan is a chance for city dwellers with rural roots to reconnect with their families ? and to show off their success.
Republican Runs Street People on Green Ticket Democrats are trying to stop a group of homeless people from running on the Green Party ticket, saying it is a dirty trick by a Republican operative.
Climber Scales Tower in San Francisco A man?s long climb to the top levels of a skyscraper in downtown San Francisco ended with officers taking him into custody.
Soros to Donate $100 Million to Rights Group The billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros will help an advocacy group that investigates human rights abuses around the world.
