Top Business Stories

Putin to continue stimulus as Russia moves out of crisis

Sat 21 Nov, 2009 11:30

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Saturday vowed to continue Russia's anti-crisis program as the economy moves out of one of the deepest recessions in post-Soviet history. More...

Obama asks Americans for patience on economy

Sat 21 Nov, 2009 11:05

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Americans to show patience over the economy and argued that his just-concluded Asia trip was critical for U.S. exports, countering criticism he had returned empty-handed. More...

Rio's Cloud Peak down in debut

Sat 21 Nov, 2009 03:44

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors bet on growth in the IPOs of a Chinese hotel chain and an online education company on Friday, but were less enthusiastic about a spin-off of mining giant Rio Tinto. More...

Not all asset bubbles can be prevented - Bank

Sat 21 Nov, 2009 00:28

LONDON (Reuters) - Regulators need more tools to prevent the build-up of risks in the financial system but it would be unrealistic to think all asset bubbles can be prevented, according to a Bank of England paper. More...

Walker eyes on shareholder rules

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 23:48

LONDON (Reuters) - City of London grandee David Walker risks opening a Pandora's box if he turns shareholder rights into duties and requires investors to explain why they have sold shares as part of a review of bank pay and practices. More...

Global stocks slip

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 23:27

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Global stocks slid and the U.S. dollar rose on Friday as investors cut their exposure to risky assets amid signs of an anaemic U.S. economic recovery. More...

Hershey mulls �10 billion solo bid for Cadbury - source

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 23:27

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - U.S. chocolate maker Hershey Co is considering launching a bid of at least $17 billion (10 billion pounds) for chocolatier Cadbury Plc as it seeks to trump a hostile offer by Kraft Foods Inc, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. More...

Rothschild star, Buffett banker circle Cadbury

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 20:12

LONDON/PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Akeel Sachak, global head of the consumer team at Rothschild, may get a seat at the table for this year's sweetest deal after all. More...

Barclays takes hold of Crescent

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 19:06

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley has handed off its Crescent real estate subsidiary to Barclays Capital , the companies said on Friday. More...

FTSE ends lower for 4th day

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 17:50

LONDON (Reuters) - The top share index ended in negative territory for a fourth consecutive session on Friday as weakness in commodity stocks and banks outweighed gains from defensive pharmaceuticals. More...

Ferrero, Hershey weigh Cadbury split-source

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 17:15

PHILADELPHIA/LONDON (Reuters) - Cadbury Plc suitors Ferrero and Hershey Co have weighed breaking the UK confectioner up into separate businesses as part of a friendly, all-cash bid, a source familiar with the situation said on Friday. More...

Signs of life for credit market - Experian

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 17:03

LONDON (Reuters) - Credit information firm Experian is seeing signs of life emerging in the credit services market from 2010, as some lenders begin to plan for new customers after two years of tightening the purse strings. More...

Goldman bonus reduction sought - report

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 15:12

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Some big Goldman Sachs Group Inc shareholders have asked the U.S. bank to cut what could be the biggest bonuses in its history to pass more profit onto investors, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. More...

Trichet warns banks risk addiction to support

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 14:11

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Banks risk becoming addicted to cheap central bank cash used to fight the financial crisis and must prepare for its eventual withdrawal, the head of the ECB warned at a Frankfurt banking conference on Friday. More...

First Quench Retail to cut over 1,900 jobs

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 13:50

LONDON (Reuters) - Over 1,900 workers at , the group behind wine retailer chains Threshers and Wine Rack, are losing their jobs after the administrator failed to find buyers for 381 stores. More...

Tesco takes further step in banking push

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 13:04

LONDON (Reuters) - Tesco took a further step on its journey to become a force in banking by signing up U.S. group Fiserv to provide the technology platform for its financial services business. More...

Sterling hits 2-week low vs dollar

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 12:48

LONDON (Reuters) - Sterling fell sharply on Friday, falling more than 1 percent to a two-week low against the dollar on concerns over the fiscal health and waning investor appetite for perceived risky currencies. More...

Fund manager Gartmore plans IPO

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 11:04

LONDON (Reuters) - Private equity-owned fund manager Gartmore plans to list in London in a move which could kick-off a much-touted run of initial public offerings among companies owned by cash-hungry buyout firms. More...

Bad debts, low margins batter Nationwide

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 11:01

LONDON (Reuters) - House prices could retreat in 2010 if unemployment rises sharply, Britain's third-largest mortgage lender Nationwide warned on Friday. More...

Car output falls in October

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 09:56

LONDON (Reuters) - British car production fell 6.7 percent on the year in October, the smallest monthly drop this year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said on Friday. More...

Gartmore to sell 30-50 pct shares in IPO

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 09:45

LONDON (Reuters) - Asset management house Gartmore is to raise about 250-300 million pounds in the country's biggest initial public offering this year, people familiar with the matter said. More...

Fund firm Gartmore plans IPO

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 09:32

LONDON (Reuters) - Fund firm Gartmore plans to launch a London listing in a move which will allow major shareholder Hellman & Friedman to join private equity peers seeking to reduce stakes through IPOs. More...

Morgan Stanley downgrades TUI Travel, Thomas Cook

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 09:10

(Reuters) - Morgan Stanley downgraded travel operators TUI Travel and Thomas Cook , citing a weaker operating environment and more expensive debt refinancing. More...

BOJ, government clash over economy

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 08:45

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan upgraded its economic assessment on Friday, setting itself up for a confrontation with a government pressing for a policy response to deflation and a possible return to recession. More...

Philip Morris ordered to pay $300 mln to smoker

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 06:34

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Florida jury on Thursday ordered cigarette maker Philip Morris USA to pay $300 million (180 million pounds) in damages to a 61-year-old ex-smoker named Cindy Naugle who is wheelchair-bound by emphysema. More...

Shareholders ask Goldman to cut bonuses - report

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 06:22

(Reuters) - Some of Goldman Sachs Group Inc's largest shareholders have asked the company to cut the size of its bonus pool and pass along more of its profits to investors, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation. More...

Japan economy back in deflation

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 06:06

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's government said for the first time since 2006 that the economy was back in deflation, warning of the risk that price falls may pressure a fragile economy barely out of its worst recession in decades. More...

Asia shares dip in shift to safety

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 06:03

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian shares fell on Friday and the dollar firmed as investors took profits on riskier assets after U.S. data raised fears that a global economic recovery could lose momentum. More...

Dell results miss expectations

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 05:58

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc's quarterly profit plunged 54 percent on lower-than-expected sales as it lost market share to competitors engaged in a budding price war in the PC market. More...

H1N1 may cost economy billions

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 05:43

LONDON (Reuters) - A severe H1N1 flu pandemic could cost the UK economy 72 billion pounds, scientists said on Friday, but advised against closing schools even if the current mild pandemic takes a turn for the worse. More...

CBI boss says deficit should be priority

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 02:48

LONDON (Reuters) - Richard Lambert, the head of Britain's premier employers' organisation CBI, said the group urgently wants the government to bring the deficit down. More...

Borrowing forecasts under threat

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 01:02

LONDON (Reuters) - Public finances deteriorated almost twice as fast as expected last month, raising the risk the government will have to raise its borrowing forecasts when it unveils its pre-budget report next month. More...

Fed sees little risk of inflation

Fri 20 Nov, 2009 00:56

WASHINGTON/PARIS (Reuters) - Senior U.S. Federal Reserve officials said on Thursday inflation is not an immediate threat as a weak economic recovery and a grim outlook for jobs keep price pressures in check. More...

Merger talk makes waves in Hershey town

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 22:43

HERSHEY, Penn. (Reuters) - In a company town where the street lamps are shaped like chocolate Kisses and orphans are cared for with corporate largesse, the prospect that America's biggest chocolate maker may merge with a foreign entity has unnerved some people. More...

ECB to gradually unwind fiscal support measures

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 22:37

PARIS (Reuters) -ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Thursday the central bank would proceed with a gradual withdrawal of unconventional policies and a top EU official said it was not time to put exit strategies in place. More...

Wall St's image needs years to rebound

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 22:34

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street's image, battered by the financial crisis, may take years to recover as its executives themselves are the first to acknowledge. More...

JPMorgan lands Cazenove in buyout

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 18:31

LONDON (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co. is beefing up its European investment bank by buying the half of Cazenove it does not already own in a deal valuing the revered 190-year old stockbroker at 2 billion pounds. More...

GM to present Opel restructuring plan

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 18:29

ZARAGOZA (Reuters) - U.S. carmaker General Motors will present a new viability plan for Opel in mid-December as it aims to reduce capacity across Europe by about 20 percent, a top executive said on Thursday. More...

Draft bank law confirms tougher watchdog powers

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 17:23

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's financial watchdog will have powers to claw back bank bonuses that breach globally agreed rules on remuneration and force hedge funds to provide data, a draft law published on Thursday showed. More...

FTSE falls 1.4 pct as commodities sag

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 17:08

LONDON (Reuters) - The top share index fell 1.4 percent on Thursday as sagging commodity prices dented miners and energy stocks, while reduced risk appetite hurt banks. More...

Ferrero-Cadbury bid to be friendly-source

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 17:02

MILAN (Reuters) - Any bid for confectioner Cadbury by Italian chocolate maker Ferrero would have to be friendly, an Italian source close to the matter told Reuters on Thursday. More...

Reckitt up on talk of Colgate link

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 13:31

LONDON (Reuters) - Reckitt Benckiser shares rose as much as 3.7 percent on Thursday on a report of a link-up with U.S. peer Colgate Palmolive , but analysts were sceptical over an immediate tie-up between the two. More...

Asia helps feeble West in global recovery -OECD

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 13:26

PARIS (Reuters) - Asia is leading the global economy out of the deepest downturn in decades but the recovery will be marred by high unemployment and huge government debt across the industrialised countries, the OECD said on Thursday. More...

OECD sees Fed, ECB rates on hold into late 2010

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 13:18

PARIS (Reuters) - The world's key central banks will not need to start raising policy interest rates until late 2010 due to low inflation and economic slack, and can then proceed gradually, the OECD said in a report published on Thursday. More...

Bank has open mind on more QE-Fisher

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 11:31

LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England is keeping all options open on the scale of its quantitative easing programme, Monetary Policy Committee member Paul Fisher said on Thursday. More...

SABMiller sees second-half boost

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 11:30

LONDON (Reuters) - World No. 2 brewer SABMiller Plc expects a second-half boost from currency movements and a fall in the cost of inputs such as barley after price rises and cost cuts pushed up its first-half profits. More...

Tesco signs up C&W for broadband push

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 11:07

LONDON (Reuters) - Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, has signed up Cable & Wireless to help it provide broadband and home phone services as part of its drive to increase revenues from non-grocery businesses like telecoms. More...

Gold retreats from record as dollar firms

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 10:23

LONDON (Reuters) - Gold prices retreated on Thursday from the record high above $1,150 an ounce they hit in the previous session, as the dollar <.DXY> was lifted by profit-taking in higher-yielding currencies. More...

Retail sales up in October

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 10:22

LONDON (Reuters) - Retail sales rose slightly less than expected in October, while the public finances deteriorated more sharply than thought in the month, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday. More...

Morrison third-quarter growth slows

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 10:16

LONDON (Reuters) - Grocer Morrison said the surprise departure of chief executive Marc Bolland to Marks & Spencer would not affect its performance or potential as it reported a slowdown in sales growth. More...

UK needs firm plan to cut borrowing-OECD

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 10:04

PARIS (Reuters) - Britain needs to come up with a concrete plan to cut its ballooning budget deficit to soothe concerns about the stability of the public finances, a leading think-tank said on Thursday. More...

Lending to businesses contracts again

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 09:45

LONDON (Reuters) - The flow of lending to businesses contracted for an eighth consecutive month in September as firms continued to use funds raised on capital markets to pay down bank debt, the Bank of England said on Thursday. More...

Lending to businesses contracts again

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 09:44

Bank balance sheet may not fall to pre-crisis level

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 09:29

LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England's balance sheet may not fall all the way back to pre-crisis levels even when it starts selling back the assets it has bought, Monetary Policy Committee member Paul Fisher said on Thursday. More...

Fed officials play down impact of weak dollar

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 09:21

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials on Thursday downplayed the consequences of the falling U.S. dollar, underscoring that deflation is still a threat, especially with commercial real estate prices falling. More...

Pound slides on risk unwinding before data

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 09:19

LONDON (Reuters) - Sterling slipped on Thursday as investors scaled back positions in higher-risk currencies and sought safety in the dollar and the yen. More...

Halfords taps into "staycation"

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 09:16

LONDON (Reuters) - Car parts to bicycles retailer Halfords forecast second-half earnings growth as it posted a 24 percent rise in first-half profit fuelled by the "staycation" fad for holidays closer to home. More...

National Grid sees strong year

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 07:39

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's largest utility, National Grid , reported a 16 percent increase in first-half profit and said it continued to expect a strong year. More...

Gold inches down after topping $1,150/oz

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 07:12

TOKYO (Reuters) - Gold edged down on Thursday after hitting a new record above $1,150 per ounce the previous day when inflation fears fuelled by stronger-than-expected U.S. consumer prices added to an already bullish mood. More...

Financial reform faces carve-up threat

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 06:55

LONDON (Reuters) - The Conservative Party said it would ditch the core of a financial sector reform bill if it wins power next year, but lawyers expect other parts such as curbs on bankers' pay would be introduced. More...

Plosser just as concerned on deflation

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 06:52

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve is just as concerned about deflation as it is with inflation, a top Fed official said on Thursday. More...

Illovo first-half headline EPS down

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 06:21

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Illovo Sugar Ltd posted a 3 percent fall in first-half headline earnings per share on Thursday and said it expected full-year headline EPS to fall due to the impact of its rights offer. More...

Hedge fund "king" Griffin rebounding from losses - report

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 06:18

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hedge fund manager Kenneth Griffin's Citadel Investment Group lost $8 billion (4.8 billion pounds) in clients' money last year, but is turning things around as markets recover and has made $5 billion in profits so far this year, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday. More...

Recovery doubts as Japan stocks tumble

Thu 19 Nov, 2009 02:17

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Doubts about the pace of economic recovery hit Asian markets on Thursday, with Japanese stocks falling to a four-month low and the Australian dollar down for a third day as a December interest rate hike no longer looked like a sure thing. More...

Kraft seen as Cadbury front-runner

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 23:08

LONDON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - Italy's Ferrero and U.S.-based Hershey Co are considering a bid for chocolatier Cadbury Plc , but Kraft Foods Inc is still seen as the front-runner with its $16.8 billion (10.2 billion pounds) hostile offer. More...

Gold hits record on inflation fears

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 21:21

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Gold rose to a record high above $1,150 an ounce on Wednesday as stronger-than-expected U.S. consumer prices and a steadily weakening dollar stirred inflation fears. More...

FTSE ends lower; M&S up on new CEO

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 18:47

LONDON (Reuters) - The top shares ticked down on Wednesday, with weakness in food retailers and tobacco firms outpacing gains in miners and energy firms, while Marks & Spencer was boosted by the appointment of a new chief executive. More...

Archie Norman to chair ITV

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 18:40

LONDON (Reuters) - ITV Plc, Britain's biggest free-to-air commercial broadcaster, has turned to Archie Norman, a turnaround specialist and former Conservative politician, to end its error-strewn seven-month hunt for leadership. More...

Labour targets deficit ahead of vote

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 18:40

LONDON (Reuters) - The government promised on Wednesday to halve its huge budget deficit and curb bankers' pay in the hope of reviving its popularity before a national election next year. More...

Morrisons man Bolland takes over at M&S

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 17:05

LONDON (Reuters) - Marks & Spencer named Marc Bolland as its next leader, passing over internal candidates to poach the marketing expert who led a turnaround at Wm Morrison Supermarkets . More...

TNK-BP looking at oil refining acquisitions

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 16:51

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian oil company TNK-BP is looking at acquisitions or joint ventures as a means of growing in the oil refining sector, a senior company executive said on Wednesday. More...

No quick turn in unemployment-Barker

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 15:12

LONDON (Reuters) - The recession will not really have ended until unemployment starts to fall, which is unlikely to be soon, Bank of England policymaker Kate Barker said in an interview published on Wednesday. More...

Bank split 3 ways on QE

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 13:44

LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee split three ways in November, with seven members backing a 25 billion pound boost to the economy, one wanting more and another calling for no increase at all. More...

CBI Nov factory orders highest since Dec

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 11:51

LONDON (Reuters) - British factory orders fell at their slowest pace this month since December last year, while export demand was the strongest since April, the CBI's monthly industrial trends survey showed on Wednesday. More...

EU approves Lloyds restructuring plan

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 11:45

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Plans by three major European banks to sell chunks of their operations in return for state aid were approved by EU authorities on Wednesday, marking the latest regulatory-enforced financial break-ups. More...

Mothercare targets wholesale business

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 11:06

LONDON (Reuters) - Mother and baby products retailer Mothercare said it saw a significant opportunity to develop a global wholesale business as a fourth channel to market as it posted an 11 percent increase in first-half profit. More...

EU approves Lloyds restructuring plan

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 10:52

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Plans by lender Lloyds Banking Group to sell parts of its operations in return for billions of pounds in state aid were approved by European Union competition authorities on Wednesday. More...

Allied Irish sees solid profit with "bad bank" help

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 10:20

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Allied Irish Banks said it expected a solid operating profit this year, with the rate of decline in loan quality slowing and much of the deterioration on assets to be taken over by Ireland's new "bad bank" . More...

LandSecs calls end to property slump

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 10:11

LONDON (Reuters) - Land Securities called the end of Britain's two-year property depression on Wednesday, after unveiling a smaller-than-expected net asset value fall and a 380 million pound development comeback plan. More...

EU hopes for banana deal in next week

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 09:49

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - European Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton said on Wednesday she hoped to end a 16-year trade dispute and finalise a deal to lower tariffs on banana imports this week or early next week. More...

Deficit cuts to be enshrined in law - Mandelson

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 09:14

LONDON (Reuters) - The government will enshrine in law its commitment to halve the budget deficit over the next four years, Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said on Wednesday. More...

EU close to deal on banana tariffs

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 09:14

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European trade leaders are on the verge of agreeing to significant cuts in tariffs on bananas imported from outside the African and Caribbean region, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. More...

Gold prices hit record highs

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 09:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Gold prices hit record highs at $1,146.95 an ounce in Europe on Wednesday, as a dip in the dollar index fuelled momentum buying of the precious metal. More...

Bovis sales climb 8 percent

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 07:53

LONDON (Reuters) - House builder Bovis Homes Group PLC said its total sales climbed 8 percent, adding that it expects pricing stability and further modest growth in mortgage availability in 2010. More...

Wolseley 3-month profit drops 45 pct

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 07:44

LONDON (Reuters) - Building supplies company Wolseley warned on Wednesday that market conditions were still challenging as it reported weaker quarterly sales and profits. More...

Goldman CEO apologises for role in crisis -report

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 07:31

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc chief executive Lloyd Blankfein said his firm "participated in things that were clearly wrong" in the lead-up to the financial crisis, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. More...

Dutch grocer Ahold to cut costs

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 06:58

LONDON (Reuters) - Dutch grocer Ahold plans to cut costs by more than 350 million euros (310 million pounds) over three years as it looks to sharpen its competitive edge in its main U.S. market and boost its flagging shares. More...

Lobby urges EC to oppose Rio-BHP jv

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 06:48

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Europe's steel industry has voiced strong opposition to a planned $116 billion (69 billion pound) iron ore joint venture by global miners Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton , and has called on European regulators to oppose the deal. More...

Dell looks to 2010 for pickup in PCs

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 06:44

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc will on Thursday report quarterly results for the first time as the No. 3 maker of personal computers -- unfamiliar territory for a company that not so long ago was the world's largest PC maker. More...

Microsoft ordered to stop some Windows sales in China

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 06:37

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp has been ordered by a Chinese court to stop selling versions of its Windows operating systems that include fonts designed by a local company, citing a violation of licensing agreements. More...

Gold falls back from record to $1,140

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 06:25

TOKYO (Reuters) - Gold prices inched up to touch another record high on Wednesday but then succumbed to profit-taking and fell back to $1,140 per ounce on the view that recent rises had gone too far too fast. More...

Nikkei slips on banks and JAL

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 04:40

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.7 percent on Wednesday and was on track for its lowest close since July, dragged lower by banking and real estate shares on fundraising concerns. Shares in Japan Airlines Corp <9205.T> fell to their lowest level since their 2002 re-listing on Wednesday after Japan's transport minister commented he had never said a court-led bankruptcy for the troubled airline was impossible, and despite a report that private equity firm TPG may invest as much as $1.1 billion (654 million pounds). More...

Asian shares rebound

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 02:01

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Gold hit another all-time high on Wednesday on worries about future inflation and economic uncertainties, while Asian stocks rebounded as the generally bearish dollar kept riskier assets in demand. More...

Deal nears to end "banana wars" -report

Wed 18 Nov, 2009 00:51

LONDON (Reuters) - An end to the world's longest-running trade dispute, involving bananas, is in sight and could lead to lower prices for shoppers, according to a draft settlement seen by the Financial Times. More...

Fed officials differ on recovery's pace

Tue 17 Nov, 2009 23:01

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) - Top Federal Reserve officials on Tuesday struck differing notes on the likely pace of the U.S. economic recovery and one warned that pockets of weakness must not deter the central bank from withdrawing its extraordinary economic support. More...

Hershey joins Ferrero in talks on Cadbury

Tue 17 Nov, 2009 21:25

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chocolate maker Hershey Co has held talks for several weeks with Italy's Ferrero Spa over a potential bid for Cadbury Plc that would rival a hostile offer from Kraft Foods Inc , The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. More...