International Business News http://www.ibtimes.com/rss/feed/us/finance.rss All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 120 30 http://www.ibtimes.com/rss/feed/us/finance.rss http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif Most computer users in Iran were blocked from accessing email, social networking and other services in recent days, U.S.-based Internet experts said on Monday, raising fears the government is extending the reach of its surveillance on ordinary citizens. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120214/iranians-internet-access-blocked-temporarily-experts.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120214/iranians-internet-access-blocked-temporarily-experts.htm Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:32:05 EST The Bank of Japan loosened monetary policy on Tuesday by topping up asset purchases in the face of mounting political pressure for bolder action to beat deflation and ease the pain on the economy from a strong yen. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/boj-eases-monetary-policy-setspct-inflation-goal.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275630-man-cycles-in-front-of-boj-headquarters.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/boj-eases-monetary-policy-setspct-inflation-goal.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/boj-eases-monetary-policy-setspct-inflation-goal.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:00:08 EST The Indian government is investigating whether the Indian units of U.S. Internet giants Google Inc and Yahoo Inc may have violated the country's foreign exchange laws, the Wall Street Journal said in report. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/india-probes-google-yahoo-for-possible-forex-violation-report.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/india-probes-google-yahoo-for-possible-forex-violation-report.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:56:05 EST Rating agency Moody's warned on Monday it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, the United Kingdom and Austria, and it downgraded six other European nations including Italy, Spain and Portugal, citing growing risks from Europe's debt crisis. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/moodys-warns-uk-france-austria-over-aaa-rating.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/moodys-warns-uk-france-austria-over-aaa-rating.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:48:03 EST Goldman Sachs Group <GS.N> said on Monday that George Mattson, a co-head of the firm's global industrials group, will retire after an 18-year career at the investment bank. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/top-goldman-dealmaker-to-retire.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/top-goldman-dealmaker-to-retire.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:00:10 EST Rating agency Moody's warned on Monday it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, the United Kingdom and Austria, while it downgraded the ratings of Italy, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/moodys-warns-may-strip-france-uk-austrias-aaa-rating.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/moodys-warns-may-strip-france-uk-austrias-aaa-rating.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:24:05 EST Rating agency Moody's warned on Monday it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, the United Kingdom and Austria while it downgraded the ratings of Italy, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/moodys-cuts-france-uk-austria-outlooks-to-negative.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275624-a-union-flag-flies-near-big-ben.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/moodys-cuts-france-uk-austria-outlooks-to-negative.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/moodys-cuts-france-uk-austria-outlooks-to-negative.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:48:03 EST U.S. and European regulators approved Google Inc's $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc and said they would keep a sharp eye on the web search giant to ensure patents critical to the telecommunications industry would be licensed at fair prices. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/google-getss-eu-nod-to-buy-motorola-mobility.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275626-people-ride-their-bikes-past-google-inc.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/google-getss-eu-nod-to-buy-motorola-mobility.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/google-getss-eu-nod-to-buy-motorola-mobility.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:08:04 EST A U.S. market regulator is for now dropping insider trading cases against three Swiss asset managers, despite accusations that two of the defendants improperly thwarted its investigation, including by throwing out a BlackBerry. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/sec-drops-lonza-arch-insider-trading-case-for-now.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/sec-drops-lonza-arch-insider-trading-case-for-now.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:56:05 EST Independent Chicago broker R.J. O'Brien, which got more former accounts from bankrupt rival MF Global than any other merchant, built on that success in December, while other brokers lost some of that extra business, data showed on Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/biggest-winner-of-mf-global-accounts-expands-more.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275625-the-sign-marking-the-mf-global-holdings.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/biggest-winner-of-mf-global-accounts-expands-more.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/biggest-winner-of-mf-global-accounts-expands-more.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:40:06 EST Europe gave Greece until Wednesday to convince skeptical international creditors that it would stick to the punishing terms of a multi-billion-euro rescue package, endorsed by parliament as rioters torched downtown Athens. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/greece-still-to-convince-europe-over-rescue-deal.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/greece-still-to-convince-europe-over-rescue-deal.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:32:03 EST The Obama administration on Monday proposed hiring more prosecutors to pursue intellectual property crimes in the new budget as the entertainment industry pressures the Justice Department to crack down on copyright infringement and counterfeiting. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/justice-dept-seeks-to-bolster-ip-enforcement-team.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/justice-dept-seeks-to-bolster-ip-enforcement-team.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:08:03 EST Apple Inc once again rewarded shareholders richly as its shares surged to new highs above $500 on Monday. There is, though, one part of the iPhone and iPad company's business that is not exactly humming: Its management of a pile of money now probably exceeding $100 billion. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/analysis-one-area-where-apple-lags-its-low-returns-on-cash.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275622-the-apple-inc-corporate-logo-is-pictured.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/analysis-one-area-where-apple-lags-its-low-returns-on-cash.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/analysis-one-area-where-apple-lags-its-low-returns-on-cash.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:48:08 EST U.S. and European regulators approved Google Inc's $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility on Monday and said they would keep a sharp eye on the web search giant to ensure patents critical to the telecom industry would be licensed at fair prices. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/google-gets-approval-to-buy-motorola-mobility.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275620-people-ride-their-bikes-past-google-inc.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/google-gets-approval-to-buy-motorola-mobility.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/google-gets-approval-to-buy-motorola-mobility.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:40:07 EST Republican leaders in the House of Representatives, in an about face, proposed on Monday extending a payroll tax cut for 160 million workers without offsetting spending cuts. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/republicans-propose-not-paying-for-payroll-tax-cut.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/republicans-propose-not-paying-for-payroll-tax-cut.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:16:03 EST The White House on Monday proposed big budget boosts for U.S. financial market regulators, which are months behind in finalizing Dodd-Frank reforms and are under pressure to more vigorously police markets in the wake of the 2007-2009 financial crisis. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/obama-proposes-large-budget-boosts-for-sec-cftc.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/obama-proposes-large-budget-boosts-for-sec-cftc.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:16:02 EST Half of American adults know someone who found love online, and while the Internet plays a more important role than before in starting relationships it is also a forum for cheating and lies that ends them, according to a survey released on Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/plenty-find-love-online-where-lies-abound-study.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275617-red-roses-are-pictured-inflower-shop-in.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/plenty-find-love-online-where-lies-abound-study.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/plenty-find-love-online-where-lies-abound-study.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:08:06 EST Google Inc received U.S. antitrust approval to buy Motorola Mobility, a deal aimed at building up an arsenal of patents, and an Apple-led consortium also received the go-ahead to purchase a trove of patents from bankrupt Canadian company Nortel Networks, the Justice Department said. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/uclears-google-motorola-deal-nortel-patent-sale.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275619-signage-for-motorola-is-displayed-outside-their.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/uclears-google-motorola-deal-nortel-patent-sale.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/uclears-google-motorola-deal-nortel-patent-sale.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:08:04 EST Ratings agencies Fitch lowered its ratings on four big Spanish banks while Standard & Poor's cut its rating for the industry as a whole on Monday following recent sovereign downgrades and on concerns of funding difficulties and a weak economy. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/fitchp-downgrade-spanish-banks.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275618-a-spanish-flag-flutters-over-the-bank.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/fitchp-downgrade-spanish-banks.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/fitchp-downgrade-spanish-banks.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:32:17 EST Big U.S. manufacturers moved their production out of the country too quickly over the past decades and now see a competitive advantage in building up their footprints back home, top executives said on Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/after-lemming-exodus-manufacturers-look-tos.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/275608-pedestrian-walks-past-boeing-world-headquarters-office.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/after-lemming-exodus-manufacturers-look-tos.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120213/after-lemming-exodus-manufacturers-look-tos.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:24:05 EST