GDP

The U.S. economy expanded at a 1.9 percent annual rate in the first quarter, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. That's in line with economists' estimate and slower than the initially reported 2.2 percent pace.

India's economic growth slumped to its lowest level in nine years in the first three months of 2012, marking a dramatic slide in the fortunes of a country whose economy was boasting nearly double-digit growth before the global recession.

Corroborating the fears of an economic slowdown, India's economic growth slumped to 5.3 percent, a nine-year-low in the fourth quarter ending March 31, according to a Thomson Reuters data. The growth rate was 9.2 percent in the same period a year earlier.

The Q4 GDP data for India plunged the volatile rupee further in the morning trade Thursday, as the Indian currency hovered near an all-time low of 56.52 against the dollar. The rupee was trading at 56.38/39 at 10 am IST, after testing the 56.52 level in early trade.

Japan's industrial production gained in April from the previous month but remained below expectation, raising concerns about the country's faltering economic growth momentum.

While speculation swirls about whether Greece is going to drop the euro, the European Central Bank said on Wednesday that none of the eight countries trying to get in the currency bloc are ready to join.

The Chinese government says it will allocate the equivalent of $27 billion to renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in 2012, but the battle against the deterioration of China's environment will be a long and tough one.

With Europe rattling markets and the rush to dollars, traders have dragged down Brent Crude to cap-off what looks to be its worst performance in two years.

The U.S. State Department is under pressure from members of congress and the Justice Department to designate the militant Islamic sect Boko Haram, based in northern Nigeria, a foreign terrorist organization. Nigeria, and American scholars, disagree.

She had spent 15 of the past 24 years under house arrest and refrained from leaving the country out of fear she would never be permitted to return.

Japan?s unemployment rate rose in April compared to previous month increasing concerns of the country?s faltering economic growth momentum.

Global rating agency Moody's on Monday said that the steep depreciation of rupee against a dollar will not affect India's sovereign ratings negatively. However, it added that private sector companies with huge overseas debts will be hurt by the slip in the value of the rupee.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, having so far successfully fought off the idea of euro bonds, is besieged on all sides as leaders line up behind French President Francois Hollande and his appeals for the collective financial instrument.

You can't blame investors for feeling a bit squeamish regarding deploying new money in the U.S. stock market these days, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average?s (DJIA) recent slide from 13,300 to 12,450 unnerving even the most experienced institutional investors. Where?s the market headed in the next six months?

Investing in Brazil's booming economy has turned another page as foreign companies, especially Japanese firms, move from putting money into the nation's financial industry to putting it into the real economy of South America's largest nation.

However, it remains far from certain that the Scottish public even wants independence.

Consumer sentiment rose to its highest level in more than four years in May as Americans stayed optimistic about the job market, while higher income households expected to see bigger wage increases, a survey released on Friday showed.

As soon as the door opened, 15 men -- armed with pistols, machetes and iron rods -- burst into the house and began beating the young Angolan musicians and activists who were known for protesting against government corruption and the use of violent tactics to suppress political dissent.

Do host cities make money?

Greece, a country that accounts for less than 2 percent of the union's GDP, continues to wreak havoc among EU leaders as they plead and threaten the Mediterranean basket case to abide by a harsh medicine of tax rises, welfare cuts and liberalization.

In economic news, the euro data was overwhelmingly negative, which interestingly enough did not propel the euro lower.