BUSINESS

Microsoft released the final version of Windows 8 to MSDN and TechNet subscribers August 15. There is also a 90-day trial version for the general consumers.

U.S. stock index futures point to a slightly lower open Thursday ahead of the Labor Department's weekly jobless claims data and Census Bureau's reports on housing starts and building permits.

European markets were mixed Thursday as investors remained cautious waiting for policymakers to announce monetary easing measures which could stop the weakening of the euro zone economy and revive growth momentum.

The Indian rupee fell to a two-week low of 56.00/02 paise against the dollar in the morning trade Thursday, tracking the strengthening of the dollar in the global market. The dollar gained globally, chasing the upbeat U.S. data of retail sales which eased the concerns about the monetary control.

Expect a popular backlash if the government raises diesel prices to halt the subsidy drain on its finances - not only from the millions of poor who need cheap fuel but from increasing numbers of the well-off and businesses who don't.

Asian markets were mixed Thursday as investors maintained a watchful mode awaiting monetary easing measures from policymakers around the world to tackle the weakening of the global economic growth.

Asian shares steadied Thursday as investors took to the sidelines, waiting for more clues over the timing and extent of any further stimulus to tackle the euro zone's debt crisis and support global growth.

The upcoming “Mass Effect 3” DLC known as “Leviathan” has just been given a release date—August 28. On that day, the single-player expansion will roll out to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC players.

With the national housing market showing signs of a rebound, analysts are saying shadow inventory might not be such a threat after all.

Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) reproted fourth-quarter results that exceeded analyst estimates.

About the only things Americans seem to be eating when they go out are cheeseburgers, nacho platters, chicken sandwiches, curly fries and other fast-food fare.

Did the group American Atheists cross the line when it tried to mock Mormonism at the site of the upcoming Republican National Convention? Some sales executives in Tampa, Fla., think it did, at least according to American Atheists President David Silverman.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM)'s multibillion-dollar "London Whale" trading mess sent some well-known money managers running for the exit, but new regulatory filings show that several big hedge-fund players loaded up on JPMorgan as they saw the stock's 22 percent drop in the second quarter as a buying opportunity.

Any trial in U.S. District Court of the more than 50 shareholder lawsuits alleging fraud by Facebook (Nasdaq: FB), the No. 1 social networking site, and its underwriters could be as much as five months away, lawyers said.

John Wayne Gacy, Jr., who was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering at least 33 young men and teenage boys in the 1970s, had apparently tried to get his case seen by a new lawyer that might help him find justice. On Wednesday, Reddit user "Shipyaad" submitted a photo of an aged, worn-down letter, allegedly written from Gacy to Mr. Luis Kutner, the famous lawyer and activist from Chicago who co-founded Amnesty International.

The urbanization of China has been an extraordinary, perhaps unprecedented, phenomenon.

Periodic weather pattern is expected to end South America's drought conditions, which might boost farm equipment sales in this key emerging-market region -- and bring some rain to Georgia, too.

Opponents of the new law fear it will simply encourage kids to embrace gun violence and the murder of helpless animals.

How “livable” is your city?

Spending on advertising by Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns and Pro-Romney or Pro-Obama Super PACs is expected to reach $2.9 billion, even as national TV ad spending shrinks in the face of the looming "fiscal cliff."

In his masque in honor of chastity and free thinking, John Milton introduces to his audience the virtues of recta ratio, the ability to exercise reason and restraint in the face of temptation and libidinal desire.

Mark Thompson, the new CEO of the New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT), faces numerous challenges at the newspaper -- including skepticism from his new employees.

Liberal groups that have been boycotting radio broadcaster Rush Limbaugh for months have apparently drawn blood: aside from winning withdrawals of more than 100 advertisers, second-quarter revenue from 10 stations owned by Cumulus Media (Nasdaq: CMLS) declined due to the boycott, CEO Jim Dickey said.

Despite recent headline defaults, muni bonds have enjoyed a confidence born from historically low default rates, especially when compared to their riskier private sector cousins, corporate bonds.

SurfTheChannel owner Anton Vickerman has been convicted of conspiracy to defraud for his video streaming website. He has been sentenced to four years in jail after an extensive effort from the MPAA associated FACT to gather incriminating information on him.

Rumors about a release date for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on Samsung’s Galaxy S3 have been circulating since the new Google operating system was announced in June. The most recent speculation suggests that the Android upgrade will roll out to the Galaxy S3 along with the alleged unveil of Samsung’s Galaxy Note on August 29.

Recent massacres where gunmen shot up public gatherings had Americans scrambling to buy more guns, so much so that Wall Street analysts are seeing little positive upside for gun manufacturers.

Nate Summerfield, the boyfriend of murdered Ashland, Ohio, resident Lynn Jackenheimer who is suspected of killing the 33-year-old, has been arrested by U.S. Marshals following a month-long search for the fugitive.

The "announcement" of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's official running mate in the 2012 presidential elections has officially shaken up race leading up to November. Suddenly, the conversation has shifted from tax returns and jobs to healthcare and the future of Medicaid. There is one man that could provide some perspective on Ryan, his proposals, and his history, and that man happens to be Ryan's congressional opponent in Wisconsin, democrat Rob Zerban.