BUSINESS

China’s Lenovo Group (Pink: LNVGY), the No. 2 PC maker, introduced its lightest laptop, the 3-pound ThinkPad X1, its latest entrant in the ultralight market. The 14-inch laptop with battery life up to eight hours will be shipped later in August.

It already has "world famous" French fries coveted by many around the globe in its locations worldwide, but now McDonald's has a new addition in potato cuisine: curly fries. But where on Earth can one get these corkscrew concoctions known as "Twister Fries?"

Tokyo Stock Exchange became the third major stock exchange to have a trade-halting technology failure in less than a week, with some interruption during premarket action due to what the exchange operator called a "systems problem."

Google’s newly announced Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system may be making its way to two of the most popular Samsung devices this fall, lining up with Apple’s iOS 6 release date.

Facebook (Nasdaq: FB), the No. 1 social networking site, said it has started to offer UK users over 18 the chance to play online bingo and slots for cash. For now, the Menlo Park, Calif., company is barred from offering gambling in the U.S.

The New York State Dept. of Financial Services has ordered Standard Chartered to explain its alleged illegal money laundering and called the UK-based a "rogue institution".

Europe's strongest economies are being dragged down by the recessions in other European countries, some of which are expected to join beleaguered Greece in seeking a bailout.

India's new finance minister P Chidambaram has said that his topmost priority is to regain the investors' confidence.

Cognizant Technologies Solutions Monday raced ahead of India's IT bellwether Infosys as the second largest IT company. New Jersey-based Cognizant beat Infosys in terms of the quarterly revenues in the first quarter of the financial year 2012-13.

According to a latest report by Gartner, worldwide spending for IT outsourcing (ITO) services is on pace to reach $251.7 billion in 2012, a 2.1 percent increase from 2011 spending of $246.6 billion.

InterContinental Hotels Group, Banco Santander, ASML Holding, Pluristem Therapeutics, Elan Corp, ICICI Bank, Health Care REIT, Pfizer Inc and Hewlett-Packard Co. are among the companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trading Tuesday.

The effects of the drought that has pummeled the U.S. corn belt will be felt for a while, but the grain most affected by it isn't one the world's hungriest depend on to survive.

A spate of data releases over the coming days is expected to show signs of China's economy stabilizing in July after a slowdown that reduced its growth to its slowest rate in more than three years during the second quarter.

Asian stock markets advanced Tuesday on renewed hopes that the European Central Bank (ECB) will shortly take policy action to lower the peripheral bond yields of struggling nations such as Italy and Spain.

U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Tuesday as investors continue to expect the European Central Bank to implement new policy measures to rejuvenate the euro zone economy.

European markets were mixed Tuesday as investors remained cautious with anticipation that the euro zone policymakers would soon come up with some measures to rejuvenate the faltering economy.

Laura Lynn, the mother of former soldier Wade Michael Page, who shot dead six people and injured three at a Sikh Temple on Sunday, expressed her anguish over how her "precious little boy" had turned into a killer and apologized to the victims of the Wisconsin temple shooting.

The top after-market NYSE gainers Monday were China New Borun, Harte-Hanks, Oasis Petroleum, Giant Interactive Group and Pilgrim's Pride Corp. The top after-market NYSE losers were Elan Corp, Heckmann Corp, Duff & Phelps, Eagle Materials and STERIS Corp.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram sought on Monday to allay investor worries about an economy growing at its weakest pace in almost a decade by pledging to address their concerns over taxes, public finances and interest rates.

Most of the Asian markets rose Tuesday as investor sentiment turned positive amid hopes that Germany will step up measures to alleviate the debt burden lingering over the euro zone.

Alex Morgan's header in the final moments of overtime led the U.S. past Canada in the semifinal in Old Trafford.

General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) talked some smack at Dutch carmaker Spyker N.V. following its Monday announcement that it would sue GM for $3 billion over the bankruptcy of Saab Automobile AB.

Alex Morgan scored the game-winning shot in the dying moments of overtime.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (Nasdaq: NWSA), the world's third-largest media company by market capitalization, is expected to have lower fiscal fourth quarter earnings as its cable television and film revenue declines.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said Monday afternoon that it lowered its corporate credit rating and other ratings on Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) from "BBB-" to "BB+," or junk status.

Though Apple hasn't specified the exact release date of iOS 6 - the site currently says it's "coming this fall" - but many believe Apple will release the platform alongside a new iPhone and possibly a new "mini iPad," which are both expected to be unveiled and released in mid-September. iOS 6 looks to be right on track for a September release date, as Apple released the fourth beta build of iOS 6 to developers, also known as Build 10A5376e, on Monday morning.

The New York Stock Exchange said on Monday it is in talks with U.S. securities regulators to settle allegations that the exchange violated rules intended to promote fair competition.

More details emerged Monday about the man said to be responsible for the Sikh temple shooting that left six other people dead and four wounded on Sunday in Wisconsin.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has been winnowing his picks for Vice President in private, with most handicappers suggesting nominees who’ve held public office. How about Margaret (Meg) Whitman, CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), one of his fondest supporters?