BUSINESS

Telemarketers will have to get written consent before placing automated calls to consumers under new rules U.S. communications regulators voted to adopt on Wednesday.

The most expensive cities in the world according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Worldwide Cost of Living Survey are...

U.S. stocks gave up gains on Wednesday as the S&P 500 hit a technical barrier near a nine-month high and Apple shares erased a 3 percent advance.

Citigroup Inc has agreed to pay $158.3 million to settle U.S. civil claims that it defrauded the government over some home loans from its CitiMortgage unit.

Kellogg Co agreed to swallow Pringles potato chips for $2.7 billion in a cash deal that makes the cereal company second only to PepsiCo Inc in the global snack food market.

Morgan Stanley was left holding a 7 percent stake in Denmark's TDC , or nearly half the total amount that it had tried to sell to institutions earlier this week in a deal which raised $1 billion for the telecom operator's main shareholders.

Tokyo Electric Power Co and a government-run nuclear compensation fund have requested the utility's lenders to provide 500 billion yen ($6.38 billion) in new financing in two stages as part of a loan package worth 1.07 trillion yen.

Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Richard Fisher had a message for Wall Street on Wednesday: don't expect more from the U.S. central bank.

Greece is currently straddling the knife's edge of crisis, as a deeply unpopular decision by the country's political leadership to impose painful economic austerity measures on the populace to receive a bailout from foreign creditors has not achieved its desired results. Pictures of life in the nervous country.

Angela Merkel has come under fire in Europe for failing to provide leadership in the euro zone crisis, but at home she is now riding a tidal wave of popularity that would make her fellow leaders envious.

Facebook's popularity in Brazil has exploded over the past year, and the company may have its biggest competitor to thank for it.

The S&P 500 index hit a fresh 7-month high before giving up some gains on Wednesday after mixed data on the U.S. economy and news of a possible delay in Greece's bailout.

Wall Street stocks were set for a higher open on Wednesday after better-than-expected N.Y. manufacturing data and remarks reiterated China's commitment to investing in euro zone debt.

The euro zone economy's shrunk at the end of 2011 and will flirt with a mild recession under the weight of the sovereign debt crisis, but strength in France and resilience in Germany may keep it above water.

Stock index futures rose on Wednesday, buoyed by comments from China's central bank chief that the country would keep investing in euro zone debt and better-than-expected data from Germany and France.

Have a look at China's then and now here in pictures.

Alibaba Group, which is 40 percent owned by Yahoo Inc has petitioned the United States Trade Representative office over the inclusion of Taobao, its consumer e-commerce platform, on USTR's notorious markets for piracy list, an Alibaba Group spokesman said on Wednesday.

Rising costs, an uncertain regulatory environment and intellectual property rights violations are among the top challenges for U.S. companies in China, a survey showed.

Talks between Yahoo Inc and China's Alibaba Group over the U.S. Internet giant's Asian assets have hit an impasse, throwing their plans for a $17 billion tax-free asset swap into question, according to sources briefed on the situation.

Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras will send a letter of commitment to the terms of an EU/IMF bailout deal within the day, a party source said on Wednesday, with the country's bankruptcy rescue hanging in the balance.

The euro started firmer and stocks gained as investors focused on the growing flood of money from major central banks seen as supporting global economic growth and on hopes Greece will ultimately take the steps needed to secure its second bailout.

A Goldman Sachs technology analyst is under investigation by federal authorities for leaking inside information to hedge funds, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people close to the situation.

Markets rose on Wednesday as investors hoped Greece would deliver on a commitment to enact harsh reforms, while comments from China's central bank governor saying Beijing would continue to invest in euro zone government debt aided sentiment.

Euro zone finance ministers have dropped plans for a face-to-face meeting on Wednesday on Greece's new international bailout, saying party leaders in Athens failed to provide the required commitment to reform.

Famed hedge fund manager John Paulson on Tuesday demanded that insurer The Hartford Financial Services Group break itself into two companies, escalating a confrontation with management that began with screams on a conference call last week.

Hedge fund managers bought shares of several of last year's hot IPOs in the fourth quarter, including upscale retailer Michael Kors and online networking site LinkedIn .

Berkshire Hathaway increased its exposure to media companies significantly in the fourth quarter, adding a new position in Liberty Media and substantially raising its stake in DirecTV, according to a regulatory filing on Tuesday.

Talks between Yahoo Inc and China's Alibaba over the U.S. Internet giant's Asian assets have hit an impasse, throwing their plans for a $17 billion tax-free asset swap into question, according to sources briefed on the situation.

Caesars Entertainment Corp stands to benefit from the rise of social media gaming, Chief Executive Gary Loveman said in a speech on Tuesday.