BUSINESS

Royal Bank of Scotland is closing its equity capital market and corporate finance units in South Korea and cash equities businesses in Indonesia, Singapore and Korea, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The owners of the New York Mets agreed to pay $162 million to settle a lawsuit by the trustee seeking money for the victims of Bernard Madoff's fraud, a deal that eases pressure on the owners of the cash-strapped baseball team.

Berkshire Hathaway won dismissal on Monday of a shareholder lawsuit that stemmed from allegations former executive David Sokol profited by violating the company's insider trading policy.

Victims of Allen Stanford's estimated $7 billion Ponzi scheme won a victory when a federal appeals court said they may pursue class-action litigation against third parties they believe aided in the now-convicted swindler's fraud.

Hamburger chain Wendy's Co knocked Burger King Corp from its spot as the second-largest U.S. hamburger chain in 2011, but sales of both companies continued to lag McDonald's Corp , the country's No. 1 restaurant chain.

The Treasury Department said on Monday it made a $25 billion profit on sales of mortgage-backed securities acquired during the financial crisis, part of its ongoing efforts to wind down taxpayer-financed bailout programs.

Investors showed scant faith in Greece's ability to cut its colossal debt after an auction on Monday which handed insured holders of defaulted bonds a large payout.

The S&P 500 extended its rally on Monday to climb within 10 percent of its historic closing high, after Apple said it would pay a $10 billion annual dividend and buy back stock.

A federal appeals court will wait until late September to review U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff's rejection of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fraud settlement with Citigroup Inc over mortgage investments.

The Federal Reserve has not yet decided whether to embark on a third round of quantitative easing, or QE3, though it remains an option, an influential Fed official said on Monday.

The U.S. Federal Reserve has not yet decided whether to embark on a third round of quantitative easing, or QE3, though it remains an option, an influential Fed official said on Monday.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday with the S&P 500 now less than 10 percent away from its historic closing high of October 2007, buoyed by Apple after the company said it will pay a dividend and buy back stock.

Viterra said on Monday it was in exclusive talks with one prospective buyer, pushing its shares lower as the prospect of a bidding war for Canada's biggest grain handler diminished.

The S&P 500 rose on Monday to trade less than 10 percent below its historic closing high set in October 2007, as news that Apple will start paying a dividend again added to optimism spurred by weeks of strong economic data in the United States to continue to lure investors into U.S. stocks.

Stocks were little changed on Monday, hovering near 4-year highs, while shares of Apple rose after it said it will begin paying a dividend and buy back stock.

Apple Inc will start paying a regular quarterly dividend of $2.65 a share in July and buy back up to $10 billion of its stock beginning in the next fiscal year, the world's most valuable company said on Monday.

Owners of the New York Mets baseball team have agreed to pay $162 million to settle a lawsuit by the trustee seeking money for victims of Bernard Madoff's fraud, just before a trial was scheduled to begin.

Stocks were little changed on Monday, as equities stayed within reach of nearly 4-year highs and after cash-rich Apple said it will begin paying a dividend and buying back stock.

Apple Inc said it plans to pay a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share and authorized a $10 billion stock buyback program to be carried out over three years.

U.S. stocks were poised for a lower open on Monday, indicating equities may pull back from nearly 4-year highs after cash-rich Apple said it will begin paying a dividend and buying back stock.

United Parcel Service will pay 5.2 billion euros ($6.85 billion) for Dutch peer TNT Express in a deal that will make the world's largest package delivery company the market leader in Europe.

U.S. stock index futures slipped on Monday, indicating equities may pull back from nearly 4-year highs as investors waited to hear what Apple will do with its massive $98 billion cash stockpile.

RUSAL , the world's top aluminum maker, took a $1.4 billion hit in its 2011 financials on Monday on the value of its stake in Norilsk Nickel , whose fate is at the centre of a row between two Russian billionaire shareholders.

World share markets edged back from near eight-month highs on Monday with European banking stocks under pressure ahead of an auction to determine the payout on Greek credit default swaps, while a broadly firm dollar kept riskier currencies in check.

U.S. stock index futures slipped on Monday, indicating equities may pull back from nearly 4-year highs as investors waited to hear what Apple will do with its massive $98 billion cash stockpile.

Some big investors have shown interest in buying foreclosed properties being sold in bulk by Fannie Mae , the largest U.S. home funding source, the Wall Street Journal said citing people familiar with the process.

Global economic growth will slow this year, with the United States looking much improved but risks still to the downside as Europe's financial markets remain fragile, the deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund said on Monday.

Call it spring fever. For the third year in a row, optimism is spreading that growth in the United States could be poised to accelerate and drive the economy into sunnier pastures.

Call it spring fever. For the third year in a row, optimism is spreading that growth in the United States could be poised to accelerate and drive the economy into sunnier pastures.