BUSINESS

United Talent Agency has signed a lease for its new global headquarters, real estate developer Tishman Speyer announced Tuesday.

Stocks fell on Wednesday as warnings about the impact of Europe's debt crisis on the global economy kept investors cautious, but optimism about the U.S. economy limited losses.

The jury has reached a verdict in an antitrust case brought by Rambus against Micron and Hynix, according to a court spokeswoman.

Banks are shedding jobs worldwide as stricter regulations and a tough six months for trading income take their toll on investment banking units.

Citigroup In c may cut slightly more than 3,000 jobs, becoming the latest U.S. bank to eliminate positions, a source familiar with the matter said.

Top executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Wednesday defended their companies' pay practices which have drawn opposition after it was disclosed the government-controlled firms were paying out nearly $13 million in executive bonuses.

Consumer prices fell in October for the first time in four months, taking pressure off strapped households and giving the Federal Reserve more room to ease monetary policy if the economy falters.

Chip technology developer Tessera Technologies Inc said Korean consumer electronics maker Samsung Electronics Co renewed a license agreement for another five years.

Chipmaker InvenSense Inc opened 11 percent above its offering price of $7.50 per unit on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

The trustee overseeing the bankruptcy of MF Global filed on Tuesday for permission to release 60 percent of the near $900 million in client cash that has been frozen at the commodity brokerage for more than two weeks.

U.S. consumer prices fell in October for the first time in four months as Americans paid less for new cars and gasoline, although prices outside of food and energy posted a slight increase, the Labor Department said on Wednesday.

Stocks fell early Wednesday as policymakers warned Europe's debt crisis posed dangers to the global economy and on signs the contagion was starting to spread to larger European nations.

Stocks were set to open lower on Wednesday as policymakers warned Europe's debt crisis posed dangers to the global economy and on growing signs the contagion was starting to spread to larger European nations.

Euro zone inflation held at 3.0 percent for a second month in October, with economists saying it had likely peaked and would soon fall in a struggling economy, giving the European Central Bank room to cut interest rates and focus on growth.

The Swiss cabinet approved on Wednesday an amendment to a tax agreement with the United States to ensure that bank clients are properly informed about requests from U.S. authorities for data on suspected tax dodgers.

U.S. consumer prices fell in October for the first time in four months as Americans paid less for new cars and gasoline, although prices outside of food and energy posted a slight increase, the Labor Department said on Wednesday.

Industrial conglomerate Tyco International Ltd reported higher-than-expected quarterly earnings on Wednesday amid higher sales and margins in its security systems business.

U.S. stock index futures fell on Wednesday as policymakers warned Europe's debt crisis posed dangers to the global economy and on growing signs the contagion was starting to spread to larger European nations.

Britain is on the brink of a contraction as the euro crisis weighs heavy, and inflation w ill fall well below target, Bank of England forecasts showed on Wednesday, leaving the door wide open for more stimulus to boost growth.

President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he was deeply concerned about the continued euro zone crisis, blaming it on a lack of political will, and that market turmoil would continue until Europe has a concrete plan to deal with its debt woes.

U.S. stock index futures fell on Wednesday as policymakers warned that Europe's debt crisis posed dangers to the global economy and Italian bond yields remained at elevated levels in a sign of ongoing risk aversion.

Japan's disgraced Olympus Corp is preparing to take legal action, including possible criminal complaints, against any executives found responsible for the accounting scandal engulfing the firm, according to an internal staff email.

President Barack Obama on Wednesday said he was deeply concerned about the euro zone crisis and market turmoil would continue until Europe has a concrete plan to deal with its sovereign debt woes.

A European Union plan to impose tougher rules on credit rating agencies is dangerous as it is bound to limit the quality and independence of the rating process, the president and chief operating officer of Moody's Investor Services told Le Figaro newspaper.

Foreign direct investment into China climbed nearly 16 percent in the first 10 months of 2011 from a year earlier as foreign investors continued to flock to the world's fastest-growing major economy despite the global economic malaise.

Citigroup In c is planning to cut as many as 900 jobs from its securities and banking division as it grapples with turmoil in equity and debt markets, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Australia's Qantas Airways is hopeful of reaching an agreement with three key unions by a November 21 deadline, its chief executive said on Wednesday, after it grounded its fleet last month in a desperate bid to end industrial disputes.

Samsung Electronics said late on Tuesday that it had purchased U.S. provider cardiac testing solutions provider Nexus, marking its second healthcare acquisition as the technology giant pushes into new growth areas.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , the largest sources of U.S. housing finance, both said on Tuesday they would relieve lenders from certain risks associated with refinanced loans in an effort to help a government program reach more distressed homeowners.