COMPANIES

Here's a billion people. Here's 300 to 500 of those billion-plus people newly added to the middle class. Now, how do you market your product to them? That's a question that even a beverage giant like Coca-Cola has yet to figure out.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Wednesday it will soon give fans a sneak peek at its Black Friday deals and will hold a sale this Saturday, as the world's largest retailer and other U.S. chains make an early effort to win over fickle shoppers this holiday season.

Dippin' Dots files for bankruptcy.

Shares of Groupon rose from their $20 IPO price to close at $26.11, a 30.55 percent jump. However, the closing price was below its opening price of $28.

Videocon Industries is looking to sell a 25 percent stake in its direct-to-home broadcast services business for roughly $75 million to $100 million.

If you’d told me 5 months ago that I would spend a lot of 2011 studying accounting, talking to businesses and saying bad things about a company that everyone once loved, I never would have believed you.

Groupon shares soared in early trading this morning to $28, a 40 percent increase over its $20 price announced last night, as the company made its initial public offering.

Groupon Inc raised $700 million after increasing the size of its initial public offering, becoming the largest IPO by a U.S. Internet company since Google Inc raised $1.7 billion in 2004.

Barry Sternlicht's Starwood Property Trust reported net income in the third quarter of $14.5 million, down from $22.7 million in the same period in 2010.

Brookfield Office Properties, the landlord with holdings in America, Canada and Australia, including the now infamous Zuccotti Park, reported 8.2 million square feet of leasing activity following the third quarter, surpassing its record leasing levels in pre-recession 2007.

The phone hacking scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. threatened to spread to other titles on Friday, as sources said a journalist at the Sun newspaper had been arrested over allegations of police bribery.

The Brazilian oil giant announced this week a new oil discovery in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the starting up of its 104 megawatt wind farm in Brazil.

State governments across the United States are just a few months into their fiscal years and already many fear that tax revenues are running short of forecasts.

California's government could face a budget gap of up to $8 billion in its next fiscal year, substantially more than the $3.1 billion shortfall projected by Governor Jerry Brown's office, The Sacramento Bee said on Thursday, citing a memo from Assembly budget officials.

The California attorney general on Thursday called on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to cut mortgage debt on the loans they own, a suggestion the government entities have long resisted.

Professional networking company LinkedIn posted quarterly results that beat estimates and raised its full-year outlook, but margin expectations and plans for a share offer drew scrutiny from investors.

A manslaughter conviction against Michael Jackson's doctor would boost the late pop star's image and open opportunities for his estate in many markets, including family-oriented products, industry experts said.

Canadian telecom network equipment maker DragonWave Inc (DWI.TO: Quote)(DRWI.O: Quote) will buy microwave technology business of Nokia Siemens Networks NOKI.UL in a deal potentially worth up to 110 million euros.

Canadian housing starts are expected to stabilize into 2012, while sales of existing homes will rise slightly and price rises will moderate, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) said in its quarterly outlook on Friday.

The Supreme Court of Canada blocked on Thursday the extradition to the United States of Abdullah Khadr, a Canadian wanted by Washington on terrorist charges

Jon Corzine has resigned as MF Global Holdings Ltd's chairman and chief executive officer four days after the futures brokerage filed for bankruptcy protection, culminating a rapid downfall for one of Wall Street's best-known executives.

Judge William Adams will not be charged for physically abusing his daughter Hillary Adams, police said on Thursday.

The low-down on the U.S. economy in October? A modest job gain, as 80,000 new jobs were created. However, job gain totals for September and August were revised substantially higher: September to a gain of 158,000 from the initially-estimated 103,000-job gain, and August, up to 104,000 from 57,000.

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Ramalinga Raju, founder and former chairman of outsourcing firm Satyam Computer Services Ltd, in a $1.5 billion financial fraud case.

Canada's largest carrier Air Canada reported a 12 percent drop in third-quarter operating income, hurt by higher fuel prices.

Japan's Olympus Corp said it will not announce its quarterly earnings on Nov. 8 as expected because it needs more time after appointing an external panel to look into past acquisitions, sparking a fresh plunge in the firm's shares.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp is in talks with federal prosecutors to resolve a civil lawsuit accusing the bank of overcharging clients in trading currencies, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

India's top mobile phone carrier Bharti Airtel on Friday reported a bigger-than-expected 38 percent fall in fiscal second-quarter profit, its seventh straight quarterly profit drop, hit by higher interest costs and foreign exchange losses.

Groupon Inc raised $700 million after increasing the size of its initial public offering, becoming the largest IPO by an Internet company since Google Inc raised $1.7 billion in 2004.