Sponsored by International Monetary Fund

China's stock market improvement could be jeopardized by a higher than expected inflation reading for January.

China's annual inflation rate hit 4.5 percent in January, which is the highest level in three months, according to the official data released Thursday.

Japan's Nikkei average eased from a three-month high to trade below 9,000 Thursday amid uncertainty over the outcome of the Greek bailout talks.

Greek political leaders failed early on Thursday to sign off on a tough reform and austerity program, the price of a new international bailout for the nation, but Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said they would try to strike a deal within hours.

Stocks closed flat in another thinly traded session on Wednesday as Greece remained in a standstill over accepting tough reforms in exchange for a bailout critical to avoiding a chaotic default.

Global securities, whether stocks, commodities or currencies, held earlier gains or losses Wednesday as the world awaited the outcome of talks between debt-choked, strife-torn Greece and benefactors demanding more tax hikes and government budget cuts in exchange for bailout money.

Greece will likely fail to achieve sustainable debt levels if it only resorts to a 70 percent reduction in the value of bonds held by private creditors, Standard & Poor's warned on Wednesday, putting pressure on the ECB to also take losses.

Hotel staff in many New York City establishments will get panic buttons within the next year to offer better protections in the wake a hotel maid’s charge that she was sexually assaulted by former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Gold fell on Wednesday as technical resistance prompted investors took profits after the previous session's rally and on moreuncertainty about Europe's economy.

Though the Maldives capital Malé remains in turmoil after the ousting of president Mohamed Nasheed, officials say resorts in the popular tourist destinations remain safe and open for business.

As a part of a new deal between the city's hotels and their unions, personal panic alarms will be distributed to hotel staff members later this year.

Some countries, including the U.S., could be trying to bring their budget deficit down too quickly, posing a risk for the economic recovery, the head of the International Monetary Fund's fiscal affairs department warned Wednesday.

Greek parties will try on Wednesday to agree to a reform deal in return for a new EU/IMF rescue to avoid a chaotic default, after repeated delays which have prompted warnings that the euro can live without Athens.

Inflation in China is expected to trend lower in January, which provides room for Beijing to stimulate the country's economy if the Euro area experiences a sharp recession. However, economists do not expect to see aggressive stimulus packages to be put in place as Beijing is looking to achieve a smooth leadership transition this year.

The ongoing Eurozone debt crisis and the efforts to find a way out and save the single currency could potentially shake up and redefine the global economic equilibrium.

Gold prices hovered in a narrow range Wednesday, with little support from crude oil prices or the euro and uncertainty about whether Greece will accept slightly easier bailout terms from Eurozone leaders, known collectively as the troika.

Leaders of the three parties in Prime Minister Lucas Papademos's coalition postpone crunch meeting.

Greek political parties delayed yet again on Tuesday making the tough choice of accepting painful reforms in return for a new international bailout to avoid a chaotic default, seemingly deaf to EU warnings that the euro zone can live without Athens.

U.S. stocks rose modestly Tuesday as strong earnings from Coca-Cola Co. and Yum! Brands Inc. offset concerns that Greece would default next month on a $19 billion euro bond redemption. European and Asian stocks were mixed, reflecting similar concerns.

Greek political parties delayed yet again on Tuesday making the tough choice of accepting painful reforms in return for a new international bailout to avoid a chaotic default, seemingly deaf to EU warnings that the euro zone can live without Athens.

Greek officials Tuesday missed yet another deadline to agree to conditions for receiving $170 billion in bailout money, a particularly disappointing development as Athens had appeared earlier in the day to be close to a final deal.

The International Monetary Fund and Vice President Joe Biden have both raised doubts about China's economic growth, although for different reasons.

The leaders of the three national parties in Greece's coalition government will meet the Prime Minister, Lucas Papademos to discuss the terms of the proposed bail-out plan.

China's vulnerability to the slump in global demand has been highlighted by the IMF in an economic outlook report on the world's second largest economy.

Asian markets edged up on Tuesday even as Greek resistance to the strict conditions attached to a bailout fund sapped recent momentum and the euro eased on renewed fears of a messy debt default.

The IMF's chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, said on Monday it looks like the 'haircut' on Greek private debt will be "very large" as negotiations between bondholders and the government drag on to cut Greece's debt burden.

The IMF's chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, said on Monday it looks like the 'haircut' on Greek private debt will be very large as negotiations between bondholders and the government drag on to cut Greece's debt burden.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Greece Monday to make up its mind fast on accepting the painful terms for a new EU/IMF bailout, but the country's political leaders responded by delaying their decision for yet another day.

Stocks closed slightly lower on Monday as lingering questions about Europe's debt crisis and corporate earnings overshadowed growing optimism about economic growth after a five-week rally.