UNITED STATES

Increased solar activity could give residents of the continental U.S., southern Europe and Japan the chance to see the northern lights for the first time in several years.

JPMorgan Chase & Co and Barclays Plc dropped their opposition to MBIA Inc's plan to restructure its businesses.

U.S. retailers might have lost $1-billion in post-Christmas sales due to the massive blizzard that struck the Northeast over the weekend, according to a report from ShopperTrak, the retail sales analysis firm.

U.S. Treasuries debt prices should stay firm into year-end, following a strong seven-year note auction on Wednesday, as investors square books ahead of year-end and prepare for Federal Reserve purchases next week.

The news about jobs, deficits, and poverty seem to get worse in the western nations and Japan day by day, while the economic and financial developments in the emerging markets appear to get rosier.

China's new anti-ship aircraft carrier killer missile has achieved initial operational capability, but that won't affect the United States military's operations in the commercially vital South China Sea, a top U.S. military commander said.

U.S. Treasuries extended price gains on Wednesday, with the 30-year bond rising over a point after a $29 billion auction of seven-year notes saw strong demand.

Time Warner Cable customers in several states could lose local stations that carry the big four networks at midnight on Dec. 31 if an agreement isn't reached with Sinclair Broadcasting.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak was forceful, even bellicose, in speaking about North Korea on Monday. But on Wednesday, Lee struck a conciliatory note, expressing a desire for dialogue with his country's difficult neighbor to the north

A blizzard in the U.S. Northeast this weekend postponed about $1 billion in holiday retail sales by keeping shoppers out of stores in the days after Christmas, research firm ShopperTrak said on Wednesday.

The Justice Department wants swaps markets regulators to be a lot tougher in their proposals to limit banks from controlling swaps trading platforms, weighing in on rules that could be finalized as early as next month.

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen added details to the patent infringement lawsuit filed against Google, Apple, eBay, Facebook, Netflix, AOL, Yahoo!, Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples in August.

US stocks advanced in early trade on Wednesday with S&P 500 Index advanced 1.63 points, or 0.13 percent, to trade at 1,260.14 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 24.86 points, or 0.21 percent, to trade at 11,600. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.10 percent.

Rockville-based biopharmaceutical company Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced the start of a early-stage clinical trial for its third generation Anthrax vaccine candidate called NuThrax.

Molycorp (NYSE: MCP) is rising following the decision by China to cut its exports of rare earth materials next year.

Who said investments in research don't pay off? Scientists from around the world are diligently working to make sure that the world's finest chocolate is better and more available.

The Gold Price in Euros broke fresh all-time highs overnight in Asian trade, hitting more than €34,500 per kilo - some 38% higher in 2010.

Snow storms are probably worst nightmares for air travellers, especially during holiday season. Scores of passengers in U.S. continue to curse their luck as the worst December snowstorm hit northeast. Here are some tips for snow-stranded travellers.

Retail sales fell 4.1 percent in the week ending on Christmas Day, according to research firm ShopperTrak, largely because December 26 fell on a Sunday this year and was not included in Christmas week sales.

Bankers specialising in equities and emerging markets will bask in a hiring hot-spot next year, while anaemic business spells job cuts in most other investment banking areas in Europe.

U.S. home foreclosures jumped in the third quarter and banks' efforts to keep borrowers in their homes dropped as the housing market continues to struggle, U.S. bank regulators said on Wednesday.