UNITED STATES

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.45 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.44 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.16 percent at 0850 GMT (3:50 a.m. ET).

Spot gold regained lost ground on Monday, as bargain hunting trickled in after prices dropped about one percent in early trade in response to China's interest rate increase on Saturday.

Call it the year of feast and famine.Many of the world's big advanced economies have pledged frugality for 2011 while fast-growing emerging markets run the risk of overheating. The global economy must withstand both forces in order to live up to growth expectations.

Even as world leaders are still trying to cope with the recent flood of global political secrets leaked by the whistle-blower site Wikileaks, its founder Julian Assange is all set to write his autobiography promising more in the offing. Speaking to the Sunday Times, the 39-year-old Australian announced that he had signed deals worth $1.5 million for publishing his memoirs.

Baldwin sues Costner for misleading in a business deal based on oil-spill cleaning technology

The surprise timing of the People's Bank of China increase in benchmark lending and deposit interest rates is likely to weigh on commodity markets when trading starts on Monday.

Toyota Motors will be paying $10 million to settle a lawsuit filed by relatives of four people who were killed in an August 2009 Lexus ES 350 crash in California.

China's central bank raised interest rates on Saturday for the second time in just over two months as it stepped up its battle to rein in stubbornly high inflation.

German automaker, Audi, has announced that the company has broken its record for annual vehicle sales in the U.S. recording its 93,507th transaction on December 13, 2010.

NORAD Tracks Santa, the annual Christmas tradition, is gaining popularity like never before. But did you know that the U.S. military department NORAD has been keeping a close eye on Santa's flight since 1955 and the idea was born in 1897?

China's central bank raised interest rates on Saturday, the second rise in just over two months, stepping up its battle to rein in stubbornly high inflation.

World stocks held near the previous day's two-year high on Friday while oil hit fresh two-year peaks after strong U.S. data this week encouraged investors to maintain their risk positions into 2011.

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into small Swiss regional banks which may have helped Americans evade taxes, the New York Times reported, citing two people briefed on the matter.

As the first two years of President Barack Obama's tenure wind down, the President has made a big push to accomplish some of his goals. While he has kept many of his promises, he has not kept others. Some of those are stalled, others in the works.

In the midst of snow-related flight cancellations in Europe, private jets are now surging their bookings with quick alternative plans providing succour to stranded but wealthy passengers. Since the week leading up to Christmas is crucial for many stranded company executives in Europe who wish to return home

Snow creates havoc in air travel again this year in Europe, as many flights were halted or canceled due to heavy snowfall in the U.K. and several other parts of Europe.

Now that the US market is coming out of the effects of global downturn, an Irish tourism agency targets the US travelers to market the island of Ireland overseas as a holiday destination.

Dutch navigation device maker TomTom expects more deals with car producers and will increase its workforce by about 14 percent next year as it seeks market share in Asia, its chief executive told a Dutch paper.

Core OPEC ministers said on Friday they saw no need to supply the world with more crude as oil prices traded near a two-year high and some consumers said they fear a rally above $100 per barrel would spur inflation.

Even as people decide to hit the road during the holiday, oil prices have touched a high not seen since October 2008, according to AAA.

Online travel agency Expedia Inc is making users take extra steps to get American Airlines listings after the U.S. airline stopped selling tickets through rival Orbitz Worldwide Inc earlier this week.