ECONOMY & MARKETS

China's President Hu and Premier Wen clap during the opening ceremony of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing

China Decreases 2012 Growth Target to 7.5%

China will target for an economic growth of 7.5 percent in 2012 according to state-of-the-nation speech that Premier Wen Jiabao delivered at the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress in Beijing Monday.

Nikkei Likely to Test 9,800

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Japan's Nikkei share average is expected to test 9,800 for a fourth straight session on Monday as yen weakness against the dollar is likely to boost risk appetite, although some market players say technical indicators point to a correction.
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Citigroup Chairman Richard Parsons waits for an address by President Barack Obama about the global financial crisis, at Federal Hall in New York September 14, 2009.

O'Neill to Succeed Parsons as Citigroup Chairman

Citigroup Inc. announced Friday that Richard Parsons would quit as chairman of the firm at its annual meeting in April and Michael O'Neill, the former chief executive of Bank of Hawaii Corp, would succeed him.
Spain's PM Rajoy holds a news conference at the end of a European Union leaders summit in Brussels.

Spain May Miss 2012 Deficit Target

Despite agreeing to the new European Union fiscal stability pact, Spain has autonomously decided to defy the established deficit target. Spain will not reach the previously set deficit target of 4.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and instead opts for more flexibility, setting a new target of 5.8 percent of GDP.
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Doing Business in Russia: Cultural Differences to Watch For

Among cultural differences of doing business in Russia that Westerners should be aware of is that conservative attire is expected. Russian businesspeople also favor written material and may expect slides, brochures and samples. These written materials, as well as one's website and business cards, should present a high-quality image.
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US Futures Tick Lower Friday; Oil Price Eyed

Futures on the S&P 500 edged lower in light volume Friday but were still on track to close their ninth straight week of gains, the longest such run since January 2004. Investors will focus on oil prices as U.S. crude hovers near $107 a barrel a day after hitting a 10-month high above $110 on supply concerns in the Middle East.
Euro firm vs dollar ahead of ECB cash boost; yen choppy

Euro Zone Producer Prices Up 0.7% in January

Producer prices in the euro zone rose by a greater-than-expected 0.7 percent in January, a result that could add to concerns that overall inflation won’t drop rapidly to the European Central Bank's target, giving the ECB less leeway to intervene to boost the region's economy.
BSE Sensex

Choppy BSE Sensex Heading for 2nd Weekly Fall

The BSE Sensex was on track for its second weekly fall in a row as the market seesawed on Friday after a muted response to a government stake sale in Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC.NS) raised concerns about divestment programmes.
Traders await the start of the trading at the New York Stock Exchange

U.S. Stocks Start March Mildly Higher: Daily Market Wrap

U.S. stocks advanced Thursday buoyed by a strong weekly jobless claims numbers and solid monthly sales from retailers. Meanwhile, European markets were lifted by a well-received Spanish auction and news that Greece is one step closer to winning a €130 billion ($173.15 billion) bailout.
Oil

Oil Pushes $110 on Iran Concern, Economic Data

Brent crude rose above $124 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate rose as much as $1.11 to $110.55 per barrel on Thursday as upbeat economic data from China and the United States brightened oil demand prospects.
4. 2012 Chevy Volt.

Chevy Volt Sales up in February

Sales of General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt rallied back in February from early-year lows, as the company sold more than 1,000 units of its hybrid electric plug-in vehicle last month.
Bank of America reported better earnings on lower credit losses and strong trading performance

Bank of America Toys with Idea of Fees, Again

Last year Bank of America wreaked up a ruckus among its customers as it toyed with the idea of instituting a $5 fee for debit-card purchases, a plan that was successfully pushed back-until now.
existing home sales

The Month in Housing: Is February's Recovery Real?

There were signs of improvement in U.S. housing data released in February, but warmer weather could have been as much of a factor as strengthening market fundamentals, according to industry experts.
Ford Motor Company

Ford Could Lose $600M in Europe This Year: Executive

Ford Motor Co. could lose between $500 million and $600 million in Europe this year, another inclination of automakers struggles in a region plighted by an ongoing debt crisis and crawling with competition.
A view shows an Intel plant under construction in Chandler, Arizona January 25, 2012.

U.S. Construction Spending Off 0.1% in Jan.

Construction spending fell 0.1 percent in January compared to the previous month, the first drop since July, as the commercial and government sectors contracted, the U.S. Commerce Department said Thursday.
Police charge protesters during anti-austerity demonstrations in Barcelona

European Unemployment, Inflation Up

Euro zone unemployment rose in January to 10.7 percent, the highest figure since 1999, as the ranks of the jobless continued to swell in Portugal, Italy and Spain, among others, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, said Thursday.
A man pushes his shopping cart down an aisle at a Home Depot store in New York

Payroll Tax Cuts, More Jobs Hike Income, But Local Taxes, Inflation Weigh

Boosted by an increase in the number of breadwinners across the nation, raises to military personnel and the much-ballyhooed extension of the payroll tax cut earlier this year, average U.S. personal income rose in January by 0.3 percent, the Commerce Department said Thursday in a release. But a spike in other taxes and price inflation meant that increase was not enough to make people better off, on average, data from the same release showed.

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