MARKETS / FINANCE

Stocks fluctuated around break-even on Wednesday as investors waited for Greece to accept tough reforms in exchange for a new bailout, but underlying confidence kept the Dow near its almost four-year high notched on Tuesday.

Russia's Kaspersky Lab reported that sales growth slowed substantially last year as the world's No. 4 maker of anti-virus software said its business was starting to mature.

Ericsson, the world's largest telecommunications network equipment maker, has been sued for more than $330 million by Airvana Network Solutions Inc, which accused it of stealing trade secrets and trying to drive it out of business.

The U.S. central bank may need to buy more bonds to bolster a housing market whose distress is at the heart of a frustratingly slow economic recovery, a top Federal Reserve official said on Wednesday.

European Central Bank policymakers are still divided on what contribution the ECB could make to a restructuring of Greece's sovereign debt, two euro zone monetary policy sources said on Wednesday.

Taxes go uncollected, deficit targets are routinely missed, job cuts from the state payroll are postponed, privatizations have barely begun and pharmacies still shut in the middle of the day.

As ACTA loses support in Europe, where a number of countries are putting the brakes on plans to ratify the controversial treaty, its opponents are planning new protests around the world.

Burkina Faso plans to create a social development fund from the government's tax and royalty revenue from gold mining, the country's mines minister said on Wednesday.

Veronika Szalai had just graduated from elementary school when Nokia, the Finnish phone maker, opened a factory by the Danube in Komarom. The 27-year-old, who has worked here for years, now faces unemployment as the company implements major layoffs.

The Damascus strongman still has at least two powerful allies apparently on his side – Russia and China

Sprint Nextel posted a wider quarterly loss because of the higher costs of selling Apple Inc's iPhone and the popular device delivered a smaller-than-expected boost to subscriber numbers, sending the company's shares down 2 percent.

British satellite operator Inmarsat has not received any takeover approaches, a source close to the company said on Wednesday, after speculation had driven the shares up as much as 10 percent.

Poland's economy is on a roll, averaging a 4.4 percent economic growth over the last 20 years, and investors are taking note: The nation's bonds have been easily outperforming those of Europe's traditional economic powerhouse, Germany.

Germany's Deutsche Bank will defer any part of an employee's bonus above 200,000 euros ($264,800) this year, a source close to the bank said, making it the latest industry player to limit pay in the face of fierce criticism of the industry.

Stocks edged higher on Wednesday as hopeful investors awaited the latest attempt by Greece to reach a deal on reforms in exchange for a new bailout.

Greek party leaders finally gathered on Wednesday to agree 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.

Lucas van Praag, a Goldman Sachs partner and the global head of corporate communications for the firm will leave at the end of March, according to a memo obtained by Reuters.

When Sam Glassenberg, a former gaming division manager at Microsoft, began to advocate building a games industry in Israel, he found support from Jerusalem Venture Partners , a venture capital firm focused on digital media technologies.

Stocks were set for a slightly higher open on Wednesday on optimism that the latest attempt by Greece to reach a deal on reforms in exchange for a new bailout would be successful.

TomTom satnavs will in future help insurers tell the difference between a good driver and a bad one under a scheme designed to revive the Dutch navigation device maker's flagging fortunes.

Yahoo Inc Chairman Roy Bostock and three other directors will step down as the struggling company ploughs ahead with an internal overhaul, including discussions on dealing with its stakes in China's Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan.

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.

Canadian securities regulators on Tuesday implicated mining executive Ian Telfer in an alleged insider trading scheme, saying he helped the main defendant in the case disguise her illegal trading activities.

Stock index futures edged higher on Wednesday as leaders in Greece again attempted to reach a deal on reforms in exchange for a new bailout.

Ivanplats, controlled by Ivanhoe Mines founder Robert Friedland, expects to produce platinum at negative cost at its giant Platreef complex in South Africa, potentially shaking up an industry squeezed by stoppages, rising wages and power charges.

Stock index futures edged higher on Wednesday as leaders in Greece again attempted to reach a deal on reforms in exchange for a new bailout.

Greek parties will try again on Wednesday to agree a reform deal in return for a new international rescue to avoid a chaotic default, after delays prompted some EU leaders to warn that the euro zone can live without Athens.

German exports fell at their fastest rate in nearly three years in December and imports unexpectedly dropped, adding to signs that the euro zone sovereign debt crisis hit the region's top economy hard in the fourth quarter.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti is confident reforms undertaken by his country over the last few months will help soften any blow from an unruly default by euro zone partner Greece.