MARKETS / FINANCE

Shares of Chinese search engine Baidu Inc surged more than 7 percent on Thursday after the company topped Wall Street financial targets, shrugging off concerns that a weakening Chinese economy could hamper its growth.

Some customers are moving money away from struggling futures brokerage MF Global Holdings Ltd, according to hedge funds, rivals, and analysts, though the extent of the outflows is unclear.

Electronic Arts Inc's second-quarter results beat Wall Street estimates and the video game maker raised its earnings forecast because of the upcoming holiday title Star Wars: The Old Republic, which it expects to be a hit.

Stocks surged 3 percent on Thursday as an agreement by European leaders to help contain the region's two-year debt crisis lifted a cloud hovering over markets.

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc's third-quarter revenue rose at a slower pace than Wall Street estimates as it shipped fewer smartphones than expected.

The Securities and Exchange Commission scolded the self-policing brokerage industry group FINRA on Thursday for allegedly doctoring internal documents before handing them over to examiners.

Despite all the rumored interest in Yahoo Inc, progress on a deal has hit a brick wall mainly due to the company's lack of strategy and restrictive confidentiality agreement, people familiar with the situation said.

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc reported a higher-than-expected quarterly operating profit but revenue rose at slower pace than Wall Street expected.

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc posted a narrower quarterly loss, but revenue rose at slower pace than Wall Street expected.

A deal struck by euro zone leaders Thursday to contain the region's dangerous debt crisis was greeted skeptically in the two countries most in the firing line, Greece and Italy, with some saying politicians were dreaming.

Google Inc unveiled big changes to its fledgling daily deals business on Thursday, as rival Groupon Inc pitches its IPO to potential investors.

The economy grew at its fastest pace in a year in the third quarter as consumers and businesses stepped up spending, creating momentum that could carry into the final three months of the year.

Electronic Arts Inc's second-quarter results beat Wall Street estimates and the video game maker raised its earnings forecast because of the upcoming holiday title Star Wars: The Old Republic, which it expects to be a hit.

U.S. regulators are formally investigating whether Avon broke bribery laws overseas, and the cosmetics company said it was again reassessing its strategy after quarterly profit fell far short of expectations.

Shares of silver mining companies on Thursday climbed more than the surging price of the white metal.

Rick Perry said he might skip some debates moving forward. Is that a good idea?

Steven A. Cohen, who built one of the world's biggest and most successful hedge funds, is branching out and plans to set up his own reinsurance firm, two people familiar with the matter said.

Stocks surged 3 percent in a broad rally on Thursday as a long-awaited agreement by European leaders to boost the region's bailout fund promised to remove a major headwind for the market.

U.S. stocks surged more than 2 percent on Thursday after European leaders reached a long-awaited agreement to boost the region's bailout fund and struck a deal on Greek bonds, which promised to remove a major headwind for the market.

U.S. stocks surged more than 2 percent on Thursday after European leaders reached a long-awaited agreement to boost the region's bailout fund and struck a deal on Greek bonds, which promised to remove a major headwind for the market.

United Continental Holdings Inc and its rival US Airways Group Inc said on Thursday their quarterly profits were battered by soaring fuel costs, but travel demand appears to be robust despite gathering economic threats.

Russian miner Polymetal will price new London-listed shares at the lower end of their indicated range, raising up to 446.2 million pounds ($710 million), as global market turmoil weakens investor sentiment, two sources close to the deal said.

Africa's biggest gold miner AngloGold Ashanti has started paying 30 percent corporate tax to the Tanzanian government this year for its Geita mine, in line with the east African country's new mining policy.

Deutsche Boerse AG sought to convince EU regulators to judge its bid for NYSE Euronext by assessing over-the-counter derivatives trading and not only its impact on the smaller exchange-listed market, in its bid to win clearance for the deal.

Canada-based Goldcorp Inc. said its third-quarter soared 88 percent over the year-earlier period on sharply higher prices and increased production.

Italy's biggest trade union pledged on Thursday to fight economic reforms that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi presented to euro zone leaders to ease a debt crisis, deepening doubts over whether the ambitious plan can be implemented.

Barrick Gold Corp. said Thursday its third-quarter profit jumped 52 percent as higher prices offset lower production. The world's biggest gold miner also increased its dividend.

Stocks surged 2 percent on Thursday after European leaders reached a long-awaited agreement to boost the region's bailout fund and struck a deal with banks and insurers to accept 50 percent losses on Greek bonds.

Fears of a double-dip recession in the U.S. receded temporarily Thursday after Washington said consumers bought more appliances and businesses spent more on construction this past summer.