IBT Staff Reporter

South Africa's rand nudged higher against the dollar in late Johannesburg trade on Thursday as risk appetite received a boost from favourable U.S. data but further weakness still lurks while euro zone debt worries remain, traders said.

Standard Bank Group is now financing small and medium-sized (SME) enterprises, tapping into a lucrative segment that was previously ignored by mainstream lenders but is increasingly on the agenda for most African governments.

Ghana's cocoa regulator Cocobod said port carriers had called off a week-long strike over pay and conditions and that exports from the world's second biggest grower could resume shortly.

Nigeria said on Thursday it was fining airlines British Airways and Virgin Atlantic a total of $235 million, as an ongoing row between Britain and Africa's most populous nation over landing slots and ticket prices escalates.

This year may be the biggest Black Friday yet for online shopping, says inMobi. With retailers eager to get a jump on the busiest shopping day of the year, it's hard to know where to concentrate your efforts.

Stocks fell sharply in early afternoon on Thursday as nervous investors bailed out of the market, after the S&P 500 broke a key technical level.

U.S. auto sales may have their strongest month of 2011 in November, spurred by consumers' growing need to replace aging cars and trucks and a wider selection on dealer lots, according to a study released on Thursday.

After a decade of waiting “Marvel vs. Capcom 3” was finally released. But after only a year of waiting, we get “Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.” UMvC3 adds 12 new characters, a new mode and a bunch of little interface tweaks and character balances.

Bradley Cooper, star of The Hangover, The Hangover 2 and Limitless, has been named the Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine. The 36-year-old Georgetown alum beat out other Hollywood noteworthies, including Ryan Gosling and Idris Elba.

Google Inc has turned on the music at its new online store, aiming to wrest the lead from Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc in audio entertainment distribution despite the absence of a major record label.

Canada is worried by reports that delivery of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jets could be delayed and is talking to the manufacturer, Defense Minister Peter MacKay said on Wednesday.

GameStop Corp said holiday sales were off to a strong start, easing concerns that recent data showing a slowdown in the industry would hurt the video game retailer.

The Chicago Blackhawks pounded Vancouver 5-1 on Wednesday to earn their fourth consecutive win and mete out some revenge for a lopsided defeat to the Canucks earlier this month.

Toss out the turkey and send Santa back up the chimney. The holiday movie season is upon Hollywood, ushered in by the vampires and werewolves of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1.

Peyton Manning has been a member of the Indianapolis Colts for his entire career. Prior to this season, he had started every game since he was a rookie. However, with the team winless and heading for the top draft pick and prized quarterback prospect Andrew Luck, rumors are swirling that the Colts may be willing to auction off Manning to the highest bidder.

Toronto's main stock index was lower on Thursday morning, but well off its 1 percent fall shortly after the open, as gold-mining shares fell along with bullion prices after weak European bond sales sparked fears of a worsening euro-zone debt crisis.

On Tuesday's 'The View' show, 34-year-old Elisabeth Hasselbeck and 55-year-old Bill Maher were sitting on the same sofa right next to each other. However, things Immediately got really uncomfortable and a weird and funny battle started.

Stocks dropped sharply in early afternoon trading on Thursday, with the Nasdaq down about 2 percent, as investors pulled out of risky assets.

Occupy protesters in Toronto have at least until Saturday to determine their next move after a Toronto court ruled the city cannot evict them from their downtown park encampment until a hearing is held.

Canada will probe allegations of widespread sexual harassment at the storied Royal Canadian Mounted Police, looking into the latest in a string of problems that have tarnished the reputation of the national force.

New U.S. claims for jobless benefits hit a seven-month low last week and permits for future home construction rebounded strongly in October, the latest data to suggest the economy was gaining traction.

The suspect, who has been arrested for last Friday night's White House shooting,is suspected to be linked to Occupy Rally.

A third of older Canadians will be paying off their homes until their 70s or even later, well past the age they hope to retire, according to a poll by Royal Bank of Canada released on Thursday.

Mariah Yeater on Wednesday quietly dropped her lawsuit that claimed that the teen sensation had fathered her child even as the date of DNA test approached near, according to TMZ.

Delphi Automotive Plc's shares fell on debut, a day after the former General Motors auto parts unit priced its initial public offering at the low end of its estimated price range.

Citigroup analysts believe that Amazon will launch its own smartphone in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Stocks edged lower on Thursday as rising yields on euro zone debt overshadowed optimism from data showing improvement by the U.S. economy.

Warner Bros. signed a major film distribution agreement with LOVEFiLM, a major competitor to Netflix, who signed an agreement with Lionsgate earlier this week.

Apparel maker Perry Ellis International Inc posted lower third-quarter earnings, lagging market estimates for the first time in at least two years, and said it expects increased promotions to hurt the current quarter as well.