IBT Staff Reporter

Anheuser-Busch InBev , the world's largest brewer, suffered a first drop in beer sales for a year and half as price hikes, rain in Brazil and high U.S. unemployment deterred drinkers.

BNP Paribas , France's biggest listed bank, beat forecasts for first-quarter revenue and earnings, driven by strong retail growth and resilient investment banking that bolstered investor confidence.

Conditions attached to a 78 billion euros bailout of Portugal's debt-ridden economy are likely to propel it into a deep recession for two years, an official source said on Wednesday.

Portugal reached a deal with the European Union and the IMF Tuesday on a 78 billion euro 3-year bailout, the third euro zone member to do so after Greece and Ireland, caretaker Prime Minister Jose Socrates said.

BNP Paribas, France's biggest listed bank, beat forecasts for first-quarter revenue and earnings, driven by strong retail growth and resilient investment banking.

Barcelona progressed to the final of the Champions League after a 1-1 draw (3-1 aggregate win) at the Nou Cam in the second leg of the semifinal against Real Madrid.

Standard Chartered Plc said it had cut 800 jobs this year to restrain rising costs after making record first quarter profits and revenue on the back of strong Asian markets like India and Hong Kong.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tradjenta (linagliptin) tablets, used with diet and exercise, to improve blood glucose control in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Tradjenta is marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, Conn., and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly Co.

World stocks fell further from last week's three-year high on Wednesday as falling commodity prices and concerns about signs of economic slowdown in China prompted investors to scale back their risky positions.

Nissan Motors has bagged the contract to provide the next generation of New York's famous yellow taxis, the car-maker said in a statement.

France's biggest listed bank, BNP Paribas , posted higher-than-forecast first-quarter revenue and earnings on Wednesday, driven by strong retail growth and resilient investment banking.

Standard Chartered said it has had an excellent start to the year as key Asian markets lifted income by over 10 percent, although costs rose at a faster rate after a hiring spree last year.

Pop star Justin Bieber on Tuesday scored his first Webby Award, which celebrates the best of the Internet.

Commodities trading house Glencore has priced its long-awaited public offering at between 480 and 580 pence per share, valuing the company at $60 billion at the mid-point of the price range.

Asian shares fell on Wednesday, led by Chinese markets, with soft commodity prices making investors nervous a broader pullback in risk taking may be unfolding.

Glencore International AG has set the price range for its London and Hong Kong IPO, seeking to raise as much as $12.6 billion, including an overallotment option, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, increased revenue and profit in the first quarter as price hikes more than offset lower volumes caused by U.S. unemployment and flooding in Brazil.

U.S. immigration agents descended on Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants on Tuesday, interviewing employees in about two dozen outlets in Los Angeles, Atlanta and other cities.

U.S. immigration agents descended on Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants on Tuesday, interviewing employees in about two dozen outlets in Los Angeles, Atlanta and other cities.

Glencore International AG has set the price range for its London and Hong Kong IPO slightly lower than previous guidance, enabling it to raise up to $10 billion, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

The biggest U.S. wireless carriers, AT&T Inc, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA, are not setting up a separate network for payments on transactions done by phones, the Wall Street Journal said.

Asian shares fell and the U.S. dollar rose on Wednesday, with falling commodity prices spooking investors and causing a broad pullback in risk taking.

Immigration agents descended on Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants on Tuesday, interviewing employees in about two dozen restaurants in Los Angeles, Atlanta and other cities.

The Miami Heat has beaten the Celtics 102-91 to take their 2-0 lead in the playoff series.

Comcast Corp and CBS Corp showed the TV business is even stronger than billed, reporting earnings that surpassed most forecasts and setting the stage for healthy price increases in the next round of ad sales.

Software maker Novell Inc can proceed with a long-running antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft Corp after an appeals court reversed a lower court's summary judgment in favor of Microsoft.

A unit of bailed-out insurer American International Group must pay $86.7 million to a U.S.-based unit of a Belgian bank over a dispute involving an investor in life insurance policies, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Comcast Corp posted stronger quarterly earnings on Tuesday as its benefited from healthy ad sales at its newly consolidated NBC Universal joint venture and added more Internet and phone subscribers.

Alcoa Inc shares rose 3 percent on Tuesday on market talk that Rio Tinto was lining up a bid to buy the U.S. aluminum company, but sources said two banks rumored to be financing the deal were not involved.