IBT Staff Reporter

The following are highlights from testimony by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on turbulence in the global economy and implications for the United States.

Rich nations could tap strategic oil reserves if needed to ward off the risk that Middle East political unrest triggers an inflationary price spiral, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Thursday.

Wal-Mart Store Inc said it is increasing its annual dividend nearly 21 percent, citing its sales and profit performance and ability to generate cash in the fiscal year just ended.

A Texas man was charged on Thursday with illegally streaming live sporting events and other programs on one of the most popular websites for illegal television content, a federal prosecutor in New York said.

The following is a transcript of a press conference on March 3, 2011 at the Georgia State Capitol with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich where he discusses an initiative to reduce the size of the federal government by creating a 'Tenth Amendment Implementation Act' and his plan to explore a possible presidential run in 2012.

President Obama tells Discovery astronauts talks about the Discovery shuttle and gives ISS commander Scott Kelly an update on his sister-in-law, senator Gabrielle Giffords.

The Federal Reserve Bank should continue to flood the economy with cheap money to fight high unemployment, but policymakers must stay on watch for signs of inflation, two top Fed officials said on Thursday.

The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank should complete its $600 billion bond-buying program, but should only extend it if inflation continues to fall, a top Fed official said on Thursday.

Two Republican lawmakers are probing a decision by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to let the agency's top lawyer handle matters concerning Bernard Madoff, even though his deceased mother had invested with the swindler.

With the software, users would have access to the same information that developers do.

Oxus Gold (OXS.L) laid the ground for a legal battle with the government of Uzbekistan over the future of its ill-fated investment in the central Asian state, wiping out more half of its market value on Thursday.

Gold fell nearly 1.5 percent on Thursday, snapping a four-day winning streak as indications the European Central Bank may raise interest rates to battle inflation dented bullion's investment appeal.

Following Nelly Furtado's initiative, singers Beyoncé and Mariah Carey said they will each return the $1 million they received for performing for Libya dictator Moammar Gaddafi's family.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is testing support for a presidential run.

The European Central Bank will raise interest rates next month, according to a firm majority of economists polled by Reuters after its president said the bank will exercise strong vigilance over inflation.

Johnson Controls Inc., the Wisconsin-based automotive interiors giant, came out on top on the most recent list of the 100 best corporate citizens in America.

Investors betting on a big gain in U.S. payrolls pushed Wall Street to its best one-day rally in three months on Thursday, but weak volume lingers as a concern for those hoping for another leg higher.

A week after blocking Breakup Notifier, Facebook has restored the popular application.

New Bing based website brings deals from Groupon, Living Social and others to one single platform.

Europe's EADS is poised to concede defeat in a decade-long battle with Boeing Co by deciding not to appeal a $30 billion U.S. tanker contract, sources familiar with the matter said.

A judge postponed a hearing on a $1.1 billion bid for bankrupt satellite company DBSD North America as it considers a rival bid.

The Ivory Coast star will be inactive indefinitely

Sheen joined the social networking site Tuesday night and the number of people following him has skyrocketed. As of Thursday afternoon, Sheen has more than 1,275, 000 followers.

President Barack Obama said on Thursday the United States and Mexico had agreed on a way to solve a long-simmering cross-border trucking dispute that has hurt trade between the two neighbors.

Bill Gross, co-chief investment officer of PIMCO, the world's biggest bond fund manager, on Thursday urged lawmakers to cut the massive federal deficit but not so swiftly as to choke off the nascent U.S. economic recovery.

President Barack Obama said on Thursday the United States and Mexico had agreed on a way to solve a long-simmering cross-border trucking dispute that has hurt trade between the two neighbors.

Investors betting on a big gain in U.S. payrolls pushed Wall Street to its best one-day rally in three months on Thursday, but weak volume lingers as a concern for those hoping for another leg higher.

Stocks were up solidly on Thursday as investors were convinced the latest batch of economic data and falling oil prices could be strong catalysts to move the market higher.

SAP AG has been ordered to pay Oracle Corp $1.3 billion for stealing files in Silicon Valley's priciest legal controversy -- and San Francisco's top federal prosecutor may raise the stakes even more.