IBT Staff Reporter

Amid profit decline Nintendo reports drops in sales of both its handheld and home consoles

High School teachers who are unable or unwilling to teach the theory of evolution in biology might be one reason U.S. students are falling behind in science, according to new research.

Moody's Investors Service warned on Thursday of the growing likelihood that it could revise the outlook on the AAA credit rating of the United States to negative in the next two years.

SanDisk Corp reported a higher-than-expected profit on strong demand for mobile devices, but shares of the flash memory supplier fell 3 percent as margins disappointed investors.

Gold fell more than 2 percent on Thursday, after a raft of positive economic data from the United States and more hawkish signals from some other central bank officials have sparked speculation that certain major economies would move to raise interest rates sooner than previously thought.

Strong corporate earnings led Wall Street to a 29-month closing high for a second day on Thursday, but another run of big gains may be harder to achieve.

The Obama administration believes that one policy area ripe for bipartisan cooperation and accomplishment is the reauthorization, and improvement, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind.

Shares of Amazon.com rose on Thursday, hours before the Web retailer is expected to report impressive quarterly revenue gains from the holiday season, though 2011 profit margins may temper investor enthusiasm.

U.S. housing and factory data on Thursday showed the economy still gaining strength in December but at a pace unlikely to cause the Federal Reserve to rethink its stimulus program.

Netflix Inc shares soared 15 percent on Thursday as another round of strong quarterly results shelved any short-term worries about an overheated stock price or competition from powerhouses such as Amazon.com Inc.

U.S. stocks rose modestly on Thursday on earnings, holding near 29-month highs, but technical gauges suggested near-term resistance to strong gains.

Contracts for pending sales of previously owned homes rose faster than expected in December after the prior month's sales were revised lower, data from a real estate trade group said on Thursday.

In its fourth quarter earnings call, AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson expressed doubt about the days ahead without the iPhone exclusivity that boosted subscriber growth.

Lockheed Martin , L-3 Communications and Raytheon Co beat Wall Street earnings expectations, aided by cost-cutting and higher sales, boosting shares of U.S. defense contractors.

A computer worm that first appeared more than two years ago is still a threat, even though security experts were successful in mitigating possible damage.

Electrical and electronics products makers reported strong fourth-quarter results and forecast revenue growth for 2011 as their key markets, including the North American industrial sector, rebound from the lows of the economic slowdown.

Contracts for pending sales of previously owned homes rose faster than expected in December after the prior month's sales were revised lower, data from a real estate trade group said on Thursday.

A thick blanket of snow covered Northeast on Thursday, as the fifth major storm of the winter set snowfall records, delayed the opening of financial markets and clogged Washington highways with abandoned cars.

Procter & Gamble Co and smaller rival Colgate-Palmolive Co posted lower quarterly net income, hurt by sluggish sales in developed markets like the United States and Western Europe.

Caterpillar Inc reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its sales forecast, sending its shares to an all-time high, as rising commodity prices increased mining industry demand for its earth-moving equipment.

With only days remaining until it loses its grip over U.S. iPhone sales, AT&T Inc warned of a rocky start to 2011.

Facebook once again denies the existence of a branded phone, this time with HTC.

For a virtually unknown 16-year-old British ukulele player and singer, Misty Miller already boasts an impressive international following.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as harsh weather conditions in some parts of the country kept workers at home and caused a backlog in the processing of claims, a government report showed on Thursday.

Defence lawyers for former Liberian President Charles Taylor, on trial for war crimes, won the right to use leaked U.S. cables as evidence to challenge the Sierra Leone war crimes court's independence and impartiality.

Drugmakers AstraZeneca , Novartis , Eli Lilly and Bristol-Myers Squibb issued cautious 2011 forecasts, bracing the sector for challenging patent expiries and price pressures from U.S. health reforms.

Nokia, the world's top cellphone maker by volume, warned of a weak start to 2011 after its market share shrank again in the fourth quarter, sending its shares sharply lower.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as harsh weather conditions in some parts of the country kept workers at home and caused a backlog in the processing of claims, a government report showed on Thursday.

Amazon.com should report impressive fourth-quarter sales on Thursday, fueled by the holiday season, while Wall Street will watch for clues about the retailer's profit margins in 2011.