IBT Staff Reporter

Samsung Electronics plans to launch the first smartphone based on its own operating system in the next few weeks, as it seeks to catch up with bigger rivals in the booming high-end market.

May 19, 2010

Twitter, the rapidly expanding microblogging service, plans to have hundreds of advertisers using its new ad system in the fourth quarter as the company ramps up plans to become a self-sustaining, profitable business.

May 19, 2010

Stock index futures fell sharply on Wednesday, with markets rattled by Germany's decision to ban naked short selling of certain financial instruments and comments from its chancellor that the euro was in danger.

May 19, 2010

The market remains under pressure as Germany's ban on short-selling activities triggered a new round of panic selling in risky assets. WTI crude oil price extends the 7th-day decline to as low as 67.9, the lowest level since September 30, 2009. The contract has plummeted more than -20% so far in May. Despite a plunge below the OPEC's preferred range of 70-80, Saudi Arabia's financial minister stress that he's not worried about the decline and the country will commit to the planned projects.

May 19, 2010

With the rapid onset of the worldwide recession in late 2008, marked by sharp drops in commodity prices that continued till 2009 marked notable implications on base metals, where the global mergers and acquisitions activities came almost to a halt.

May 19, 2010

United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation said global wheat crop is to fall by more than 7 million tonnes this year as poor prices turn farmers off the grain. The global wheat harvest will come in at 675m tonnes this year, below last year's level and the record 683.8m tonnes set in 2008, FAO said in a report.

May 19, 2010

Samsung Electronics plans to launch the first smartphone based on its own operating system in coming weeks, as it seeks to catch up with bigger rivals in the booming high-end market, an executive said on Wednesday.

May 19, 2010

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc posted a higher quarterly profit, helped by a jump in sales at stores open at least a year.

May 19, 2010

A Pakistani court ordered the government on Wednesday to block Facebook after press reports of a competition being held to draw the Prophet Mohammad, a lawyer said.

May 19, 2010

Stocks were set to open lower on Wednesday, adding to the previous sessions losses and mirroring weakness in Europe as worries over tighter financial regulation put pressure on equities.

May 19, 2010

According to the latest study by Australian scientists, imagining your favourite foods can increase cravings and make it difficult to work on other tasks.

May 19, 2010

Gold prices eased in Asian trade Wednesday even after reports of a tumbling euro. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $ 1213.75 an ounce at 11.00 a.m Singapore time while U.S. gold futures for June delivery was at 1213.31 an ounce e at the same time.

May 19, 2010

Carmaker General Motors Co told the United Auto Workers it will no longer pay union employees to leave the company, the Wall Street Journal said.

May 19, 2010

The euro hit another four-year low on Wednesday and stocks slumped after Germany's move to ban some naked shorting and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the euro was in danger.

May 19, 2010

A recent report reveals about 90 per cent of Australians with hepatitis C have not undergone treatment, although treatments for the condition are available.

May 19, 2010

SAANEN, Switzerland (Reuters Life!) - In a secret bunker deep in the Swiss Alps, European researchers have deposited a digital genome that will provide the blueprint for future generations to read data stored using defunct technology.

May 19, 2010

The euro fell to a fresh four-year low on Wednesday after a German move to sharpen financial regulation raised doubts about the prospect for global recovery, pulling down Asian stocks, metals and crude oil.

May 19, 2010

According to doctors, nearly half of all Australians from the ages 55 and over have elevated risk of developing a stroke or experiencing a heart attack in the next five years.

May 19, 2010

According to the Binge Listening study, about 13 per cent young Australians exposed to leisure-associated noise that goes beyond the accepted limit allowed at worksites every year

May 19, 2010

American International Group has named Henri Courpron as chief executive officer of its aircraft leasing unit, International Lease Finance Corp , the Wall Street Journal said.

May 19, 2010

Germany banned risky bets on bonds, stocks and credit protection, stunning investors and setting euro zone markets up for a rough ride on Wednesday amid fears Berlin's attack on speculation will backfire.

May 19, 2010

The euro fell to a fresh four-year low on Wednesday after a German move to sharpen financial regulation raised doubts about the prospect for global recovery, pulling down Asian stocks, metals and crude oil.

May 19, 2010

The euro fell to a fresh four-year low on Wednesday after Germany moved to sharpen financial regulation, taking down commodities and Asian stock markets in its wake as investors stampeded out of riskier assets.

May 19, 2010

Hewlett-Packard Co's quarterly results beat expectations and it raised its full-year earnings outlook on demand for personal computers and servers as well as a resurgence in its printing business.

May 18, 2010

Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Tuesday his company is prepared to fight the U.S. government very hard if regulators block the search leader's acquisition of mobile advertising firm AdMob.

May 18, 2010

Yahoo said on Tuesday it has agreed to acquire the user-generated publishing company Associated Content to add more pages to attract advertisers.

May 18, 2010

Bank of America Corp agreed to sell preferred and common shares of Brazil's Itau Unibanco in a deal valued at 8.16 billion reais ($4.5 billion), ending a partnership started in 2006 when the Brazilian bank took over the local unit of FleetBoston Financial.

May 18, 2010

Senior Senate Democrats clashed late on Tuesday as they tried to wrap up loose ends in a sweeping Wall Street reform bill headed for final passage within days.

May 18, 2010

Online travel agency Priceline.com said it acquired Manchester-based TravelJigsaw Ltd, a car hire reservation provider, to expand its international business.

May 18, 2010