Gold may lose shine on increased risk appetite
The outlook for precious metals remain positive over the medium term and bearish over the long term.The sharp rise in gold prices over prior months, set against the prospects for economic recovery over the coming quarters, have eroded gold's attractiveness for investors, pushing capital towards riskier assets such as equities. Meanwhile, unwinding of government stimulus measures and monetary easing have dulled gold's lustre as a hedge.
AIG could learn fate of Taiwan unit deal soon
American International Group could learn the fate of the stalled $2.2 billion sale of its Taiwan unit Nan Shan Life Insurance as early as Thursday.
U.S. cap and trade rebranded pollution reduction
Like a savvy Madison Avenue advertising team, senators pushing climate-control legislation have decided to scrap the name cap and trade and rebrand their product as pollution reduction targets.
Barclays seen on lookout for U.S. bank deal
Barclays is on the lookout to buy a retail bank in the United States, according to reports, to build on its successful investment bank build-up there and create a buffer against regulatory reform.
Stock futures edge down after disappointing Europe data
The U.S. stock market is poised for a slightly lower opening after disappointing data from Germany and the U.K.
Stock futures point to flat open as M&A heats up
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a flat open on Wednesday as investors awaited January wholesale sales and inventory data and digested a slew of new corporate deals.
G7 recovery still on course but listless
A distinct lack of momentum will drag on the rich world's economic recovery this year, according to the latest Reuters economic outlook in which economists largely bucked a recent trend of rising forecasts.
Dalai Lama risks Chinese ire to back Uighurs
The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, voiced his support on Wednesday for an ethnic minority in China's troubled Xinjiang province, risking further worsening his fraught relations with Beijing.
Ahmadinejad, Gates trade barbs in Afghanistan
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Defense Secretary Robert Gates traded barbs on Wednesday during briefly overlapping visits to Afghanistan, where Washington has troops at war but Tehran has growing clout.
UK's Miliband urges push for Afghan peace deal
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband urged Afghans on Wednesday to push energetically for a peace settlement with Taliban insurgents and said Afghanistan's neighbors must support such an agreement.
Retaliation fears stalk Nigeria city after clashes
Sporadic shooting rang out overnight in the central Nigerian city of Jos and witnesses said at least one person was killed by soldiers enforcing a curfew days after attacks on three nearby Christian villages.
Brown says UK to maintain AAA credit rating
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday he believed Britain would maintain its coveted top credit rating and announced a pay freeze for senior civil servants and military officers to help tame a record deficit.
Democrats doubt deadline on healthcare
Congressional Democrats on Tuesday cast doubt on their chances of meeting the White House's March 18 deadline for voting on a stalled healthcare overhaul, but said they are moving as fast as they can.
Obama pushes climate change in White House meeting
President Barack Obama, weighing in on the Senate's efforts to pass a climate change bill, gathered Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday to try to jumpstart an overhaul of U.S. energy policy.
U.N. agency punished Somalia whistleblower
The United Nations Ethics Committee has upheld complaints by a former employee of the U.N. Development Programme who said he suffered retaliation from the UNDP for alleging that its Somalia programme was corrupt.
Obama backs bipartisan crackdown on healthcare cheats
President Barack Obama, making a final push for healthcare reform, will back bipartisan plans to stamp out waste in government-run medical programs for the old and needy, the White House said on Tuesday.
Iceland opposition toughens on new Icesave talks
Iceland's opposition turned up the heat on the center-left government on Wednesday to hold out for a tough new Icesave debt accord with Britain and the Netherlands, after a referendum rejection of its previous deal.
Palestinians complain to Biden about settlement plan
Palestinians told U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday that Israel's new plan to build 1,600 homes for Jewish settlers challenged Washington's efforts to get indirect peace talks underway.
Pelosi faces biggest test on healthcare vote
The leader of the House of Representatives -- a persuasive arm-twister and deal maker -- faces her toughest challenge yet in the coming weeks: getting 216 votes to pass final legislation revamping the U.S. healthcare system.
French minister says U.S. tanker affair not closed
A top French minister on Wednesday attacked the United States' handling of an aerial tanker contract, which has seen Europe's EADS drop out of the race, and said the matter was not over yet.
US home loan demand nudge higher in latest week
U.S. mortgage applications nudged up last week, reflecting increased demand for home purchase loans even as interest rates trekked higher, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.
Northern Rock shrinks losses, arrears rise
State-owned Northern Rock shrank its losses in 2009, helped by a lower bad debt charge in the second half as house prices stabilized, but arrears rose and the lender warned loan impairments would stay high in 2010.
Stock futures little changed after China data, deals
U.S. stock index futures barely budged on Wednesday after data showed Chinese exports and imports grew faster than expected and after a slew of new corporate deals.
Stock futures slightly higher after China data, deals
U.S. stock index futures barely budged on Wednesday after data showed Chinese exports and imports grew faster than expected and after a slew of new corporate deals.
Strong China trade data point to rise in yuan
Chinese exports and imports grew faster than expected in February, underlining the momentum behind the world's third-largest economy and reinforcing the case for a rise in the yuan.
Insurers' Chile quake hit won't up prices
Last month's huge earthquake in Chile might cost the insurance industry up to $7 billion in damage claims, the world's top two reinsurers said, but it looks unlikely to raise reinsurance prices.
IBM, universities target easy-to-use cellphones
IBM has started a two-year research program that aims to make cellphones easier to use for groups including the elderly and the illiterate.
Oil struggles for clear direction from $81.50
Oil failed to find momentum in either direction for a clear move away from $81.50 on Wednesday as investors waited for data on U.S. stocks or OPEC's monthly report ahead of next week's meeting to provide impetus.
China plans new trade office as global disputes grow: sources
China is setting up a new agency to help streamline its trade negotiating bureaucracy as the world's third-largest economy faces a growing number of commercial disputes.
Stock futures signal higher open; Facet eyed
Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.07 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.09 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.25 percent.