IBT Staff Reporter

The U.S. stock market continues its rally on Wednesday, boosted by encouraging U.S. economic data and a surging basic materials sector.

Walgreen Co said February sales at stores open at least a year rose just 0.4 percent, crimped by a lower incidence of the flu versus a year earlier.

U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday after separate reports showed private employers cut fewer jobs in February and the U.S. services sector grew at its fastest pace in more than two years.

Chilean officials estimating the damage of Chile's earthquake say that as of Tuesday, 796 people have died, roughly 2 million people have been affected and 500,000 homes have been damaged.

Greece targeted civil servants, the rich and the church in a sweeping new austerity program it hopes Europe will reward by helping tackle a crippling debt burden.

Opera Software said on Wednesday it had seen a surge in downloads of its browser after Microsoft started making it easier for Europeans to choose smaller rivals' browsers.

Banks that are seen as too large to fail should be broken up in order to make the financial system more stable, Dallas Federal Reserve President Richard Fisher said on Wednesday.

About a year ago, Muqtar Ali's brother was shot dead by gunmen in the busy Bakara market of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, and his $200 in cash was stolen.

U.S. stocks edged higher at the open on Wednesday after a report showed private employers cut fewer jobs in February, adding to optimism ahead of a critical employment report later in the week.

Spanish police have arrested three men accused of masterminding one of the biggest computer crimes to date -- infecting more than 13 million PCs with a virus that stole credit card numbers and other data.

Major U.S. stock indices continue to rally modestly after an encouraging ADP employment report.

The number of planned layoffs at U.S. firms fell in February to the lowest level since 2006, and employers appear to have shifted away from downsizing even though hiring may be a while off, a report on Wednesday showed.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wednesday as a report showed private employers cut fewer jobs in February, adding to optimism ahead of a critical employment report later in the week.

Our goal is to make sure that the natural occurrences that happen around us, like the World Cup, are leveraged in such a way that we make the wines within our portfolio household names.

Hedge fund firm Pine River, which makes big bets on housing, is bracing for a double dip in that market, its chief executive officer said on Tuesday.

The euro rose against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday after the Greek government endorsed a 4.8 billion euro austerity package, boosting hopes the heavily indebted country would get help from the European Union. The euro gained roughly half a U.S. cent after a government source told Reuters the Greek cabinet decided on the plan, which included a rise in value added tax to 21 percent and a cut in public sector salary bonuses by 30 percent.

The percentage of U.S. home sellers who cut their asking price declined again in February and sellers made slightly smaller reductions in prices, real estate website Zillow.com said on Wednesday.

The euro rose against the dollar and Greek borrowing costs fell to their lowest level since mid-February as Greece's cabinet approved new steps to fight a budget deficit, seen as key to secure EU fiscal support. European shares, however, were flat as traders said most of the news had been priced in and ahead of U.S. jobs data, though world stocks gained, on track to gain for the fourth consecutive day and near their five-week high.

U.S. mortgage rates retreated below 5 percent last week, propping demand for home loans after purchase applications sank to a nearly 13-year low the prior week, Mortgage Bankers Association data showed on Wednesday.

Homebuyers in much of the United States paid thousands of dollars below asking prices in January, and gained negotiating power for a second straight month, real estate website Zillow.com said on Wednesday.

Republicans have called on President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats to scrap their legislation overhauling the U.S. healthcare system and start over with some Republican ideas.

My University, a tool similar to My School website, is to be implemented by the Australian Government soon.

Conservative incumbent Rick Perry rode strong anti-Washington rhetoric to a victory over a sitting U.S. senator for the Texas Republican gubernatorial nomination in a race that could be a model in this year's crucial U.S. mid-term congressional elections.

The Greek Government on Wednesday unveiled 4.8 billion euros worth of new austerity measures designed to meet European Union demands for extra savings and pave the way for any rescue from the threat of bankruptcy.

Nissan Motor Co, Japan's third-biggest car maker, said it will recall about 540,000 vehicles worldwide due to potential defects in brake pedal pins and fuel-gauge components, mostly in the United States.

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday as investors awaited data on the labor market for clues ahead of a critical employment report and Greece took steps to meet fiscal targets.

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday as investors awaited data on the labor market for clues ahead of a critical employment report and Greece took steps to meet fiscal targets.

Internet telephony firm Skype took a second major leap into the wireless market in just a few weeks, unveiling software from top phone maker Nokia Oyj which could run on more than 200 million smartphones around the world.

Greece's cabinet approved a sweeping new austerity program on Wednesday, the third in as many months, to rein in a bulging budget deficit and secure European financial support, a government source said.