IBT Staff Reporter

Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported a higher quarterly profit on Thursday but said sales at its existing U.S. namesake stores fell during the holiday quarter.

The dollar edged close to a seven-month high against a basket of currencies on Thursday after minutes showed U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers had discussed strategies for withdrawing monetary stimulus.

Oil fell toward $76 a barrel on Thursday, dragged down by high inventory levels and a stronger dollar, which also hit gold and other commodities.

Abu Dhabi government investment fund Mubadala is talking with banks to refinance a $2 billion loan due in April, among the first refinancings by Gulf firms since Dubai's debt problems rocked markets in November.

Swiss Re was more confident it could repay a costly convertible loan from Warren Buffett after strengthening its capital and returning to the black in 2009.

The planned sale of Citigroup's real estate asset management arm has hit a snag after some of the unit's clients refused to give their blessing to a disposal, sources told Reuters.

U.S. President Barack Obama will host the Dalai Lama at the White House on Thursday despite China's warning that the meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader could further damage strained ties.

A new type of computer virus is known to have breached almost 75,000 computers in 2,500 organizations around the world, including user accounts of popular social network websites, according Internet security firm NetWitness.

Societe Generale expects results to recover in 2010 with lower bad risk write-downs after it rattled markets last month with a toxic asset warning.

A German government advisory panel has raised doubts about whether General Motors' reorganization plan for European arm Opel deserves crucial state aid.

Even before HBO officially unveiled its new broadband strategy Wednesday, the buzz had been building for HBO Go.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said on Wednesday his debt-stricken country was not seeking European taxpayers' money but needed a breathing space to cut its budget deficit and borrow on normal conditions.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc sued seven of its former private wealth management division executives for abruptly leaving the company to join rival Credit Suisse early this month, court documents show.

The U.S. dollar rose against the euro on Thursday as poor growth prospects and Greece's fiscal deterioration hounded the euro zone single currency, while gold slid after the International Monetary Fund said it would sell more of its bullion holdings.

Calpers released late on Wednesday a list of 11 firms with which it has invested that did not reply to its request for information on their use of placement agents.

The U.S. dollar rose to a near 9-month high against the euro on Thursday as the single currency was dogged by worries about sovereign debt levels and poor growth prospects, while gold fell after the International Monetary Fund said it would sell more of its bullion holdings.

Even snowboarding great Shaun White gets butterflies at the Olympics but not while attempting his dangerous new trick.

Britain's 19-year-old women's curling captain led her team to a victory over world champions China on Wednesday, setting up a same-day showdown with Sweden, the defending Olympic gold medalists.

Petra Majdic won a Winter Olympics cross country bronze but deserved a special medal for extraordinary valor after conquering an excruciating injury over three races before painfully climbing to the podium.

American Shani Davis became the first man to win two Olympic 1,000 meters speedskating titles when he repeated his Turin triumph Wednesday at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

American Lindsey Vonn overcame a painful injury and the weight of massive expectation to win a scintillating and, for many, very painful women's downhill and seize the limelight at the Winter Olympics on Wednesday.

Simon Property Group Inc stepped up pressure on General Growth Properties Inc on Wednesday, threatening to walk away from its $10 billion bid if its bankrupt rival did not begin talks soon.

H.J. Heinz Co raised its 2010 earnings forecast, helped by strength in emerging markets, while U.S. foodmaker Campbell Soup Co cut its sales forecast as frugal U.S. consumers shunned ready-to-eat soup.

Several Federal Reserve policy makers want to begin selling securities relatively soon to cut back the U.S. central bank's massive help to the financial system as the economy finds a footing, the Fed said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday proposed a $2.9 million civil penalty against American Eagle Airlines for using airplanes with improper repairs that compromised safety.

Deere & Co posted higher-than-expected earnings, sending its shares up 5 percent, as wider margins at its farm equipment and finance units helped it to overcome challenging economic conditions.

President Barack Obama on Wednesday said his commitment to NASA was unwavering after his administration's 2011 budget slashed funding to return U.S. astronauts to the moon.

Hewlett-Packard Co posted better-than-expected results on strong server and personal computer sales and a resurgence in its printing business, and the company raised its full-year outlook.

The International Trade Commission said it launched an investigation of Research In Motion and Apple smartphones that contain digital cameras after receiving a complaint from Eastman Kodak Co.