IBT Staff Reporter

Bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc plans to issue $100 gift certificates to people who won't receive its Nook electronic reader by December 24, if they had ordered it on time.

Ford Motor Co said on Monday it is offering its 41,000 U.S. factory workers buyouts and early retirement offers in a bid to reduce its payroll costs as it aims to return to profit by 2011.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday, with the Nasdaq hitting a 15-month high after a healthcare reform bill advanced in the Senate and brokerages upgraded two Dow components on improving profit prospects.

Al Qaeda militants made a rare public appearance in restive south Yemen on Monday, telling an anti-government rally that the group's war was with the United States and not the Yemeni army, residents said.

At least for one more month it is unlikely to know the reason that caused the sudden death of American actress Brittany Murphy at age 32 yesterday.

The heavy snowstorm that swept the East Coast of the United States over the weekend may have cost retailers the potential for any upside to holiday sales, industry experts said on Monday.

Dubai World disappointed creditors on Monday by making little progress on securing standstill on $22 billion (13.6 billion pounds) of debt, as a key creditor meeting turned out to be a tame affair with less than half the expected attendees showing up.

U.S. pay czar Kenneth Feinberg yielded on Monday to pleas from American International Group to modify terms for a top employee the embattled insurer said was vital to its regaining stability.

Dubai World disappointed creditors on Monday by making little progress on securing standstill on $22 billion of debt, as a key creditor meeting turned out to be a tame affair with less than half the expected attendees showing up.

The Aussie failed to hold on to the 89 cent level in early morning trade yesterday declining steadily throughout the Asian session to enter offshore exchange around 0.8840 against the Greenback.

Stocks rose on Monday, with the Nasdaq hitting a 15-month high after a healthcare reform bill advanced in the Senate and brokerages upgraded two Dow components on improving profit prospects.

Chris Liddell has been hired by General Motors to serve as its vice chairman and chief financial officer.

Stocks mounted a broad advance on Monday after a key healthcare reform bill advanced in the Senate and brokerages upgraded Dow components Intel Corp and Alcoa Inc on improving profit prospects.

Los Angeles coroners will perform an autopsy on Monday on actress Brittany Murphy as speculation mounted that anorexia may have played a part in her sudden death one day earlier at age 32.

Here are Top 10 Destinations for Independent Travelers in 2009

A push by U.S. automakers to build more fuel efficient vehicles is playing to a strength of Canada's auto parts makers and positions them to pick up market share as the industry emerges from recession.

The US health care bill is expected to pass in a final Senate vote at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve after the 60-40 Senate vote to end the debate early Monday morning.

A prominent New Zealand TV presenter apologized Monday for calling Scottish singer, Susan Boyle, retarded on his show last month.

Heating oil differentials in the New York Harbor moved up slightly despite a National Weather Service report showing that heating demand will be below normal during the coming week.

U.S. pay czar Kenneth Feinberg yielded on Monday to pleas from American International Group to modify terms for a top employee the embattled insurer said was vital to its regaining stability.

Shooter Bill Simmons wrote me: “…If things continue to muddle along into the progressively improving future as they always have in the grand scheme of things…”

Hewlett-Packard Co. said Monday it is looking into the facial-tracking software used in its personal computers, after a customer calling himself “Black Desi” posted a YouTube video, where he says that Hewlett-Packard computers are racist.

There are two types of people in this world. Those that can't imagine what someone could possibly like about solo travelling, and those that are constantly bugged by others asking what they like about solo travelling.

With holiday consumer sentiment strong the Monday before Christmas, we could be on the verge of an end-of-2009 breakout in penny stocks. What better time then to look at four stocks getting set to move big time in the coming week. Here's a look at this week's Watchlist…

President Barack Obama on Monday heralded a U.S. Senate vote that moved a bill on his signature healthcare reform closer to passage and congratulated lawmakers for defying special interests.

U.S. stocks climbed on Monday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq eyeing new year highs, lifted by the healthcare sector after a Senate bill advanced that omitted some provisions opposed by the industry.

Brittany Murphy joked about her next life in her last public appearance on December 1 at the premiere of 'Across The Hall' in Los Angeles, California.

Brittany Murphy, the talented actress and recording artist, who died Sunday joked of her next life just two weeks before her death.

Three more media companies, including broadcaster Citadel Broadcasting , have filed for bankruptcy, brought low by the drop in advertising revenue and crushing debt loads.