IBT Staff Reporter

Royal Bank of Canada said on Friday that quarterly profit rose 10 percent as strong domestic banking offset losses in its big U.S. operations, but the results were not as impressive as rivals have reported.

Asia's largest wind power generator, Longyuan Power Group Corp, and China's biggest shipbuilder, China Shipping Industry, will each raise over $2 billion in initial public offerings in Hong Kong and Shanghai, testing market appetite strained by a glut of recent listings.

Japanese brewer Suntory Holdings, which is in talks to merge with domestic rival Kirin Holdings, said on Friday it will buy a U.S. Pepsi bottler and may consider more such acquisitions.

No Cash for Goldman Bonuses; GM's Video Games Vision; Airlines Seek Tie-up

Cisco Systems has control over more than 90 percent of Norwegian target Tandberg, allowing it to squeeze out remaining shareholders, and create the world's leader in videoconferencing equipment.

Google Inc prides itself on setting trends and its $750 million buy of mobile advertising group AdMob may be no exception.

Kraft Foods posted its offer document to Cadbury Plc shareholders on Friday, triggering a 9.8 billion pound ($16.3 billion) takeover fight for the British chocolate maker.

AOL Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Armstrong has studied the turnaround of Apple Inc to chart his own course for the revival of the once powerful Internet company, according to a report from BusinessWeek.

Autumn selling boosted British housebuilders Berkeley Group and Bellway, but uncertainties such as a looming general election, unemployment and mortgage shortages are curbing enthusiasm.

U.S. employers cut only 11,000 jobs last month, the best showing in nearly two years, and the jobless rate edged down to 10 percent, a strong suggestion the jobs market was edging toward health.

U.S. employers cut a far fewer-than-expected 11,000 jobs in November, the smallest decline since the start of the recession in December 2007, government data showed on Friday, strongly suggesting the deterioration in the labor market was in its final stages.

Virtua's Miller said he first became interested in GE's consulting capabilities when Immelt visited during his time running GE's health care arm, before becoming CEO in 2001.

U.S. employers cut a far fewer-than-expected 11,000 jobs in November, the smallest decline since the start of the recession in December 2007, government data showed on Friday, strongly suggesting the deterioration in the labor market was in its final stages.

In a sharp move three days after replacing Chief Executive Fritz Henderson, General Motors Co Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ed Whitacre is expected to announce a management shake-up on Friday that includes reassigning Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Boeing Co is urging airlines to carry out a major retrofit on over 220 of its 777 jets in the light of a series of potentially dangerous incidents of overheating and chronic structural damage to engine parts, the Wall Street Journal reported.

U.S. firearms maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp's quarterly results beat analysts' estimates, but forecast weak third-quarter revenue as it expects demand for firearms to normalize, sending shares down 13 percent in trading after the bell.

Christie's is confident the recession is well and truly over in the world of fine art, with a record old masters sale in London next week that includes important works by Rembrandt, Raphael and Il Domenichino.

Korean Air said on Friday it would purchase five Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental jetliners worth $1.5 billion at list prices in a potentially key deal for the successor to the jumbo jet.

B.J. Kang may be the most feared man on Wall Street.

Love living it up on holiday as much as the environment? Now you don't have to sacrifice your green credentials, with an advisory group naming the world's top environmentally friendly luxury hotels.

The dollar held steady against a basket of major currencies on Friday as investors waited for the U.S. government's monthly employment report to offer clues to the potential pace of tightening in U.S. monetary policy.

Canada's economy added far more jobs than expected in November, more than erasing the losses in October and suggesting a recovery is in the making.

Korean Air (003490.KS) said on Friday it would purchase five Boeing (BA.N) 747-8 Intercontinental jetliners worth $1.5 billion at list prices in a potentially key deal for the successor to the jumbo jet.

European shares fell for a second straight session on Friday, led down by weak financial stocks, with trading volumes low as investors remained cautious ahead of keenly watched U.S. payrolls data later in the session.

Caution ahead of a key jobs report from the United States weighed on banks and other cyclical stocks, pushing Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE share index 0.5 percent lower by midsession on Friday.

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday ahead of the key monthly jobs report for November.

The dollar held steady against a basket of major currencies on Friday as investors waited for the U.S. government's monthly employment report to offer clues to the potential pace of tightening in U.S. monetary policy.

Engineers at Airbus and Boeing are racing against the clock to carry out long-awaited test flights and shore up ventures worth billions of dollars.

Caution ahead of a key jobs report from the United States weighed on banks and other cyclical stocks, pushing Britain's FTSE 100.FTSE share index 0.5 percent lower by midsession on Friday.