IBT Staff Reporter

Euro zone economies showed signs on Thursday that the worst recession in six decades is easing but data from the United States on jobless claims and business conditions signalled a bumpy recovery.

Ireland may return to economic growth in 2010, a year earlier than previously expected, Prime Minister Brian Cowen told an election rally on Thursday.

American International Group Inc said on Thursday that Edward Liddy, its chief executive, plans to step down, signaling the end to a short and tumultuous tenure running the bailed-out insurer.

Gap Inc., the apparel company that owns Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic posted a profit of $215 million, down 14 percent from a year earlier.

Mothers and newborns are no more likely to survive today than two decades ago, with prospects worst in countries battling AIDS, conflict and poverty, the World Health Statistics 2009 report showed on Thursday.

OpenTable Inc shares jumped 72 percent in their trading debut Thursday following the restaurant reservation company's initial public offering, putting it on pace for the biggest first day performance for a U.S. company in more than a year.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the funding for a major transmission project that would deliver hydropower from Quebec to the New England region.

Jessica Hahn has been causing quite a buzz online after her name was mentioned in CNN personality Larry King’s new memoir.

General Motors Corp cleared a key obstacle in its restructuring on Thursday as the United Auto Workers agreed to cut labor costs and accept new terms for a $20 billion union retiree healthcare obligation.

High-level bank regulators were aware that thrifts were inappropriately backdating capital contributions, allowing the institutions to appear healthier, and in one case directed a thrift to engage in the practice, according to a government watchdog report released Thursday.

The rating of the United States remains AAA and stable, a spokesman for Moody's Investors Service said on Thursday.

American International Group Inc. announced today that chairman and chief executive officer, Edward M. Liddy, plans to step down when a search for replacements is complete for these two positions which will be split.

The crew of the space shuttle Atlantis is preparing to return to Earth this Friday after successfully repairing and upgrading the Hubble telescope.

Stocks slid in a broad sell-off on Thursday as investors, concerned about the U.S. budget deficit, exited dollar-denominated assets across the board.

American International Group Inc said on Thursday that its Chief Executive and Chairman Edward Liddy would step down as soon as a successor is found to take over running the bailed out insurer.

Cisco Systems Inc has completed purchase of Flip digital camcorder-maker Pure Digital Technologies on Thursday, making a further step to be a major player in the consumer electronics market.

Technology can pull the United States out of recession and help the world's ailing financial markets work better, Microsoft Corp Chairman Bill Gates told a high-level business summit at the company he co-founded.

Stocks fell on Thursday as investors worried the economic recovery won't be as quick as previously thought, while a cut of Britain's credit rating outlook heightened worries about the U.S. fiscal condition.

U.S. manufacturers and retailers that get products or components from China are increasingly concerned about quality, intellectual property and rising costs in China, and more are looking at alternate sites, according to a study published on Thursday.

The spread of the new H1N1 virus in Asia showed no signs of slowing Thursday as the Philippines recorded its first case and new infections were confirmed in Japan, China and Taiwan.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffered the latest in a series of setbacks Thursday when he caved in to public pressure and said more retired Nepalese Gurkha soldiers would be allowed to settle in Britain.

Xerox Corp said on Thursday Anne Mulcahy, who has been credited with revitalizing the world's top supplier of digital printers and document management services, will retire as chief executive in July and be replaced by Ursula Burns.

Standard & Poor's on Thursday cut its rating on the New York Times Co deeper into junk status, citing rising leverage in the midst of a newspaper industry slump.

The consequences of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon would be calamitous and major powers must act together to prevent it, the top U.S. military officer said on Thursday.

Bill Gross, the co-chief investment officer of bond giant Pacific Investment Management Co., said market fears that the U.S. is at risk of losing its AAA credit rating is sending the U.S. dollar, stocks and bonds under severe selling pressure on Thursday.

Stocks slid in a broad sell-off on Thursday as a disappointing report on the labor market quashed hopes the economy was on the verge of recovery.

Dell Inc is still cautious about corporate technology spending, but plans to make acquisitions and aggressively pursue enterprise customers in an effort to win back market share in the United States.

Apple still does not have any plans to enter the booming netbook market. Instead, the company may be preparing to introduce a new mobile device, a tablet measuring between 7 and 10 inches, according to analysts from research firm Piper Jaffrey.

Oil fell on Thursday, dragged down from six-month highs as signs of job market weakness stoked concerns about the economy.