CALIFORNIA

Honda Motor Co plans to launch a plug-in hybrid and battery electric model in 2012 as part of its strategy to push to the front of a race by global automakers to develop more fuel-efficient cars.

Volkswagen plans to launch all-electric vehicles in 2013 and expects these zero-emission vehicles to account for 3 percent of its sales by 2018, Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said on Monday.

LOS ANGELES - The co-founder of E! is launching a celebrity-focused online network complete with several programs in the hope of establishing a new brand in the entertainment programing space.

Estimates for second-quarter earnings edged higher in the latest week as results from bellwether companies like Intel Corp bolstered expectations for the quarter.

Shares in RealD Inc , whose 3D technology was used to help make the movie Avatar, opened more than 22 percent above their initial public offering price on Friday and shares of business software maker Qlik Technologies Inc opened 20 percent higher.

The first new prescription weight-loss pill in more than a decade failed to win backing from U.S. health advisers, who said safety concerns about the drug outweighed its ability to help obese patients shed pounds.

Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc posted better-than-expected results and estimated revenue growth of up to 10 percent in the current quarter on stronger demand for its new notebook chip set.

The first new prescription weight-loss pill in more than a decade failed to win backing from U.S. health advisers, who said safety concerns about the drug outweighed its ability to help obese patients shed pounds.

Hopes sank that the first new prescription weight-loss pill in more than a decade would be approved for sale when a key federal advisory panel rejected the drug on Thursday amid lingering safety concerns.

Apple Inc is likely to announce a fix for the iPhone 4's reception problems, rather than a recall, at a surprise press conference on the device on Friday, analysts said.

Banks repossessed a record number of U.S. homes in the second quarter, but slowed new foreclosure notices to manage distressed properties on the market, real estate data company RealtyTrac said on Thursday.

Apple Inc has called a surprise press conference for Friday to talk about the iPhone 4, as the company continues to deal with fallout from reported reception problems on its popular smartphone.

Bank of New York Mellon Wealth Management wants to expand more U.S. and overseas markets through a stream of new hires and takeovers, Chief Executive Lawrence Hughes told Reuters on Wednesday.

Demand for loans to purchase U.S. homes sunk to a 13-year low last week, and refinancing demand also slid despite near record-low mortgage rates, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.

Many option traders appear to be taking a neutral to cautious stance on Intel Corp heading into the technology bellwether's second-quarter results after the closing bell on Tuesday.

The use of social media applications is becoming a popular tool for both employers and job seekers, especially those fresh out of college, to gather critical information and accumulate valuable contacts.

Chevron Corp , the second-largest U.S. oil company, said improved margins at its refineries would offset a drop in oil and gas output to lift second-quarter earnings above the previous quarter.

Chevron Corp , the second-largest U.S. oil company, said Improved margins at its refineries would lift its second-quarter earnings versus the previous quarter, offsetting a drop in oil and gas output.

A monopoly abuse lawsuit against Apple Inc and AT&T over the iPhone can continue as a class action against the two companies, a U.S. judge ruled.

The California Department of Public Health has reported that whooping cough incidents in the state in June is four times higher than last year and declared an epidemic.

Crude oil futures finished the week on a positive note, tracking stocks upward after hitting the low for a month earlier in the week. The benchmark West Texas intermediate contract settled Friday at $76.09 a barrel, up 65 cents on the day. On Tuesday, the contract declined for the sixth session in a row, closing at $71.98, its first dip below $72 in a month.