RETAIL

Barclays Capital said it continues to believe the new tablet category (led by Apple Inc.'s iPad) is poised for rapid growth over the coming years.

The home improvement retailer is set to give significant boost to job creation in the economy, hiring over 60000 seasonal associates to cope with the demands of a busy spring season.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to higher opening on Wednesday ahead of wave of economic data including producer price index and building permits.

Samsung is said to have ordered millions of Nvidia's Tegra line of chips for its latest 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab that will run on Android 3.0 operating system, popularly known as Honeycomb.

India and Japan, two of Asia's largest economies, signed the landmark free trade agreement (FTA) on Wednesday, paving way for the elimination of tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods traded between the two countries over the next decade.

Transparency campaigners sued the European Union's executive on Tuesday for withholding documents on free trade talks with India, stepping up pressure on the bloc to make its policymaking less secretive.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday questioned a top executive of Unitech Ltd as part of a probe into a telecoms corruption scandal that has roiled politics and spooked investors in Asia's third-largest economy.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defended himself on Wednesday against accusations his government was a lameduck, saying it was trying to bring justice in some of the country's biggest corruption scandals in decades.

U.S. stocks slipped as retail sales raised doubts about the economic recovery. Energy and basic materials equities led the way downward, albeit in moderate trading volume.

Growth in sales at U.S. retailers slowed in January, partly due to harsh winter weather across much of the country, but the trend remained supportive of an acceleration in the economy.

South Africa's rand softened against the dollar on Tuesday with the market showing little inclination to resist central bank moves since the start of the year to weaken the currency.

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday as investors remained wary of indexes at loft levels, although retail sales later in the morning could drive markets.

Sales at U.S. retailers slowed in January as extreme weather in large parts of the country kept some shoppers at home, but the underlying improving trend in spending remained intact.

U.S. stocks opened lower on Tuesday after the government report showed that retail sales rose less than forecast in January.

US retail sales rose less than expected in January, but recorded a gain for a seventh consecutive month.

Sales at U.S. retailers slowed in January as extreme weather in large parts of the country kept some shoppers at home, but the underlying improving trend in spending remained intact.

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday after data showed weaker retail sales last month, raising a question mark about a recovery in consumer spending.

Sales at U.S. retailers increased less than expected in January amid weak receipts at building material and restaurant outlets, a government report showed on Tuesday, likely reflecting the drag from snow storms that slammed large parts of the country during the month.

U.S. stocks opened lower on Tuesday after data showed weaker retail sales last month, raising a question mark about a recovery in consumer spending.

U.S. stocks were headed for a lower open on Tuesday after data showed weaker retail sales last month, raising a question mark about a recovery in consumer spending.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to modestly higher opening on Tuesday ahead of a wave of economic data including retail sales.