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Europe's telecom shares have long been seen as safe houses when the wolf is at the door, but recession, fierce competition and costly network upgrades are huffing and puffing at their capacity to pay generous dividends.

Schlumberger Ltd (SLB.N), the world's largest oilfield services company, reported a 36 percent rise in quarterly earnings, beating Wall Street forecasts, but it warned that Europe's debt crisis could hurt economic growth and trim oil demand.

Apple Inc. unveiled two new educational opportunities, including iBooks 2 for iPad and an all new iTunes U app, at a press event in New York Thursday.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers on Wednesday were: Radioshack Corp, Bridgepoint Education, Webster Financial, Kosmos Energy, Beam Inc, Chico's FAS, Joy Global, Seacor Holdings, Dana Holding and Saks Inc.

The gradual shift towards big cities has been a long time in coming

Consumer prices in the Eurozone fell more than previously expected in December, the start of a retreat from a November peak that should give the European Central Bank more room to cut interest rates as the economy heads for recession.

Chinese legends have long extolled the benefits of the Tian Shan Xue Lian, a rare white flower found in snowcapped mountains that is revered as a panacea, an elixir so powerful it can supposedly bring the dead back to life.

Mass Eurozone ratings downgrades are unlikely to shake up investors too much, but with Greek debt talks at an impasse, pressure has been loaded on the bloc to shore up its defenses and glimmers of optimism from last week have been firmly doused.

Microsoft Corp is starting the new year much as it did the one just ended - grappling with weak computer sales tearing a hole in its core Windows business, while it gropes its way slowly into the faster-growing mobile phone and tablet markets.

Financial markets are unlikely to be derailed by mass euro zone downgrades, but with Greek debt talks at an impasse, pressure has been loaded on the bloc to shore up its defenses and glimmers of optimism from last week have been firmly doused.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp said it bought private movie studio Summit Entertainment, producer of the blockbuster Twilight vampire series, for $412.5 million in cash and stock.

The Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. has purchased private studio Summit Entertainment, producer of the successful Twilight film series, for $412.5 million in cash and stock.

Samuel L. Jackson, Jay-Z and King Juan Carlos can all expect letters from Volkswagen AG's Bentley.

Goldman Sachs said it expected upside in prices of oil, gold and copper this year, citing greater supply risks and stronger fundamentals.

Asian shares rose to a one-month high and the euro clung near its strongest in a week Friday as strong demand in Spanish and Italian debt sales tempered risk aversion ahead of another auction from Rome later in the day.

Bill Gross, the manager of the world's largest bond fund, said on Wednesday that the "demise" of PIMCO's flagship fund is exaggerated.

When a country builds a skyscraper, a financial collapse will soon follow, a new report from Barclay's Capital -- suggesting investors should take a hard look at India and China.

The abrupt exit of Jasjit Bhattal, the highest-ranking ex-Lehman executive at Nomura Holdings, marks a crucial juncture for Japan's top brokerage as it decides whether to replace him with an experienced global banker to foster expansion, or with an in-house local to focus on the home market.

Barclays Capital reiterated its belief that China is a big growth opportunity for Apple Inc. and could be bigger than even the U.S., within a few years.

Barclays Capital expects ultrabooks to take center stage at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as the thin and light concept emerges at the forefront of new product design trends.

Barclays Capital expects Apple Inc. to ship iPad 3 in March/April but other rumors suggest the next-generation of iPad is coming sometime in the next two months.

European stocks were essentially flat on Monday at mid-day in choppy trade, bouncing from last week's sharp pull-back, with gains in defensives limited by a drop in banking shares led by Unicredit following its rights issue.

German exports bounced back in November boosting the country's trade surplus, a sign that Europe's largest economy may avoid a sharp slowdown in contrast to France which is expected to have run up a record trade deficit in 2011.

A weakening dollar combined with bargain hunting, short covering and Chinese physical demand to lift gold prices Monday for the fifth time in the last six trading sessions.

Wedbush Securities expects Apple Inc. to launch the iPad 3 in the fiscal second quarter but other rumors suggest the next-generation of iPad is coming sometime in the next two months.

The top aftermarket NYSE losers Friday were: Mistras Group, Federated Investors, Neustar, ITT Educational Services, Vishay Intertechnology, RPC and RealD Inc.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Friday were: SunCoke Energy, Schawk, Mobile TeleSystems, Greenhill & Co, National Fuel Gas, HollyFrontier Corp, USG Corp, Computer Sciences, Talbots and iSoftStone Holdings.

Counting container ships plying the high seas and air cargo takeoffs is one way to track the outlook for the global economy. Both measures point to weak growth in the months ahead but no severe storms.

Canada's famously conservative banks, hit last week by a high profile downgrade, may still be the least bad option for Canadian investors in what could be another ugly year for stock markets.