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Stock index futures pointed to a weaker open for equities on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 down 0.4-0.7 percent.

Stocks fell and the euro weakened Wednesday after Standard & Poor's hit some of the world's leading banks with a credit downgrade and euro zone leaders' move to ramp up the regional bailout fund drew a tepid response.

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc said on Tuesday it has won overwhelming support for its reorganization plan, including from creditors with $400 billion of claims, an important step toward ending its record bankruptcy.

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc said on Tuesday that 98.7 percent of creditors representing more than $405 billion in claims had voted to back its reorganization plan, an important step towards ending its bankruptcy.

Asian shares and the euro extended a rally into a second day Tuesday as investors were buoyed by expectations that European policy makers will outline details of how they will leverage a bailout fund to avert contagion in sovereign debt markets.

The Department of Justice has opened a probe into the $4 billion takeover of Del Monte Corp by private equity investors led by KKR and Co (KKR.N), according to court papers regarding an investor settlement over the transaction.

A German regional court has opened the door to an investor law suit against credit rating agency Standard & Poor's over its assessment of Lehman Brothers securities before the collapse of the U.S. investment bank.

Gold prices will climb to $1,875 per troy ounce this month and to an average of $2,000 next year, Barclays Capital Research said Monday in a report.

Online gaming firm Nexon Co said on Monday it would raise up to 98 billion yen ($1.3 billion) in an initial public offering this month, pushing ahead with its planned listing even as a massive hacking attack threatens to dampen excitement for the stock.

LONDON, Nov 25 - European companies are in for a tough time next year. The euro zone debt crisis is sparking caution on all fronts, as consumers keep their cash in their pockets, corporate treasurers take a knife to investment plans and investors desperately seek a haven for their wealth.

Unnerved by a second profit warning in a month, investors sent HTC Corp shares tumbling for a second straight day on Friday on concern the world's No.4 smartphone maker may be running out of ideas in an increasingly competitive market.

Apple Inc.'s customers were able to get $101-off on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMacs, $41-off on the first-generation iPad, $21-off on the iPod touch and $11-off on the iPod nano for Friday. This is unchanged from the deals announced last year.

Barclays Capital said its research still points toward Apple Inc. continuing to innovate in the iPad category with an iPad 3 launching in the March 2012 timeframe with an HD screen, Siri integration and a faster processor.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) on Monday started notifying customers of United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Italy that it would hold its annual one-day shopping event on Friday, a day after Thanksgiving, at its retail stores and on online store.

Ever wondered what the U.S. economy might look like should there be another Lehman Brothers-style bank collapse? Well, it would not be pretty.

U.S. retailers trying to woo shoppers with early deals and longer hours this week, and throughout the holiday season, could be putting their profits at risk as shoppers search for bargains and not much else.

The members of the super committee officially announced a failure to reach a deal on cutting at least a $1.2 trillion hole in the federal budget deficit, ahead of its official Nov. 23 deadline. The move has sent lawmakers searching for a new plan and ways to dodge blame.

Gilead Sciences Inc struck a deal to buy Pharmasset Inc for about $11 billion in a huge bet on hepatitis C treatments to diversify its portfolio.

Gold prices fell Monday as technical factors and increased demand for the U.S. dollar outweighed otherwise bullish forces.

According to the latest reports, Apple Inc.'s third-generation iPad is on track for a March 2012 timeframe release, while the next-generation iPhone - the iPhone 5 - will be introduced next summer.

The demand for the iPhone 4S has been strong, ever since Apple Inc. started shipping the latest iteration of its iPhone series. In fact, market experts are expecting Apple to ship over 70 million units of the iPhone in 2011.

Washington's most ambitious effort in years to come to grips with its mounting debt is set to end with a whimper on Monday as negotiators plan to announce they have failed to reach a deal.

Asian shares fell on Monday as uncertainty remained over how euro zone leaders would respond to mounting funding difficulties for European banks, and an apparent failure by U.S. politicians to agree on deficit reduction hurt sentiment.

Barclays Capital started coverage of several Canadian exploration and production companies, including PetroBakken Energy (PBN.TO: Quote), with a positive stance, saying the industry is well-positioned with low-risk growth and attractive dividend yields.

Forest City Ratner revealed on Thursday renderings of a 32-story residential tower that will abut the Barclays Arena at Atlantic Yards.

The British government has agreed to sell Northern Rock, the failed mortgage lender it nationalized in 2008, to Virgin Money, the banking arm of Richard Branson's Virgin empire.

Real estate mogul Sam Zell's Equity Residential is the lead bidder to buy 53 percent of rival company Archstone for over $2.5 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Gold prices regained some early losses Wednesday after the European Central Bank intervened in the bond market to cap dangerously high yields on Italian, Spanish and French bonds.

French luxury alcoholic beverage brand, Moet & Chandon, announced on Wednesday that the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and it had reached an agreement to declare Moet & Chandon as the official champagne and global partner of the ATP World Tour, which is the men's professional tennis circuit.