CHINA

Stock index futures pointed to a lower opening on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.6 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.57 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.58 percent at 1000 GMT.

Crude oil prices declined in European trade Thursday as sentiment was dampened after reports indicated a sharp slowdown in the Chinese manufacturing activity in March.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), including Russia and China, stands united in its approach to put an end to the violent uprising in Syria by issuing an ultimatum to the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Recent industry reports suggest that China's corn production in 2011/12 could be as much as 14 percent lower than current official estimates, according to Capital Economics.

Growth in Ecuador may continue to be in the upside in early-2012 as a series of supply shocks and geopolitical risks keep oil prices elevated according to Capital Economics.

Asian shares gave back earlier gains Thursday after data showed China's factory activity shrank for a fifth successive month, underscoring concerns about a growth slowdown in the world's second largest economy.

IBM senior manager for global security operations Nick Bradley said threats from cyberattacks increased last year despite more awareness by computer center managers. New threats come from iPhones and BlackBerrys.

Apple has reportedly placed orders for a 4.6-inch screen to be featured in the company's next-generation smartphone, presumably called the iPhone 5. If accurate, this news would mean that Apple is breaking from tradition yet again, and giving consumers a bigger iPhone experience.

Asian shares inched up Thursday but remained in ranges as investors waited for manufacturing data from China and the euro zone due during this session for more clues about the state of their economies.

Brazil plans to signal its growing concern about intense foreign competition hurting its industries by suggesting at the World Trade Organization that the ceiling for its import tariffs is too low, government sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

Starbucks Corp said on Wednesday it would spend $180 million on U.S. factories, creating 150 manufacturing jobs, and that it would get into the $8 billion U.S. energy drink market with a new product.

European policy makers have identified a large shortfall in computing and IT skills among young people that threatens to dent Europe's ability to compete and could exacerbate youth unemployment in the coming decade.

Alaska could soon have a pipeline linking the state's liquefied natural gas to Asian markets, according to a published report.

China has reached another important benchmark as a consumer electronic device hotbed: For the first time ever, the country has more iOS and Android activations than the U.S., taking the number one spot globally.

Markets bobbed up and down Wednesday on conflicting data as to what the U.S. economic picture will look like in the near term. Investors spent the day dealing with conflicting sentiments: a less-than-enthusiastic housing report on the one hand, a view that the U.S. economy is generally getting better on the other.

Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is expanding a Chinese manufacturing facility by 80 percent, the U.S. company said Wednesday.

There are a lot of weird world records recorded by Guinness World Records, and some of the most terrifying involve cars. Three of the best, most terrifying automotive stunts have been recorded on video.

President Barack Obama must nominate a new President of the World Bank soon, ahead of its June annual meeting in Washington. Two Third World candidates have been mentioned but another American is the likely winner.

It is hoped the joint venture will boost flagging sales for JLR and parent company TATA, as the luxury car maker suffers dwindling sales in its traditional European and U.S. markets.

China's skein of trade surpluses and Treasury-buying has run its course and the country will need to begin selling some of its vast holdings of U.S. debt, says Frederick Sheehan, ex-head of asset allocation at John Hancock Financial Services.

U.S. trade officials imposed surprisingly low tariffs on Chinese solar panels Tuesday, choosing to tread lightly and avoiding an all-out trade war when addressing local solar companies' complaints of unfair trade practices.