CHINA

A ruptured hull in the world's largest dry bulk ship could sink Vale's multi-billion dollar plan for a flotilla of giant vessels to link its iron ore mines to the mills of top steelmaker China.

Gold prices, like global stocks and major currencies, hardly moved Thursday as investors waited to see if Europe would manage to stanch its debt crisis and avoid a recession, or worse.

Anelka arrived at Chelsea in 2008.

Asia's economic growth looks set to stumble over the next few months, prompting a flurry of interest rate cuts and a spike in stimulus spending that may ultimately pave the way for a strong recovery in the second half of 2012. The catch-phrase for 2012 is the Asia yo-yo.

Asian stock markets declined on Thursday, as investors' hopes declined over the outcome of a long-awaited crucial European Union (EU) summit later this week.

The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: G-III Apparel Group, Central European Distribution, JetBlue Airways, Broadcom, and Seagate Technology. The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Clearwire, GTX, American Public Education, Western Liberty Bancorp, and China Medical Technologies.

A Japanese government official said on Thursday he had not heard of a reported $600 billion IMF lending facility to help the euro zone, although Japan would consider providing bilateral loans to the Fund if warranted by developments in Europe.

Asia's economic growth looks set to stumble over the next few months, prompting a flurry of interest rate cuts and a spike in stimulus spending that may ultimately pave the way for a strong recovery in the second half of 2012.

Citigroup began a round of layoffs among its London-based investment bankers this week after Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said the bank will layoff 4,500 employees as it attempts to trim costs.

Sharp Corp said on Thursday it will likely sell more than 1 million large-screen TVs of 60-inches and above in North America in the year to March 31, and expects the burgeoning market to push sales higher next business year.

China will support Europe in its efforts to overcome its debt crisis which Beijing sees as only temporary, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said after talks in Berlin Wednesday.

Video on demand supplier Gravitas Ventures is expanding its international operation with an eye toward Asia.

Apple lost its iPad trademark battle in China on Wednesday, but the owner of the trademark, Proview Technology, may ask Apple to pay for a trademark transfer.

The gang enslaved at least 300 women between 1994 and 2009.

Novo7, a 7-inch Ice Cream Sandwich equipped tablet available only in China, is reportedly set for release in the U.S. in the upcoming months. The Ice Cream Sandwich equipped tablet could be a major game-changer with an expected listing price of only $99.

On Wednesday, the United States lifted its travel warning for Nepal.

Here comes another shocking price-breaking tablet - close on the heels of the launch of $199 Amazon Kindle Fire that runs on Android 3.2, MIPS Technologies and Ingenic Semiconductor have joined hands to launch an even cheaper tablet - Novo7 - that costs only $99 and - hold your breath - runs on Ice Cream Sandwich!

Stocks fell on Wednesday with investors on edge ahead of a summit to hammer out a plan to combat the euro zone debt crisis and finding few reasons to continue buying after two days of gains.

The world's three biggest polluters China, the United States and India refused to move toward a new legal commitment to curb their carbon emissions Tuesday, increasing the risk that climate talks will fail to clinch a meaningful deal this week.

The airline industry's leading trade group warned on Wednesday that airlines worldwide face over $8 billion in losses next year if Europe's politicians fail to get to grips with the region's debt crisis.

Stocks index futures pointed to slight losses at the open on Wednesday as investors found little reason to keep buying after two gains of gains and ahead of a European summit on the region's debt crisis.