CHINA

China's manufacturing sector contracted for a third consecutive month in September, suggesting that the world's second-largest economy is not immune to global headwinds, while factory inflation quickened.

Flashed on the side of a building here in Shanghai's historic Bund district, an image shows a giant ship named Hony, setting sail from China, traveling past the Statue of Liberty, past Big Ben, and bringing home crates of golden coins.

World stocks fell on Friday with European shares on track to mark their biggest quarterly loss since the collapse of Lehman Bros three years ago as European economic readings compounded pessimism over global growth.

Gold rose more than 1 percent on Friday but was on track for its biggest quarterly gain this year as concerns that the euro zone debt crisis was far from resolved weighed on stock markets and the euro, lifting interest in bullion as an alternative.

As Apple's Oct. 4 iPhone event is round the corner, more information has started to surface over the specifications of the next-generation iPhone, presumably called iPhone 5.

World stocks fell on Friday with European shares on track to mark their biggest quarterly loss since the collapse of Lehman Bros three years ago as European economic readings compounded pessimism over global growth.

The rock-bottom price of the new Kindle Fire tablet computer is raising questions about Amazon.com Inc's ability to keep up with demand and the device's effect on the company's already razor-thin profit margins.

European stock index futures fell Friday, putting shares there firmly on course to post their biggest quarterly decline since the months following the collapse of Lehman Brothers three years ago.

This year's Nobel Peace Prize -- to be announced in a week -- will be as interesting as the ones awarded to Barack Obama and Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee told Reuters Thursday.

The powerful Typhoon Nesat that forced about 300,000 people to evacuate an island in southern China appeared to be sweeping away from the country toward Vietnam Friday.

Gold jumped more than 1 percent on Friday after Germany's approval for expanding the euro zone bailout fund offered temporary relief to investors, but the precious metal was heading for its worst monthly decline in three years.

Just before solar panel maker Solyndra scrambled in August to get more cash from private investors and better loan terms from federal bureaucrats, top company officials went on a political road show.

Asian stocks fell on Friday, extending the worst monthly performance since the most volatile days of the global financial crisis in October 2008, with Chinese shares racking up sharp losses.

Asian stocks steadied on Friday with big gains unlikely as investors looked to take profits after three days of gains, while the euro held its tiny increase following Germany's approval to expand the euro zone bailout fund.

The first Chinese unmanned space laboratory Tiangong-1, meaning Heavenly Palace-1, was successfully shot into space Tuesday, paving the way for China to become the third country after the U.S. and Russia to run a permanent space station.

Asian stocks fell Friday, extending the worst monthly performance since the most volatile days of the global financial crisis in October 2008, with Chinese shares racking up sharp losses.

Asian stocks fell on Friday, extending the worst monthly performance since the most volatile days of the global financial crisis in October 2008, with Chinese shares racking up sharp losses.

Asian stocks steadied on Friday with big gains unlikely as investors looked to take profits after three days of gains, while the euro held its tiny increase following Germany's approval to expand the euro zone bailout fund.

Bain Capital and Carlyle Group are among three private equity firms bidding for auto parts supplier TI Automotive in an auction that could fetch around $1.5 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

Stocks mostly rose in a volatile session on Thursday as stronger-than-expected economic data and German approval of a beefed-up euro-zone crisis fund relieved two of the worst fears hanging over the market.

There have long been suspicions that Chinese companies which are listed on U.S. bourses do not adhere to strict accounting standards