UNITED KINGDOM

The euro fell to a fresh four-year low on Wednesday after a German move to sharpen financial regulation raised doubts about the prospect for global recovery, pulling down Asian stocks, metals and crude oil.

The euro fell to a fresh four-year low on Wednesday after a German move to sharpen financial regulation raised doubts about the prospect for global recovery, pulling down Asian stocks, metals and crude oil.

Facebook has teamed up with 50 wireless operators to offer cellphone users a stripped-down version of the social networking site that can be accessed without incurring data charges.

The release of the RBA board minutes suggested just what the market had expected and in fact had already begun pricing in – interest rates are at normal levels.

Drugmaker Pfizer Inc will cut 6,000 jobs, or 18 percent of the workforce, at its 78 manufacturing plants over the next five years as it pares back operations following last year's purchase of rival Wyeth.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc's quarterly results beat Wall Street expectations, as a curb on costs helped the world's largest retailer overcome weaker U.S. same-store sales, sending shares up 3 percent.

The light-emitting diode sector is growing fast, especially in niche markets such as the car industry, but LED bulbs will not be a mass consumer item for some time, developers and experts said on Tuesday.

Drugmaker Pfizer Inc will cut 6,000, or 18 percent, of jobs at its 78 manufacturing plants over the next five years as it consolidates operations following last year's purchase of smaller rival Wyeth.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc posted quarterly results that beat Wall Street expectations, but said second-quarter earnings could fall short of Wall Street estimates as its shoppers remain under pressure.

A discovery of tar balls on Florida's Key West fanned fears on Tuesday that a massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill was spreading through ocean currents, as energy giant BP Plc worked to capture more of the crude leaking from its gushing deep-water well.

Energy giant BP said on Tuesday it was now able to siphon off about 40 percent of the oil gushing from a ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico but has not been able to stop the leak, as President Barack Obama is to create a commission to probe the spill.

The euro dipped on Tuesday, struggling to pull away from four-year lows hit on Monday, and Asia stocks fell to three-month lows as persistent worries about the euro area's fiscal health weighed on investor sentiment.

University of Adelaide figures obtained by The Advertiser show the number of maths and science teaching students studying either a Graduate Diploma in Education or Bachelor of Teaching at the university has more than doubled over the past two years.

The AUD has opened this morning fairly unchanged despite falling through the USD0.8700 level last night.

New study says that telemarketers talk so much they've been making themselves sick.

After holding up relatively well for the majority of the week compared to other major currencies the Aussie dollar finally gave way to a barrage of selling on Friday night falling below the 89 cent handle to a low near 0.8850 against the Greenback.

Nissan, Japan's third-biggest carmaker, said on Monday its Leaf electric car would cost under 30,000 euros ($38,110) in most European countries after incentives offered by governments to push the new technology.

Foreigners bought a record $140.5 billion of long-term U.S. securities in March, the Treasury Department said on Monday, and more than doubled purchases of U.S. government bonds.

British insurer Prudential Plc unveiled a $21 billion cash call as it tried to put its takeover of AIG's Asian unit back on track and launched a charm offensive to woo wary shareholders.

European finance ministers prepared on Monday to discuss tighter regulation on hedge funds a week after launching a $1 trillion debt rescue plan, as the euro was hit by fears austerity measures would stifle recovery.

British insurer Prudential launched its long-awaited $21 billion cash call and a delayed offensive to woo wary shareholders to back its takeover of rival AIG's Asian unit.