UNITED STATES

Financial markets ticked over hesitantly on Thursday with investors digesting mixed U.S. earnings results and waiting for the next move in Greece's debt crisis.

Asian stocks fell on Thursday as several major U.S. firms issued disappointing outlooks, casting doubts on the strength of a global recovery, and as investors grew impatient for action on Greece's debt crisis, weighing on the euro.

Hyundai Motor Co delivered an earnings surprise with quarterly profit more than quadrupling, aided by a strong performance in the fast-growing Chinese and Indian markets and growing share in the United States.

The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday delayed a decision on investigating whether China's currency practices are an illegal trade subsidy that justify imposing countervailing duties.

Brazil tops the list of countries asking Google Inc to remove content from its services, the Internet search company disclosed in a new Web tool -- but it said statistics on China are secret.

A U.S. Muslim group has issued a dire Internet warning to creators of the satirical animated TV show South Park over a depiction of the Prophet Mohammad in a bear outfit.

General Motors Co believes taxpayers could recoup their entire $50 billion investment in the company although the Obama administration still expects the government to take a loss, albeit a smaller one than first thought, on the industry's 2009 bailout.

Visa Inc said on Wednesday that it would buy CyberSource Corp, a company that helps retailers accept online payments, to boost its business in emerging markets and online commerce.

Starbucks Corp , McDonald's Corp and other U.S. restaurant chains reported quarterly results showing the turnaround already priced into restaurant stocks is finally at hand.

Starbucks Corp , McDonald's Corp and other U.S. restaurant chains reported quarterly results showing the turnaround already priced into restaurant stocks is finally at hand.

Fidelity National Financial Inc , the No.1 U.S. title insurer, posted a quarterly profit below analysts' estimates, hurt by lower revenue from title premiums.

EBay Inc forecast results for the rest of the year that fell short of Wall Street expectations for a faster turnaround as the economy improves, sending its shares down more than 8 percent.

A German state bank said it had severed business ties with Goldman Sachs Group Inc, citing U.S. regulators' allegation that the dominant Wall Street bank committed fraud, while France eyed an investigation of its own.

Within days -- perhaps even hours -- of news that Goldman Sachs was facing fraud charges from U.S. regulators, rivals seized on a chance to elbow in front of Wall Street's most profitable bank.

A Senate panel on Wednesday voted to ban banks from the lucrative swaps market, one of the strictest measures in a planned financial reform that is heading into the home stretch.

The board overseeing much of the U.S. municipal bond market is investigating whether prices charged and paid by brokers and dealers are fair to customers, according to a notice released on Wednesday.

Stocks finished little changed on Wednesday as disappointing outlooks from healthcare companies offset strong earnings from Morgan Stanley and Apple Inc .

General Motors Co and Chrysler on Wednesday reported progress in their government-backed turnarounds, while the Obama administration still expects a loss on the taxpayer bailout of the industry although smaller than initially forecast.

Facebook's user base is growing at its fastest rate ever, the online social network company said on Wednesday as it rolled out features that link the company's platform more tightly with outside Web sites.

McDonald's Corp is muscling in on business from other fast-food chains and turning up the heat on coffee chain Starbucks Corp by expanding its lower-priced roster of competing drinks.

Starbucks Corp reported a profit that topped analysts' views and boosted its 2010 profit forecast, as a healing U.S. economy brewed up an increase in customer visits and sales.