UNITED STATES

Britain's Allergy Therapeutics (AGY.L) swung to a first-half pretax profit, helped by cost cuts, and said it was comfortable with the full-year market view, sending its shares up nearly 10 percent.

Biodel Inc (BIOD.O) said the U.S. health regulator accepted for review the marketing application for its experimental diabetes drug VIAject, sending its shares up 15 percent in premarket trade.

Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc (ARIA.O) said its experimental cancer drug, AP24534, received orphan drug designation from U.S. health regulators, sending its shares up 8 percent in pre-market trade.

Sid the Kid became the Man by scoring what will be forever remembered as Canada's golden goal in a 3-2 Olympic final overtime win over the United States on Sunday to cap one of the most compelling sporting showdowns ever seen on a sheet of ice.

Webster Financial Corp (WBS.N) said it received U.S. governmental approval to repurchase $100 million, or 25 percent, of the shares of preferred stock issued to the Treasury under the Capital Purchase Program.

The Vancouver Winter Olympics ended in spectacular triumph on Sunday with a dazzling closing ceremony that mixed traditional pomp with self-deprecating humor to put the icing on 17 days of unrelenting drama and action.

Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda sought to ease quality concerns during a low-key visit to China on Monday, fresh from a grueling hearing in the U.S. Congress over his company's biggest safety crisis.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic leaders in the Congress voiced confidence on Sunday they will have the votes, possibly within a couple of months or so, to pass landmark legislation to overhaul the healthcare system.

Factories around the world enjoyed a bumper February with business surveys showing the manufacturing sector in major economies continued to lead an economic recovery, despite a slowdown in some growth rates.

Vivendi, Europe's largest entertainment group, sounded a cautious note on its profit outlook for this year despite posting better than expected results for 2009, boosted by its video games and telecoms units.

Two key Republicans are urging the House of Representatives to speed up a public hearing to investigate the administration's bailout of home funding giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

China's Suning Appliance Co said it planned to open 520 stores in China this year, increasing its total number of shops by more than half in the world's third-biggest economy.

Germany's family-controlled Merck KGaA agreed to buy U.S. biotech tool maker Millipore for $6 billion to diversify away from its embattled drugs business.

Corrects title of Akira Sasaki and changes spokesman to spokeswoman in ninth paragraph

US specialty chemicals maker Solutia Inc will buy closely-held Etimex Solar, a maker of chemicals used in solar panels, for 240 million euros ($327.1 million) in cash

Japan's Astellas Pharma Inc offered to buy U.S. drugmaker OSI Pharmaceuticals for $52.00 a share, or about $3.5 billion, in cash to gain access to OSI's cancer drug Tarceva.

AstraZeneca Said on Monday it was exercising an option with Merck & Co to take back full rights to certain drugs marketed in the United States and would pay the U.S. group $647 million in April.

China should build the world's strongest military and move swiftly to topple the United States as the global champion, a senior Chinese PLA officer says in a new book reflecting swelling nationalist ambitions.

Global miner Anglo American said Monday it had restarted operations at Los Bronces and El Soldado copper mines in Chile after a massive earthquake cut supply to the deposits.

Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda on Monday offered a sincere apology to Chinese consumers over its massive global recall, which has had limited impact in the Chinese market.

HSBC Holdings missed expectations with a $7 billion annual profit after bad debts rose and risked a public backlash by paying three investment bankers over 9 million pounds ($13.7 million) each.