UNITED STATES

Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday it filed a motion to stay an injunction imposed by a federal court last week which threatened to halt sales of some versions of its popular Word application.

Oil fell below $69 a barrel on Wednesday after a near 5 percent slump in Chinese shares sent doubts rippling through global markets about the strength of the world economic recovery.

U.S. securities regulators warned investors on Tuesday that leveraged exchange-traded funds could lead to big losses even if the market index or benchmark they track shows a gain.

Details of a deal to settle a U.S. tax case against Swiss bank UBS AG could come as soon as Wednesday and could have far-reaching implications for other wealth managers.

Macquarie Group Ltd , Australia's top investment bank, agreed to buy U.S. asset manager Delaware Investments for $428 million in cash from Lincoln National Corp , continuing a trend of consolidation in the fund management business.

Wealthy U.S. citizens using a government tax-evasion amnesty program have identified almost 10 European banks where they have accounts, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Wednesday, tracking a sell-off in Chinese shares on renewed worries the buoyant market had gone too far ahead of the economic recovery, and as oil prices dipped.

Oil fell toward $69 on Wednesday, after surging more than 3 percent in the previous session on data that showed a surprise fall in U.S. crude stocks, boosting hopes of demand recovery in the world's top energy user.

Citigroup Inc was under direct pressure from U.S. regulators to replace former chief financial officer Ned Kelly, the Financial Times said, citing parts of a confidential agreement it viewed.

Asian stocks edged up on Wednesday but hovered near three-week lows hit the previous day, with investors cautious ahead of Chinese bank results and wary that profit taking will continue to stall a six-month rally.

Oil extended gains toward $70 on Wednesday, after surging more than 3 percent in the previous session on data that showed a surprise fall in U.S. crude stocks, boosting hopes of demand recovery in the world's top energy user.

Japan's Nikkei average dipped 0.2 percent in choppy trade on Wednesday, weighed down by investor caution after disappointing U.S. housing data, but blue-chip stocks such as Canon Inc and carmakers jumped after brokerage upgrades.

Film director Oliver Stone has a secret -- 10, at least -- and he is about to tell some them in a new documentary for U.S. cable television.

Japan's Nikkei average dipped 0.2 percent in choppy trade on Wednesday, weighed down by investor caution after disappointing U.S. housing data, but blue-chip stocks such as Canon Inc and carmakers jumped after brokerage upgrades.

Banks are lowering bonuses to defuse popular outrage, but by curtailing employee incentives, compensation experts say the banks and the U.S. government are failing to fix practices that led to the financial crisis.

Microsoft Corp has confidently described its planned search advertising deal with Yahoo Inc as a win-win, but the software company's legal chief is prepared to concede that the outcome is not certain.

Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.2 percent on Wednesday, buoyed by blue-chip stocks such as Canon Inc and carmakers after brokerage upgrades, while upbeat results from big U.S. retailers helped investor confidence.

The Australian Dollar opens higher today against the greenback at 0.8260.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch said on Tuesday it hired banking veteran Brad Cameron to head its Canadian mergers and acquisitions team, the latest sign a capital markets pick-up may be in the making in Canada.

Bing Creeping Up; Hedge Funds Soar; AIG's New Direction

China could still increase its holdings of US Treasuries if the dollar is stable, even though the long-term trajectory is to diversify its foreign exchange reserves, according to a former central bank governor.