UNITED STATES

U.S. gold futures rose Thursday on follow-through buying after the Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates near zero, bolstering bullion's status as a hedge against inflation.

Walmart Stores Inc posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings on Thursday as a clampdown on inventory offset falling sales, and the company forecast a full-year profit that could beat Wall Street estimates, sending its shares up 1.7 percent.

Four countries in East Asia are experiencing slow internet connection due to typhoon Morakot that slashed villages including undersea cables. Internet users in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines faces internet slowdown including Voice calls as the unders sea cables suffered from the damages it has received from typhoon Morakot.

Golf fans who are stuck at work are have no access to TV today, don't despair, we have all the PGA Championship live streaming links for you so you can relax and watch it from wherever you may be today.

Oil prices rose on Thursday to near $71 a barrel after better-than-expected results from U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart reinforced hopes for an economic recovery and pushed up Wall Street stocks.

Large U.S. food companies have been pushing the Obama administration to ease sugar import curbs, threatening higher consumer prices and possible job losses, citing forecasts for unprecedented sugar shortages.

The PGA Championship 2009 gets underway today and ends on August 16 at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota and the championship will be available online via a live stream, as well as on TV.

Shanghai copper prices hit their upside limit in the first few minutes of trade on Thursday, excited by London's gains in the previous session, when investors were enthused by the U.S. Federal Reserve's comments that the country's economy was showing signs of levelling out. FUNDAMENTALS

U.S. bankruptcy filings rose 35 percent over the 12 months ending June 30 as the recession took a steep toll on households and businesses, the office that oversees U.S. courts said on Thursday.

U.S. stocks edged lower on Thursday as gloomy government reports on retail sales and employment undercut hopes that the economy was on the road to recovery.

Oil pared early gains above $72 a barrel on Thursday after U.S. retail sales data emerged showing a slightly unexpected fall in consumer spending from the world's largest economy.

Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly fell in July and the number of workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose last week, indicating the recession-hit economy faced a bumpy recovery.

Pressure mounted on Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday to speed up operations to rescue hundreds of residents of remote mountainous villages buried or stranded in the aftermath of typhoon Morakot.

Thai prosecutors started appeal proceedings on Thursday against a court's rejection of a U.S. request for the extradition of suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc reported a much higher-than-expected jump in quarterly profit on Thursday and raised its full-year outlook, citing lower costs for packaging and ingredients.

Retail Bumps, Foreclosure Record, Magna's

After a decade of watching film production slowly abandon Hollywood, lured away by financial incentives first in Canada, then other U.S. states, California hopes to woo the movies back home.

Oscar winner Denzel Washington might be making a foray into series television.

Walmart Stores Inc posted better-than-expected earnings on cost cuts, and forecast full year earnings that could beat Wall Street estimates, sending its shares up 1.6 percent.

The euro hit a one-week high against the dollar on Thursday after the euro zone's two biggest economies posted surprise returns to growth in the second quarter, helping drag the dollar lower.

The global oil and gas sector has seen a flurry of consolidation in recent weeks, as companies look to snap up assets before an economic recovery sends prices higher.