UNITED STATES

A U.S. business group said on Monday it was worried that protectionist sentiment could rise in both China and the United States as the global economy shrinks.

Releasing classified memos showing whether harsh Bush-era interrogation methods yielded useful information from terrorism suspects is not necessary, Republican Senator John McCain said on Sunday in a public disagreement with former Vice President Dick Cheney.

The prompt resolution of a 15-year old dispute over access to U.S. roads by Mexican trucks could be another casualty of the deadly swine flu outbreak, international trade experts said on Monday.

Stocks fell on Monday on anxiety that a possible global flu outbreak could derail the economy's efforts to climb out of a recession.

Governments around the world acted to stem a possible flu pandemic on Monday, as a virus that has killed 103 people in Mexico and spread to North America was confirmed to have reached Europe.

General Motors Corp on Monday announced plans to close plants, cut hourly workers and dealers and to eliminate its Pontiac brand in an effort to meet government demands for a quicker and deeper restructuring.

General Motors Corp on Monday announced plans to close plants, cut hourly workers and dealers and to eliminate its Pontiac brand in an effort to meet government demands for a quicker and deeper restructuring.

Oil prices fell nearly 6 percent to below $49 a barrel on Monday, pressured partly by expectations the world economy could suffer another blow if a flu outbreak in Mexico turns out to be the start of a pandemic.

Countries such as the United States can come up with ideas for a U.N. climate pact beyond an April 24 deadline, the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat said on Friday.

California's new low-carbon fuel rules may be a violation of NAFTA and World Trade Organization provisions because they would unfairly limit exports of crude from Canada's oil sands to the state, a prominent Canadian trade lawyer said Friday.

Wall Street looked set for a drop of more than 1 percent at the open on Monday as investors worried that a possible global flu outbreak could throw a wrench into the economy's ability to climb out of a recession.

Humana Inc posted a huge gain in first-quarter profit on improvement in its Medicare health plans for seniors, and the insurer raised its full-year earnings forecast.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has picked private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co as preferred buyer for Oriental Brewery, South Korea's second-biggest beer maker, an OB official said on Monday.

Verizon Communications Inc posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit after a 12 percent increase in revenue, helped by its purchase of smaller rival Alltel and growth in cell phone customers.

Stock futures pointed to a more than 1 percent drop at the open on Monday as investors worried that a possible global flu outbreak could throw a wrench into the economy's ability to climb out of a recession.

Stock index futures traded lower, suggesting a weaker start for Wall Street later on Monday as worries linked to a global swine flu outbreak added to U.S. bank stress-test jitters.

Fears that any tentative green shoots in the global economy could be trampled by a deadly outbreak of swine flu put markets on edge on Monday, after world policymakers said over the weekend that a recovery could begin later this year but plenty of downside risk remained.

U.S. stock index futures traded lower, suggesting a weaker start for Wall Street later on Monday as worries linked to a global swine flu outbreak added to U.S. bank stress-test jitters.

The threat of a pandemic triggered by a new 'flu strain that has killed 103 people in Mexico will provide a windfall for some makers of drugs and vaccines.

U.S. stock index futures traded lower, suggesting a weaker start for Wall Street later on Monday as worries linked to a global swine flu outbreak added to U.S. bank stress-test jitters.

Oil prices fell more than 4 percent toward $49 a barrel on Monday, pressured by fears of a global flu pandemic that could prove another setback for the fragile world economy.