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Blockbuster tests pricing, new formats for stores

No. 1 U.S. movie rental chain Blockbuster Inc said on Thursday it was testing pricing for its rental formats and will experiment with store layouts to add downloading stations, books or beverages in a bid to shore up its customer base.

EU presses U.S. to change Internet gambling law

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The United States must change an Internet gambling law that discriminates against European companies by preventing them from offering services in the U.S. market, the European Union's top trade official said on Thursday.

BHP's Rio offer may spark $170 billion bid war

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Rio Tinto Ltd/Plc's rejection of a $140 billion all-share offer from BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc is likely to trigger rival bids from resource companies awash with cash from record commodity and stock prices.
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Wachovia, Capital One say credit conditions worsen

Wachovia Corp said on Friday it suffered a $1.1 billion loss on subprime mortgage-related debt in October, while Capital One Financial Corp said more customers are having trouble paying their bills as the U.S. credit crisis deepened.
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Merck settles Vioxx claims for $4.85 billion

Merck & Co has agreed to pay $4.85 billion to settle U.S. claims of heart attacks and strokes allegedly linked to its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx, the drugmaker said on Friday.
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Barclays rejects talk it faces $10 bln writedown

British bank Barclays Plc categorically denied rumors it was about to announce a $10 billion writedown and see its top management quit, after the market talk sent its shares tumbling over 9 percent. There is absolutely no substance to those rumors, a spokesman for Britain's third biggest bank said when asked about a possible $10 billion writedown.
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Eli Lilly plans more drug development in China

U.S. pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly & Co, maker of antidepressant Prozac and erectile dysfunction drug Cialis, said on Thursday it plans to develop more drugs in China because of lower costs and an ample pool of talent.
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Subprime woe, investor law hurt Japan risk appetite

Japanese investors held onto their cash instead of piling more into investment trusts in October, data showed on Thursday, a sign that the U.S. mortgage mess and ensuing market turmoil may be hurting their appetite for risk.
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AXA 9-month sales rise, signs of Q3 slowdown

AXA, Europe's second- biggest insurer, reported a 22.3 percent rise in nine-month group revenue that was boosted by higher sales in countries such as Britain and the United States. Total sales rose to 71.652 billion euros ($105.1 billion).
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BNP Paribas Q3 profit rises, cautious on outlook

BNP Paribas, France's biggest listed bank, reported a 21 percent rise in third-quarter net profit, in sharp contrast to the slump in earnings of many major banks following the global credit crisis.
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Marsh & McLennan misses view, net soars on Putnam

Marsh & McLennan Cos, one of the world's largest insurance brokers, said on Thursday quarterly profit soared eleven-fold from a sale of its Putnam Investments unit, but operating earnings missed forecasts.
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Retailers post weak October sales

Most retail chains suffered through a dismal, record-warm October, with leader Wal-Mart Stores Inc falling short of Wall Street same-store sales estimates and the apparel sector continuing to struggle.
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Bernanke: Economy resilient, strains persist

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Thursday the U.S. economy has been resilient in the face of credit market strains but it faces risks on both the growth and inflation fronts. he added that sharp increases in the prices of crude oil have put upward pressure on inflation and may impose further restraint on economic activity
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Countrywide lead director should quit, group says

A pension fund group has demanded that Harley Snyder resign as Countrywide Financial Corp's lead director and compensation committee chairman, saying he lacks the independence to make the largest U.S. mortgage lender's board accountable to shareholders.
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Jobless claims fell by 13,000 last week

New applications for jobless aid fell unexpectedly last week, dropping by 13,000, but a more reliable moving average of these claims rose to the highest level in six months, government data on Thursday showed.
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Global shares pressured by fresh credit fears

World stocks hit a two-week low on Thursday while the dollar remained vulnerable near the previous day's record lows as Wall Street tumbled on a fresh series of negative news on the U.S. mortgage and financial industry.
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Dollar teeters near record lows

The dollar teetered close to its all-time lows against the euro on Thursday as the market waited to see whether the European Central Bank would voice concern about the sharp rally in the single currency.
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Oil resumes march to $100

Oil recouped early losses to resume its march towards the $100-milestone on Thursday as resurfacing worries of tight winter supplies and continuing dollar weakness put the brakes on some early profit-taking.
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OPEC calls for tighter regulation of oil market

OPEC's secretary-general called on Thursday for tighter regulation of oil markets to reduce the speculative investment the exporter group blames for driving prices to nearly $100 a barrel.

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