MARKETS / FINANCE

South African President Jacob Zuma on Saturday accused striking state workers of abandoning the sick at hospitals and said he expected a deal to be reached soon to end the labour action by about 1.3 million.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Friday the economic recovery has weakened more than expected and the Fed stands ready to act if needed to spur slowing growth.

Clearwire Corp said on Friday that it is planning a pay-as-you-go service, representing a new customer segment for the high-speed wireless service provider.

U.S. economic growth was revised down to a sluggish 1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, pointing to an even softer performance in the third quarter.

A Manhattan federal judge refused to dismiss shareholder lawsuits against Bank of America Corp and various executives and directors over the purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co during the 2008 financial crisis and disclosures about Merrill's losses and bonus payouts.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Friday the economic recovery has weakened more than expected and the Fed stands ready to act if needed to spur slowing growth.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Friday the economic recovery has weakened more than expected and the Fed stands ready to act if needed to spur slowing growth.

The economic recovery was weaker than originally estimated in the second quarter and analysts have now revised forecasts for third quarter growth down also.

U.S. economic growth was revised down on Friday to a 1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, pointing to an even softer performance in the third quarter.

The top share index rose 0.9 percent on Friday, lifted by telecoms, and ended two straight weeks of losses, though trading was thin as investors remained wary of the United States slipping back into recession.

Former longtime AIG chief Maurice Hank Greenberg and another former executive will get $60 million from the company's insurers to cover legal and other costs as part of a proposed settlement of investor lawsuits, court papers show.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Friday the economic recovery has softened more than expected and the Fed is ready to take further steps if needed to spur the stumbling economy.

South Africa's largest union threatened Friday to bring gold and platinum mining and other industries to a halt next week in a strike to support a stoppage by 1.3 million state workers.

U.S. economic growth was revised down to a sluggish 1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, dampened by the largest increase in imports in 26 years, the government said on Friday.

U.S. economic growth slowed more sharply than initially thought in the second quarter, held back by the largest increase in imports in 26 years, a government report showed on Friday.

Economic growth was revised down Friday to a 1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, pointing to an even softer performance in the third quarter.

U.S. consumer sentiment pulled back in late August from earlier in the month but still improved from late July in the face of dismal labor and housing conditions, a private survey released on Friday showed.

Britain's economy grew at its fastest pace for nine years in the second quarter, an unexpected revision to official data showed on Friday, but economists said a sharp slowdown was still on the cards.

The U.S. economy hit a soft patch in the second quarter but is not likely to fall back into recession and will pick up speed in the first half of 2011, St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said on Friday.

The top share index was up by midday on Friday, off a seven-week low earlier this week, after the UK's second-quarter gross domestic product was unexpectedly revised upwards and ahead of a speech from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

U.S. economic growth slowed more sharply than initially thought in the second quarter, held back by the largest increase in imports in 26 years.

American International Group Inc has scrapped plans to sell a strategic stake in its Asian life insurance business, AIA, ahead of its initial public offering, a source familiar with the process said on Friday.

Japan's prime minister said on Friday he will take firm measures on currencies when needed and will meet the Bank of Japan governor, increasing the possibility the central bank will ease policy soon as it confronts a surging yen.

Economic growth was revised down to a sluggish 1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, dampened by the largest increase in imports in 26 years, the government said on Friday.

Britain's economy grew faster than originally thought in the second quarter of the year, with growth hitting a nine-year high, official data showed on Friday, but analysts doubt the pace of recovery can be sustained.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will have to address a number of pressing issues in a speech on Friday as investors search for more clarity on how close the U.S. central bank might be to another asset-buying spree to support the flagging recovery.

The top share index fell marginally early on Friday, as investors waited on the sidelines ahead of the second release of second-quarter GDP and a major speech by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

U.S. economic growth likely was much weaker than initially thought between April and June, hurt by surging imports and as rebuilding of business inventories softened, a government report is expected to show on Friday.

Australia's opposition leader denied on Friday he was manoeuvring to force the country back to the ballot box after a weekend election delivered a hung parliament, with independents holding the balance of power.