MARKETS / FINANCE

Brent crude dipped on Thursday in Asian trade after five straight days of gains, slipping below $122 a barrel on concern that rising prices will hurt demand from the world's top oil consumers the United States and China.

Dish Network Corp won Blockbuster Inc in a bankruptcy auction for $320 million, further broadening its business beyond satellite TV and setting up a possible showdown with Netflix.

President Barack Obama and top lawmakers said progress was made in urgent budget talks on Wednesday night and that negotiators would work through the night to try to avert a government shutdown.

Portugal's financial sector can expect some relief after the caretaker government decided to seek financial aid after months of what many economists said was a refusal to acknowledge economic reality.

Oil prices will soar above $130 a barrel by late 2011, a new Reuters poll found, and one in five traders said they expected oil to hit $150 this year, levels some economists say could trigger recession.

President Barack Obama held an urgent round of budget talks with U.S. congressional leaders on Wednesday evening to try to avert a government shutdown.

President Barack Obama asked U.S. congressional leaders from both parties to the White House on Wednesday for an urgent round of budget talks to avert a government shutdown.

Chemicals giant DuPont sued a California company on Wednesday, alleging it sold proprietary information on a lucrative line of specialty paint to Chinese rivals.

NYSE Euronext believes that any kind of merger with Nasdaq OMX -- whether the Big Board were the buyer or the seller -- makes little strategic sense, and antitrust regulators would block it, according to a source close to the company.

Portugal's caretaker government said on Wednesday it needs financing from the European Union, marking a turnaround after resisting asking for aid for months despite sharply deteriorating financial conditions.

The S&P 500 inched forward on relatively light volume on Wednesday, with investors adding selectively to winning positions, this time in technology, avoiding large bets ahead of earnings.

Many eyebrows were raised in the first leg of the quarter final between Chelsea and Manchester United when Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti substituted the effective Drogba for the out of sorts Torres.

Portugal's caretaker government said on Wednesday it had decided to seek financing from the European Union in an abrupt turnaround after resisting a bailout for months despite sharply deteriorating financial conditions.

An NYSE Euronext merger with Nasdaq OMX makes little strategic sense whether the Big Board were the buyer or the seller, and antitrust regulators would likely block it, according to a source close to NYSE.

Technology stocks led Wall Street slightly higher on Wednesday after comments from Cisco's chief executive bolstered optimism about the networking giant.

The S&P 500 index inched upward on relatively light volume on Wednesday, with investors adding to winning positions in technology stocks, but avoiding large bets ahead of corporate earnings due next week.

Technology stocks led Wall Street slightly higher on Wednesday after comments from Cisco's chief executive bolstered optimism about the networking giant.

U.S. congressional leaders saw signs of hope on Wednesday for a budget deal that would cut billions of dollars in spending in time to prevent a government shutdown.

(Corrects quote in paragraph 8)NEW YORK - Technology stocks led Wall Street slightly higher on Wednesday after comments from Cisco's chief executive bolstered optimism about the networking giant.

Warren Buffett should be directly responding to the unprecedented criticism he is facing over the behavior of his one-time heir apparent, but experts fear he is being hampered by a lack of corporate management or board depth.

Portugal's caretaker government said on Wednesday it had decided to seek financing from the European Union in an abrupt turnaround after resisting a bailout for months despite sharply deteriorating financial conditions.

As the U.S. government moves to the brink of a shutdown with budget talks stalled, taxpayers should remember one thing as tax day nears: tax collection may be considered essential.

Portugal's caretaker government said on Wednesday it needs financing from the European Union, marking a turnaround after resisting asking for aid for months despite sharply deteriorating financial conditions.

American Apparel denied a report by a private equity and deals news website that the clothing chain was looking for a buyer.

The S&P 500 paused near a seven-week high on low volume on Wednesday before the start of earnings reports next week, which investors hoped would provide the catalyst for stocks to advance.

Deutsche Boerse has no plans to raise its $10.2 billion bid for NYSE Euronext , confident the benefits of its deal will trump a higher offer from rival U.S. exchanges, a source familiar with the deal said.

President Barack Obama's late entry into a budget battle that could shut the government marks an attempt both to play dealmaker and avoid blame if Republicans and Democrats fail to forge agreement in time.

Portugal's caretaker government, fighting to avoid a bailout, said on Wednesday a political crisis had caused irreparable damage after borrowing costs rocketed as it sold a billion euros in short-term debt.

Congressional negotiators on Wednesday raced against a looming deadline to craft a budget deal that would cut billions of dollars in spending and keep the government operating beyond Friday.