IBT Staff Reporter

As China continues to struggle through a major political scandal which has led to the purge of Bo Xilai, formerly one of the country's most visible and respected leaders, Premier Wen Jiabao used the opportunity to warn against corrupt behavior within the Chinese government.

Homebuilder sentiment ebbed in April for the first time in seven months as prospective buyers remained hesitant to pull the trigger, the National Association of Home Builders said on Monday.

Beauty product company Coty Inc, whose $10 billion bid for larger rival Avon Products Inc was rejected earlier this month, reaffirmed its original cash offer of $23.25 per share on Monday.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc Chief Executive Mike Duke earned $18.1 million last year, down from $18.7 million in the previous year, as sales growth at the world's largest retailer fell short of its goals.

Wall Street opened higher on Monday as retail sales in March eased concerns about a slowing economic recovery and Citigroup earnings helped lift bank shares.

Wall Street was poised for a higher open on Monday after the worst weekly drop for the S&P 500 this year as retail sales in March and Citigroup earnings topped expectations.

U.S. retail sales rose solidly in March as Americans shrugged off high gasoline prices and bought a range of goods, implying that economic growth in the first quarter was probably not as weak as many had feared.

Citigroup Inc's first-quarter profit beat Wall Street estimates as expenses fell 7 percent from the 2011 fourth quarter.

Retail sales rose more than expected in March as Americans shrugged off high gasoline prices and bought a range of goods, suggesting that economic growth in the first quarter did not slow as much as many had feared.

WASHINGTON, Apr 16 - Retail sales rose by 0.8% in March and for the third month, 'core' retail showed solid growth. March's gain is some two times larger than expected after February's 1% advance (originally up 1.1%), when the market thought there would be slowed activity after February's accommodative weather had pulled consumption forward.

Citigroup Inc reported lower first-quarter profit on Monday as the bank worked to contain expenses in the face of volatile capital markets.

Beauty product company Coty Inc, whose $10 billion bid for larger rival Avon Products Inc was rejected earlier this month, said it might raise its offer if it was invited to examine the direct seller's books.

Stock index futures advanced on Monday ahead of retail sales data, indicating the S&P 500 may climb after suffering its worst weekly decline of the year.

Fierce debate is growing in Europe over whether austerity or growth offers the best strategy to overcome the continent's sovereign debt crisis. As if it were that simple.

Standing before a crowd of McDonald's Corp shareholders at its headquarters last spring, an unlikely investor prepared for battle.

President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are laying a political trap for Republicans to be sprung on Monday when the U.S. Senate is slated to vote on the proposed Buffett Rule, which would slap a minimum tax on the highest-income Americans.

Danish oil and shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Monday partner and shipowner Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller died on April 16.

Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa said on Monday he was continuing to monitor the risk that Europe's debt woes could affect Japan's banking system, just as renewed fears about the euro zone spooked financial markets.

Samsung Electronics Co <005930.KS> said on Monday it would unveil the third-generation of its flagship smartphone Galaxy S on May 3 in London, banking on a heavy marketing campaign heading into the summer Olympics in the city.

President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are laying a political trap for Republicans to be sprung on Monday when the U.S. Senate is slated to vote on the proposed Buffett Rule, which would slap a minimum tax on the highest-income Americans.

The U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement will enter into force next month, far earlier than expected, as a result of what the Obama administration called historic progress for Colombian worker protections and human rights.

The world's top copper producer, Chile's Codelco bought copper from outside sources earlier this year to meet its deliveries to customers, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

The principles of openness and universal access that underpinned the Internet's creation are facing their greatest-ever threat, the co-founder of Google Sergey Brin said in an interview published by Britain's Guardian newspaper on Monday.

South Korea's central bank on Monday trimmed its forecast for economic growth in Asia's fourth-largest economy this year due to a global downturn and weak domestic demand.

Gu Kailai and Bo Xilai, an elite power couple in China, are at the center of a shocking political scandal involving the death of a British national.

Would you bulletproof a Kia? If you live in Brazil, the answer could very well be yes - to guard against robbers at stop signs in Sao Paulo or traffic jams in Brasilia.

After suffering their worst two weeks of the year, stocks will look to quarterly earnings to determine whether the recent pullback has been exhausted or more losses are justified.

After suffering their worst two weeks of the year, stocks will look to quarterly earnings to determine whether the recent pullback has been exhausted or more losses are justified.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Sunday that a wider yuan trading band could help reduce global trade imbalances if it allows more play for market forces.