IBT Staff Reporter

Spanish borrowing costs fell at an auction on Thursday despite a grim economic backdrop that has pushed the government to step up its drive for leeway from Brussels on its difficult debt cutting targets.

China's top official in Tibet has urged authorities to tighten their grip on the Internet and mobile phones, state media reported on Thursday, reflecting the government's fears about unrest ahead of its annual parliamentary session.

Euro zone finance ministers will run the rule over Greece's accounts again on Thursday but aren't ready to sign off yet on a second, 130-billion-euro bailout program.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits edged down last week, holding near four-year lows, according to a government report on Thursday that suggested the labor market was gaining momentum.

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said on Thursday that data protection agencies in countries across the European Union had come to the conclusion that Google's new privacy policy was in breach of EU law.

Some two decades ago, Brian Moynihan's younger brother Patrick came to him for advice. Patrick who had been a trader wanted to move to Africa to work as a missionary.

Stock index futures edged higher on Thursday after Wall Street finished February with healthy gains as investors looked ahead to economic data that could reinforce recent signs of improved growth.

New factory orders for Asia's manufacturing powerhouses perked up in February, easing some concerns about the global economic slowdown, purchasing managers indexes showed on Thursday.

Clothes and accessories company Kenneth Cole Productions Inc , which is considering a takeover offer from its founder American clothing designer Kenneth Cole, posted a quarterly profit compared with a year-ago loss, helped by a rise in wholesale revenues.

Victoria's Secret parent Limited Brands Inc reported a large sales gain for February, leading a charge of retailers that benefited from rising consumer confidence to beat Wall Street forecasts.

Stock index futures edged higher on Thursday as investors looked ahead to economic data that could reinforce recent signs of improved growth after Wall Street finished February with healthy gains.

Euro zone joblessness rose to a new euro-era high while inflation was largely steady at the start of 2012, data showed on Thursday, leaving the European Central Bank to juggle the demands of a slowing economy and only mild pressure on prices.

Greek manufacturing shrank at its fastest rate in at least thirteen years in February as production and new orders declined at record rates, driving the sector deeper into recession and forcing firms to shed more jobs, a survey showed on Thursday.

Stock index futures pointed to a steady open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones staying flat and the Nasdaq 100 futures rising 0.1 percent.

China's factories grew more than expected in February as new export orders for big firms bounced back, a government survey showed, while a private-sector report portrayed a different picture of smaller companies lagging behind the rebound.

Bank of America Corp. is planning to introduce a monthly fee for its customers holding checking accounts unless they agree to bank online, buy more products or maintain certain balances, the Wall Street Journal said.

The economy grew slightly faster than initially thought in the fourth quarter and a gauge of factory activity in the Midwest hit a 10 month-high in February, pointing to underlying strength in the economy.

Workers at an electrical products factory in eastern China received a pleasant shock when they returned to their jobs after the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays.

Ireland may need to make further changes to its budget this year if the economy continues to deteriorate, the European Commission said on Wednesday in a draft of a report obtained by Reuters.

U.S. auto sales for February are expected to post a modest rise from year-earlier levels, as the industry continues its gradual recovery thanks to a rise in consumer confidence and the need to replace aging cars and trucks.

Facebook has unveiled new ways for businesses to reach its 845 million users directly across all devices, including mobile, as it races toward a multibillion dollar IPO.

LightSquared, the beleaguered telecom startup founded by hedge fund manager Philip Falcone, is considering hiring telecommunications veteran Timothy Donahue as chief executive officer, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday offered a tempered view of the U.S. economy, pouring cold water on the notion recent upbeat signs herald a stronger recovery.

U.S. prosecutors are investigating David Loeb, a managing director of Goldman Sachs Group Inc, as part of an insider-trading probe focusing on the company's hedge-fund clients, a person familiar with the case said on Wednesday.

General Motors Co and PSA Peugeot Citroen will form a global alliance targeting a cut in annual costs of at least $2 billion without plant closings or job cuts in Europe.

Stocks slipped on Wednesday, snapping a four-day winning streak after comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke disappointed investors hoping for a strong signal of more stimulus.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is spending millions of dollars on consultants to streamline the agency, but SEC insiders and at least one lawmaker are questioning whether the SEC is getting its money's worth.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday offered a tempered view of the U.S. economy, pouring cold water on the notion that recent upbeat signs herald a stronger recovery.

Stocks dipped on Wednesday, snapping a four-day winning streak after comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke disappointed investors hoping for a strong signal of more stimulus.