IBT Staff Reporter

European shares fell and the euro eased to a 3-week low on Thursday as a delay in a decision on a crucial bailout for Greece unnerved investors and prompted a pause in the market rally that has marked the start of 2012.

The government stuck to its assessment that Japan's economy is slowly picking up on Thursday and raised its view on consumer spending for the first time in six months, after a resumption of subsidies for fuel-efficient cars boosted sales.

China's ministry of commerce has approved a project that allows the British oil giant to have a presence in block 43/11, a gas field in the South China Sea, the China Daily reported quoting Chen Liming, head of BP China.

Bruce Beresford-Redman, the former producer of Survivor accused of killing his wife during a family vacation in Cancun, Mexico, will stand trial in that country, Los Angeles station KNBC TV reports.

Los Angeles County officials who were widely ridiculed over mistaken reports that they had imposed a $1,000 fine for throwing Frisbees and footballs on the beach now want to dispatch with the misunderstood rules entirely.

The makers of TV comedy Two and a Half Men have told Charlie Sheen to stop using their photos to promote his upcoming new show Anger Management, industry sources said on Wednesday.

Societe Generale , France's second-biggest listed bank, said on Thursday quarterly profit slumped by a worse-than-expected 88.6 percent, hit by toxic assets at its investment bank and further write-downs on its Greek sovereign debt.

Wikileaks comes to Springfield as controversial figure Julian Assange joins the cast of The Simpsons for their milestone 500th episode on Sunday, which will see America's famous animated family being banished from their hometown.

Asian shares fell and the euro slipped to a 3-week low on Thursday as another delay in cementing a crucial bailout for Greece underscored how far Europe is from resolving a debt crisis that threatens the stability of the financial system.

President Obama took the stage at television producer Bradley Bell's house Wednesday, telling about 1,000 supporters that the economy is rebounding and that when he took office, we didn't realize how profound the nature of the crisis was.

President Barack Obama traveled to California on Wednesday for the first time since anti-piracy legislation pitting Hollywood against the tech sector got derailed, ramping up his election-year fundraising with events courting both dueling industries.

Addressing a gathering of U.S. business leaders, policymakers and academics in Washington, Chinese vice-president Xi Jinpin said that more balanced economic ties are needed for the crucial task of addressing the trade imbalance between the two major economies.

Yahoo Inc's efforts to craft a complex $17 billion asset swap with its Asian partners stumbled over how to value Taobao, the fast-growing online retail business owned by China's Alibaba Group, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Retailers in more Chinese cities have been told by authorities to take the popular iPad tablet PCs off their shelves this week, media reports said on Thursday, due to a legal battle between a Chinese technology firm and Apple Inc over trademark issues.

Chinese e-commerce group Alibaba may take its Hong Kong-listed unit Alibaba.com Ltd private at about the price of its 2007 initial public offering for about HK$18 billion ($2.3 billion), the Hong Kong Economic Times reported on Thursday, citing sources.

Chinese e-commerce group Alibaba may take its Hong Kong-listed unit Alibaba.com Ltd private at about the price of its 2007 initial public offering for about HK$18 billion ($2.3 billion), the Hong Kong Economic Times reported on Thursday, citing sources.

Three former executives of Japan's disgraced Olympus Corp were arrested on Thursday over their role in a $1.7 billion accounting fraud at the maker of medical equipment and cameras, Japanese media reported.

Three former executives of Japan's disgraced Olympus Corp were arrested on Thursday over their role in a $1.7 billion accounting fraud at the maker of medical equipment and cameras, Japanese media reported.

Nvidia Corp warned that delays in ramping up new manufacturing technology are affecting sales of its PC graphics chips and that smartphone chip-customer Samsung Electronics has become a rival.

Clearwire Corp said its 2012 revenue may fall, or at best remain at 2011 levels, as it faces increased competition at its biggest customer, Sprint Nextel , sending its shares down nearly 9 percent in after hours trade.

Three former executives of Japan's disgraced Olympus Corp face possible arrest this week over their role in a $1.7 billion accounting fraud at the maker of medical equipment and cameras, Japanese media said on Thursday.

Nvidia Corp warned that delays in ramping up new manufacturing technology and a struggling PC industry are impacting its business; the chipmaker also scaled back its outlook for growth in its smartphone and tablet business.

Apple Inc has asked a bankruptcy court for permission to sue Eastman Kodak, accusing it of infringing its patents.

Three former executives of Japan's disgraced Olympus Corp face possible arrest this week over their role in a $1.7 billion accounting fraud at the maker of medical equipment and cameras, Japanese media said on Thursday.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc's turnaround appears to be gaining traction as simple strategies like undercutting competitors by a penny on a gallon of milk are helping to restore its image as the go-to retailer for budget-conscious Americans.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Wednesday he will step down in June and Washington pledged to name a replacement candidate within weeks for a job that has always gone to an American.

Data storage equipment maker NetApp Inc reported results in line with Wall Street projections, news that sent its shares surging nearly 8 percent in relief after disappointing results in past quarters.

Clearwire Corp said its 2012 revenue may fall, or at best remain at 2011 levels, as it faces increased competition at its biggest customer Sprint Nextel, sending its shares down more than 5 percent in late trade.

Nvidia Corp's forecast for first-quarter revenue fell short of Wall Street expectations as the chipmaker wrestles with a tepid personal computer market and more competition in smartphones and tablets, sending its shares down sharply after hours.