IBT Staff Reporter

Small business payrolls grew at a slower rate in January and wages fell, an independent survey showed on Monday, suggesting the pace of overall job growth moderated after December's sturdy gain.

Canon Inc posted a 14 percent rise in quarterly operating profit on Monday, as it battled the impact of a strong yen and floods in Thailand with cost cuts and increased automation.

Canon Inc forecast weaker-than-expected earnings growth for 2012, citing worries over a slowing global economy and a strong yen that are likely to weigh on the export-dependent camera and printer maker's profits.

Taiwanese chipmaker Nanya Technology Corp denied on Monday any intention to join a possible tie-up between Japanese rival Elpida Memory Inc and Micron Technology, but its shares soared on hopes for consolidation in the struggling industry.

According to the Sunday Mirror, all members of the band - Melanie C, Melanie B, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton - except Posh are ready to participate in the gig.

Asian shares inched down and the euro fell from its highest in more than six weeks Monday, as markets cautiously tuned in to a likely debt swap deal for Greece that is crucial to avoiding a messy default and eyed yet another European summit meeting.

Free Syrian Army fighting President Assad's forces withdraw from eastern suburbs of Damascus after two days of fighting.

Citigroup's chairman, Richard Parsons, is considering giving up the position to focus on other interests, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the situation.

China will make Shanghai the global centre of yuan trading, clearing and pricing by 2015, according to a specific state plan laying out the city's future as an international financial centre.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao said the nation's government debt is at an overall safe and controllable level, that funding for key projects would be ensured and that applying the brakes to the problem would be done in a way to avoid systemic risks.

Swiss engineering company ABB was near an agreement on Sunday to acquire U.S. manufacturer Thomas & Betts Corp for about $4 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Italian insurer Unipol said on Sunday it has agreed a four-way merger plan to rescue insurance company Fondiaria-SAI with its parent company Premafin .

EU leaders will sign off on a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone at a summit on Monday and are expected to agree on a balanced budget rule in national legislation, with unresolved problems in Greece casting a shadow on the discussions.

Regulators in Britain and Switzerland may take steps against bank UBS for shortfalls in oversight that allowed an alleged rogue trader to run up a huge loss, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson on Friday urged Grammy organizers to reinstate 31 ethnic and minority musical categories that have been cut from the music industry's top awards.

Survival story The Grey starring Liam Neeson in a battle against weather and wolves led the box office pack with a better-than-expected $20 million in ticket sales over the weekend.

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists' national board approved a merger proposal with the Screen Actors Guild on Saturday.

The Artist director Michel Hazanavicius was named the year's best feature film director by the Directors Guild of America on Saturday, further positioning the silent movie-era romance as a frontrunner for Oscars.

Delivery trucks wear out, computers break down, software becomes outdated -- and finally businesses have to start investing in new equipment. Companies that want to remain competitive have to start spending again as an economy slowly recovers.

Ian Ambercrombie, the classically trained British stage actor best known to American TV audiences as Elaine Benes' nutty boss Mr. Pitt on Seinfeld, died of a heart attack Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 77.

After months of talking and weeks of voting, Hollywood's actors finally name their picks for the best performances in the films and TV shows of 2011 at the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday.

Delivery trucks wear out, computers break down, software becomes outdated -- and finally businesses have to start investing in new equipment. Companies that want to remain competitive have to start spending again as an economy slowly recovers.

* CEO could theoretically get 8 mln stg bonus

Swiss engineering giant ABB Ltd was near an agreement Sunday to acquire U.S. manufacturer Thomas & Betts Corp for about $4 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Website Sunday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

In the age of Twitter and Facebook, many Super Bowl viewers will use the commercial breaks to go online and see what people are saying about the game. This year, advertisers want them to tweet about their favorite commercials as well.

Top Republican lawmakers on Sunday said they expect to forge a deal with Democrats to extend the payroll tax cut before it expires at the end of February but offered no specifics on how they would pay for it.

Top Republican lawmakers on Sunday said they expect to forge a deal with Democrats to extend the payroll tax cut before it expires at the end of February but offered no specifics on how they would pay for it.

Greece must surrender control of its budget policy to outside institutions if it cannot implement reforms attached to euro zone rescue measures, the German economy minister was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Chancellor Angela Merkel tried to deflect growing international pressure on Germany to agree an increase in the euro zone's bailout funds Sunday by saying talks were still continuing.