IBT Staff Reporter

Counting container ships plying the high seas and air cargo takeoffs is one way to track the outlook for the global economy. Both measures point to weak growth in the months ahead but no severe storms.

Counting container ships plying the high seas and air cargo takeoffs is one way to track the outlook for the global economy. Both measures point to weak growth in the months ahead but no severe storms.

Canada's famously conservative banks, hit last week by a high profile downgrade, may still be the least bad option for Canadian investors in what could be another ugly year for stock markets.

Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic edged out Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 6-7 7-6 7-6 in a nerve-jangling Chennai Open final Sunday to win his second ATP title.

Singer Beyonce has given birth to a baby girl in New York, local media reported on Sunday.

Novartis's consumer health unit will take a $120 million hit in the fourth quarter after the Swiss drugmaker decided to voluntarily recall some products in the United States and move to improve quality standards at manufacturing sites.

Alcoa Inc. shares could rise by as much as 30 percent in 2012 as weak aluminum prices may have bottomed while demand for the metal remains strong, financial weekly Barron's reported on Sunday.

Alcoa Inc shares could rise by as much as 30 percent in 2012 as weak aluminum prices may have bottomed while demand for the metal remains strong, financial weekly Barron's reported on Sunday.

Hungary is willing to discuss any issues at talks with the International Monetary Fund from which it wants to secure a funding deal, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday.

China's banks ratcheted up lending in the last month of 2011 on the back of stronger money supply, reinforcing perceptions that the central bank is gently easing policy to cushion the impact of the global economic slowdown.

The Khartoum stock exchange on Sunday launched a long-awaited computer trading system that will bring to an end an era of scribbling stock prices on white boards and also marks Sudan's efforts to attract more investment.

U.S. authorities have given Swiss banks suspected of selling tax-evasion services to wealthy Americans a Jan 23. deadline to hand over the names of client advisers, a Swiss newspaper reported on Sunday.

U.S. authorities have given Swiss banks suspected of selling tax evasion services to wealthy Americans a Jan 23. deadline to hand over the names of client advisers, a Swiss newspaper reported on Sunday.

The head of Europe's bailout fund was reported on Sunday as saying he wants to boost state guarantees on the fund's bonds, although a fund official said no changes had been made to an original plan.

The Nissan Motor Co. and Daimler AG said on Sunday they would produce Mercedes-Benz gasoline engines at Nissan's Tennessee factory for fitting on Mercedes and Infiniti models, beginning in 2014.

Nissan Motor Co and Daimler AG said on Sunday they would produce Mercedes-Benz gasoline engines at Nissan's Tennessee factory from 2014 to be fitted on Mercedes and Infiniti models.

Italy plans gradual liberalizations in sectors ranging from energy to professional services to revive its ailing economy, the country's industry minister said on Sunday, ahead of meetings with European partners to discuss ways to stem the debt crisis.

Italy plans gradual liberalizations in sectors ranging from energy to professional services to revive its ailing economy, the industry minister said on Sunday, ahead of meetings with European partners to discuss ways to stem the debt crisis.

Chinese banks ratcheted up the pace of lending in the last month of 2011 to 640.5 billion yuan ($101.51 billion) from 562.2 billion yuan in November as the central bank eases policy to cushion the domestic impact of the global economic slowdown.

Scandal-tainted Olympus Corp. is considering suing current and former executives for compensation totaling about 90 billion yen ($1.2 billion), while its new president is considering resigning, a source familiar with the matter said.

An Olympus Corp panel plans to recommend the endoscope maker sue current and former executives for more than 90 billion yen ($1.2 billion) in scandal-related damages, and its president, Shuichi Takayama, is expected to resign by the end of the month, media reported on Sunday.

An Olympus Corp panel plans to recommend the endoscope maker sue current and former executives for more than 90 billion yen ($1.2 billion) in scandal-related damages, and its president, Shuichi Takayama, is expected to resign by the end of the month, media reported on Sunday.

Venezuela's oil minister said on Saturday he does not expect a ruling in World Bank arbitration with Exxon Mobil this year, after another tribunal awarded the U.S. major $908 million last week.

Central bank actions work better than tax and spending measures to protect an economy from shocks, even when interest rates are at rock bottom levels, St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said on Saturday.

The World Bank will recommend reforms to China's domestic financial system as part of broader proposals to help wean the country from a dependence on exports to sustain economic growth, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Saturday.

Israel said on Saturday the online publication of thousands of its citizens' credit card details by a hacker who says he is based in Saudi Arabia was comparable to terrorism, and promised to hit back.

A serial killer may be responsible for the slayings of three homeless men in Southern California who were each found stabbed multiple times, police said on Thursday.

For the past year, studios have been flirting with stretching out the delays on when Netflix, Redbox and Blockbuster can rent new releases, but it looks like Warner Bros. is going to be the first to take the plunge.

A German citizen was charged on Wednesday with setting dozens of fires across Los Angeles over the New Year's weekend in a spree an arson investigator said was motivated by a rage against Americans.