IBT Staff Reporter

Cornerstone investors and a government keen on cutting pollution may not be enough to ensure a smooth ride for two Chinese clean-tech firms looking to raise nearly $1 billion in total through IPOs in Hong Kong, given the underperformance of listed peers.

Tokyo Electric Power Co <9501.T> plans an additional 100 billion yen ($1.3 billion) in cost cuts and is considering selling thermal power plants to help cover compensation and cleanup costs at its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

Stock index futures rose on Wednesday as optimism continued to grow that European Union leaders would craft bold measures to combat the region's debt crisis at a summit this week.

The Shanghai municipal government unveiled a plan on Wednesday that will create incentives for foreign private equity and venture capital funds to invest in early-stage technology companies in the city.

For most of her campaign, Michele Bachmann has made more headlines for her gaffes than for her platform, and her popularity has fallen as a result. But moving past the YouTube clips and headlines, what are the Minnesota congresswoman's political positions?

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for equities on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 up 0.6-0.8 percent.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for equities on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 up 0.6-0.8 percent.

Olympus Corp's board signaled plans to quit over a $1.7 billion accounting fraud, but will likely pick a team of potential successors, triggering a battle for control of the Japanese firm with the former CEO who blew the whistle on the scandal.

Growing optimism that euro zone leaders are on track to produce a confidence-boosting package of measures to solve the debt crisis at Friday's summit lifted risk appetite on Wednesday, with the euro and global equity markets posting gains.

U.S. department store chain J.C. Penney Co Inc is to buy a 16.6 percent stake in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc for $38.5 million, the New York Times said, citing people briefed on the matter.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner meets French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Wednesday to press for decisive steps towards resolving Europe's deepening debt crisis as the region's leaders prepare for a crucial summit this week.

Ten years ago, foreign insurers were lining up to celebrate China's entry into the World Trade Organization, eager to tap what was certain to become the world's next big insurance frontier.

Just hours after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left Myanmar last week, property prices began to soar.

China's annual rate of export growth slowed in November versus October, Vice Commerce Minister Chong Quan said on Wednesday, confirming market expectations that deteriorating external conditions are dragging on the world's No. 2 economy.

General Motors Co is closing in on a package of proposed fixes for the Chevrolet Volt battery pack that engineers believe would eliminate the risk of a fire being triggered days after a crash, two people with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday.

HTC Corp has no plans for now to change its fourth-quarter sales guidance, as shares in the world's No.4 smartphone maker tumbled nearly 7 percent on Wednesday on worries that a 30 percent drop in monthly sales may point to worse times ahead.

The entire board of Japan's Olympus Corp signaled its plans to quit, maybe as early as February, over a $1.7 billion accounting fraud, and set up an outside committee to advise whether to sue those responsible for the scandal.

China's annual rate of export growth slowed in November versus October, vice commerce minister Chong Quan told reporters on Wednesday, confirming market expectations that deteriorating external conditions are dragging on the world's No. 2 economy.

China's annual rate of export growth slowed in November versus October, vice commerce minister Chong Quan told reporters on Wednesday, confirming market expectations that deteriorating external conditions are dragging on the world's No. 2 economy.

Over 100 U.S. aerospace and defense industry executives are urging Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to hold off on proposed changes to Pentagon contracts with industry, warning they would dampen competition, raise costs and lead to further layoffs at a difficult time.

Asian shares and the euro gained on Wednesday on hopes that the threat of mass credit rating downgrades will pressure European leaders to come up with a convincing framework for resolving the euro zone debt crisis at a crucial summit later this week.

China's annual rate of export growth slowed in November versus October, vice commerce minister Chong Quan told reporters on Wednesday after an official media briefing.

Japan's scandal-ridden Olympus Corp decided on Wednesday to set up an outside panel to advise on whether it should take legal action or make criminal complaints against those who cooked the firm's books, Kyodo news agency said.

General Motors Co is closing in on a package of proposed fixes for the Chevrolet Volt battery pack that engineers believe would eliminate the risk of a fire being triggered days after a crash, two people with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday.

Disgraced Olympus Corp decided on Wednesday to set up a special committee to consider possible legal measures, such as criminal charges and civil suits, against those responsible for hiding investment losses dating back to the 1990s, Kyodo news agency reported.

Sales of Nintendo Co Ltd's 3DS games device will hit 3 million units in the Japanese market within days, but consumers in the U.S. and Europe seem to be delaying their holiday season shopping due to poor economic conditions, the company said.

Ford Motor Co has begun considering successors for Alan Mulally, the chief executive credited with turning around the No. 2 U.S. automaker over the past five years, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Airlines will avert a shortfall in aircraft financing next year by relying increasingly on capital markets and alternative sources as pressure grows on European banks, Boeing Co forecast.

Security software maker McAfee laid off about 250 workers, equivalent to 3 percent of its workforce, in a bid to focus on core businesses and improve efficiency in a market led by rival Symantec.