IBT Staff Reporter

Stocks were little changed on Thursday as concerns over rising yields on euro zone debt kept optimism over another round of improved U.S. economic data in check.

Perry Ellis International Inc posted a quarterly profit that missed Wall Street expectations, as the apparel maker was hurt by increased promotions that led to higher discounts.

U.S. housing starts fell less than expected in October as a drop in groundbreaking for multi-family units narrowly outweighed more new construction of single family homes.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a seven-month low last week, a government report showed on Thursday, suggesting the labor market was gaining some traction.

As winter draws in across Canada's northern Yukon territory, big mining companies are prospecting for bargains among the army of junior explorers staking claims in what's shaping up as the region's second big gold rush.

As he wraps up his Asia-Pacific tour, President Barack Obama will showcase a $21.7 billion deal Boeing has struck with Indonesia's largest domestic airline, Lion Air, the White House said.

The Canadian dollar eased for a fourth straight day against the Canadian dollar on Thursday as surging yields at a Spanish bond auction stoked fears about contagion of the euro zone's debt problems.

Brazil is launching a top-level drive to expand its economic ties with Africa, a sign of how crises in the rich world are pushing faster-growing emerging economies to trade and invest among themselves.

Toronto's main stock market index closed lower on Wednesday as a new wave of fears about Europe's debt crisis hurt miners and banking shares, offsetting gains in the oil and gas sector.

Stocks fell on Thursday as concerns over rising yields on euro zone debt outweighed another round of improved U.S. economic data.

Sergio Ermotti, the suave new boss of UBS AG , could signal the Swiss bank's return to dividend payments later on Thursday as part of plans to slash risky investment banking and re-focus on the core business of managing the assets of the world's wealthy.

Americans plan this year to go shopping in greater numbers on Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year and unofficial kick-off the holiday spending season.

Two days after the New York Police Department tore down the Occupy Wall Street encampment in Zuccotti Park, protesters marked the two-month anniversary of their movement by taking to the streets around the New York Stock Exchange in Lower Manhattan.

Stock index futures were set to open little changed on Thursday as investors balanced another round of improved U.S. economic data with concerns over rising yields on Eurozone debt.

Spain and France faced sharply higher borrowing costs on Thursday, struggling with bond auctions that highlighted the threat of larger euro zone economies succumbing to the debt crisis that began in Greece and is now threatening Italy.

Stock index futures were set to open little changed on Thursday as investors balanced another round of improved U.S. economic data with concerns over rising yields on euro zone debt.

India's civil aviation minister ruled out a public bailout for India's Kingfisher Airlines or any other airline, urging private airlines in India to put their own house in order.

In a sign of the strain the Canadian government is feeling over development of the tar sands, Environment Minister Peter Kent said on Wednesday that opposition legislators who campaigned in Washington against the idea were treacherous.

Sears Holdings Corp's quarterly loss almost doubled as weak demand for gadgets and a reputation for run-down locations hurt sales at the operator of Sears department stores and the Kmart discount chain.

About 500 Occupy Wall Street protesters marched from a New York park on Thursday to the stock exchange for a protest that the movement against economic inequality hoped would attract tens of thousands of people.

Retired U.S. Admiral William Fallon has spent the past year working to turn around a high-tech start-up that sells software that helps government agencies and businesses fight sophisticated cyber attacks.

Stock index futures fell on Thursday after a late selloff in the prior session as investors kept a close eye on rising yields of euro zone debt.

About 500 Occupy Wall Street protesters marched from a New York park on Thursday to the stock exchange for a protest that the movement against economic inequality hoped would attract tens of thousands of people.

Stock index futures fell on Thursday after a late selloff in the prior session as investors kept a close eye on rising yields of euro zone debt.

The British government has agreed to sell Northern Rock, the failed mortgage lender it nationalized in 2008, to Virgin Money, the banking arm of Richard Branson's Virgin empire.

The British government has agreed to sell Northern Rock, the failed mortgage lender it nationalized in 2008, to Virgin Money, the banking arm of Richard Branson's Virgin empire.

Stock index futures pointed to a steady-to-lower open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 flat, Dow Jones futures down 0.04 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.15 percent at 1055 GMT.

Spain and France struggled with government bond auctions on Thursday, throwing into sharp relief the threat of larger euro zone economies succumbing to the debt crisis that began in Greece and is already lapping at Italy's shores.

Dutch grocer Ahold beat forecasts with a 5 percent rise in third-quarter profit as it gained market share and managed to pass on higher food costs to cash-strapped shoppers in its main U.S. business.