IBT Staff Reporter

Merck & Co said on Thursday it raised its quarterly dividend by 11 percent, or 4 cents a share, to 42 cents a share, and said it expects sales next year to be at or near the 2011 level.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to their lowest since early April and the trade deficit unexpectedly shrank in September, pointing to a slight improvement in the economy.

Watch the amazing synchronized dance of a flock of starlings, captured by chance above River Shannon in Ireland.

Airbus parent EADS pushed back its A350 carbon-fiber jetliner by six months with a 200 million euro ($272 million) charge as it seeks to avoid errors like those that nearly derailed Europe's A380 superjumbo.

Siri, the much-coveted voice assistant feature on the iPhone 4S, will not be made available to the users of other Apple devices such as iPhone 4 according to Apple's word - a letdown for many iPhone 4 and iPod touch users.

Stocks rebounded on Thursday, a day after the S&P 500 suffered its worst day since mid-August as Italian bond yields eased.

General Motors looks set for another bruising collision with the German government and labor unions after the U.S. automaker raised the prospect of further job cuts and plant closures at its ailing Opel subsidiary.

At the CNBC Republican presidential candidates' debate on Wednesday, Rick Perry could only remember two of the three federal agencies he would eliminate as president. It was a potentially game-changing gaffe, but it is missing from the official CNBC transcript of the debate.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday, indicating the S&P 500 may bounce back from its worst day since mid-August as Italian bond yields eased.

Karl Rove's Crossroads group is launching an ad attacking Massachusetts Democratic Senatorial candidate Elizabeth Warren.

The head of the International Monetary Fund urged Italy Thursday to act quickly fill its damaging political vacuum, and China said it was willing to help maintain global financial stability that was being threatened by the euro zone crisis.

While Wednesday's Victoria Secret Fashion Show which heated the New York State Armory won't be aired on CBS until Nov. 29, the best looks on the pink carpet and behind-the-scene photos of the angels are out.

While Wednesday's Victoria Secret Fashion Show which heated the New York State Armory won't be aired on CBS until Nov. 29, the best looks on the pink carpet and behind-the-scene photos of the angels are out.

Stocks rebounded on Thursday, a day after the S&P 500 suffered its worst day since mid-August as Italian bond yields eased.

South Africa's ruling ANC kicked out its firebrand Youth League leader, Julius Malema, from the party for five years on Thursday after finding him guilty of dividing and bringing the 99-year-old liberation movement into disrepute.

The impact of Thailand's floods on Honda Motor Co <7267.T> extended to a fourth continent even as Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> showed further signs of recovery from the disaster.

Spain's new government will unleash a wave of spending cuts and strengthen economic reforms in the first months of its legislature, moves that will throw the economy back into recession and send unemployment higher before making things better.

Stocks were poised for a higher open on Thursday, indicating the S&P 500 will bounce back from its worst day since mid-August as Italian bond yields eased.

James Murdoch turned on his former News of the World colleagues Thursday as he fought to survive a second grilling over phone-hacking by British lawmakers and keep his place in his father's media empire.

Former European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos will head Greece's new crisis coalition, the president's office said on Thursday, charged with saving the country from default, bankruptcy and an exit from the euro zone.

German travel group TUI AG is going where the world's biggest financial firms have yet to venture.

News Corp executive James Murdoch said on Thursday that staff within his company had ordered private investigators to follow and investigate members of the parliamentary committee investigating the phone hacking scandal.

German travel group TUI AG is going where the world's biggest financial firms have yet to venture.

Tim Hortons Inc (THI.TO: Quote), Canada's No. 1 restaurant chain, reported a 40 percent jump in third-quarter profit thanks to strong sales, but said operating conditions were still tough in North America.

Madonna's manager Guy Oseary has said the singer was very upset that a demo of her new song Give Me All Your Love had leaked onto the Internet.

Two tiny Walmart.com stores are making Southern California malls their home for the holidays, launching the latest salvo in the war for online retail dominance.

The euro rose from a one-month low versus the dollar on Thursday and top-rated government debt fell while world stocks held above a three-week trough on hopes that new governments being formed in Italy and Greece could help fend off a euro zone break up.

Department store chain Kohl's Corp raised its full-year profit forecast on Thursday and said it expects to continue its streak of sales gains during the holiday quarter, helped by its exclusive lines like clothes by entertainers Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

Former European Commissioner Mario Monti emerged on Thursday as favorite to replace Silvio Berlusconi and form a new government to stave off a run on Italian bonds that is endangering the entire euro zone.