IBT Staff Reporter

Analysts see a strong chance that Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony <6758.T> will succeed in buying out its joint-venture partner in mobile phone handset maker Sony Ericsson in the next half-year for around 10.6 billion Swedish crowns ($1.5 billion).

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell on Friday as traders pocketed gains after encouraging U.S. economic data and on bets Europe will shore up its banking system.

A former securities trader was sentenced to three years in prison on Friday for insider trading in another victory for prosecutors in their probe of suspicious trading on Wall Street.

The most urgent threat to the U.S. economy is joblessness, not inflation, but there is little more the Federal Reserve can do to help, a top Fed official, known for his hawkish views on inflation, said on Friday.

Debt rating agencies had the knives out for some of Europe's weakened banks on Friday, highlighting the pressure for decisive government action in support for the industry.

Defense contractor Oshkosh Corp and the United Auto Workers union reached tentative agreement on a new five-year contract late Thursday night after resolving issues related to hiring temporary workers, a local UAW official said.

Ontario Liberals scored a third straight victory in a provincial election in Canada's economic center on Thursday, but fell one seat short of a majority and will need support from opposition legislators to stay in power.

The third victim of cancellations for the fall 2011 television season has fallen - Mario Lopez's reality TV show H8R.

Netflix and AMC Networks Inc have signed an expanded licensing agreement that gives the popular streaming video service exclusive rights in the United States and Canada to the hit show The Walking Dead.

Republicans need to stop looking for savior candidates and start focusing on the candidates they have, or they will end up like the 2004 Democrats: unable to present a compelling alternative to an unpopular incumbent.

The iPhone 4S is now available for preorder on the Apple Web site. Here's how to get yours.

Jobs growth was stronger than expected in September thanks to private-sector growth, easing fears the economy is slipping back into recession, but the unemployment rate was unchanged.

The iPhone 4S wasn't exactly Apple's brightest moment. Yet it will probably still outshine the competition this holiday season.

The death of Apple Inc's strong-willed co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs has put the secretive company's small board at crossroads.

His name may lack the broad brand recognition of Apple Inc co-founder Steve Jobs, but his touch on Apple's popular line of products is unmistakable.

Employers hired more workers than expected in September and job gains for the prior months were revised higher, according to a report on Friday that eased fears the economy was heading into recession.

The gods are always envious of the talented and it became evident on Wednesday - Apple's co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, a visionary and creative genius, died at 56 after fighting a long battle with cancer.

Reports surfaced Thursday of an influential medical group of doctors and advisers voting against routine screenings of prostate cancer for healthy men. Although the vote has drawn criticism from health groups worried that the move will increase deaths in men at risk of the cancer.

Stocks were little changed on Friday following a three-day rally after more jobs were created than expected in September, helping to ease concerns the economy was heading back into recession.

Gold will stay strong due to a lack of alternative havens for investors operating in a slowing global economy, top performing commodity fund managers told Reuters after taking a defensive approach and going into cash during September's gold sell off.

Stocks were set to open higher on Friday, extending a three-day rally after more jobs were created than expected in September, helping to ease concerns the economy was heading back into recession.

Physicists at Rice University in Texas have developed a device they are describing as an 'electron superhighway' in a breakthrough that brings scientists a step closer to realizing the quantum computer.

Digg.com Newsroom tool let users decide what news is meaningful.

Employment grew more than expected in September and job gains for the prior months were revised higher, according to a government report on Friday that could ease fears the economy was heading into recession.

By now, unless you live under a very large Nexus Prime-shaped rock, you've probably heard about Apple's new darling, the Siri Personal Assistant - a voice-controlled application that understands voice commands by people who speak like people and not like elocution robots.

With everyone's attention focused on the iPhone, what may have been overlooked from the event was the future of iPods. Where is Apple planning to go with the music player that changed the way we listen to music?

At the California Institute of Technology, plans are being discussed about bringing an asteroid back to Earth.

Ahead of Samsung's official unveiling of Nexus Prime at CTIA 2011 next week, a video of Nexus Prime, the next Google flagship smartphone, has been apparently leaked.

Illumination Entertainment and Infinitum Nihil announced that Johnny Depp is in the prospects of becoming Dr. Seuss for their upcoming film about children's book author and illustrator--Theodor Geisel (aka Dr.Seuss) . Depp is already lined up to be producer for the film that is still in its early stages.