IBT Staff Reporter

Sony Corp is nearing a deal to buy Telefon AB LM Ericsson's half of their smartphone joint venture, The Wall Street Journal said, in a likely bid to catch up with rivals by unifying its mobile products under a single brand.

Asian stocks rose on Friday and the euro clung to gains from a 2-cent rally after euro zone policymakers moved to shore up struggling banks and fend off a financial crisis.

As housing bubbles go, China's looks relatively benign.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and his wife placed at least three properties into trusts in 2009, which legal experts say is a sign the secretive Apple chief may have been ensuring that his assets aren't disclosed upon his death.

Asian stocks rose Friday and the euro clung to gains from a 2-cent rally after euro zone policymakers moved to shore up struggling banks and fend off a new financial crisis.

Standard and Poor's on Friday downgraded the core banks of Franco-Belgian financial group Dexia by one notch, citing difficulties in securing wholesale funding and the need for increased collateral.

Yahoo Inc is likely to sell its 35 percent stake in Yahoo Japan ahead of the conclusion of its broader strategic review, possibly within weeks, the Financial Times reported.

Samsung Electronics, the world's top maker of memory chips and televisions, estimated on Friday its July-September operating profit would fall 14 percent from a year ago, as persistent declines in semiconductor and flat screen prices outweigh a strong profit recovery in its handset business.

Samsung Electronics estimated its quarterly profit will exceed the most bullish market forecasts, indicating the booming smartphone business is emerging as the South Korean company's main profit engine.

The beauty of Apple products secured Steve Jobs a place in history long before his death, but design professionals said the depth of his influence on their profession goes much deeper than the minimalist look of an iPhone.

Scientists discovered visual evidence for two extrasolar planets from a decade-old images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, using new techniques comparable to a time machine.

If the death of Apple's inspirational leader means a slowdown in the company's blistering pace of innovation, it could give breathless rivals like Microsoft and Samsung a chance to catch up.

Oracle Corp has agreed to pay $199.5 million plus interest to settle allegations that the software giant failed to give promised discounts to the federal government, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday.

Samsung Electronics <005930.KS>, the world's top maker of memory chips and televisions, estimated on Friday its July-September operating profit would fall 14 percent from a year ago, as persistent declines in semiconductor and flat screen prices outweigh a strong profit recovery in its handset business.

Here are some key quotes from Steve Jobs, the legendary co-founder and former chief executive of Apple Inc (AAPL.O), who died on Wednesday after a years-long battle with cancer.

A unit of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc sued an affiliate of Goldman Sachs Group Inc , saying it used pretextual excuses to avoid closing on a real estate purchase worth at least $385 million.

Gannett Co <GCI.N> Chairman and Chief Executive Craig Dubow has resigned from his position because of a medical disability, the company said on Thursday.

Greece said on Thursday it concluded talks with the IMF on a vital tranche of aid but inspectors said negotiations on the bailout were continuing and that there was no final conclusion with any party.

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

Online scammers are already attempting to capitalize on the death of Steve Jobs with a bogus offer to Facebook users for free iPads in his memory.

Chip technology company Rambus Inc was quizzed in court about destroyed documents and its own use of its patents as graphics chip maker Nvidia Corp sought relief from expensive licensing fees.

Moneyball pushes the theory that baseball games aren't won by the best players but rather by those who can just consistently get on base. And now comes The Ides of March to remind us that nothing in politics -- not ideas, not image, not intelligence -- matters as much as winning elections.

The three already released Twilight movies are coming back to movie theaters for special screenings in November.

Steve Jobs, in pain and too weak to climb stairs a few weeks before his death, wanted his children to understand why he wasn't always there for them, according to the author of his highly anticipated biography.

The much-hyped Ryan Murphy/Brad Falchuk drama American Horror Story had a solid premiere Wednesday night, FX said Thursday.

California's leaders will next week get their first look at the state's September revenue, which will go a long way to determining whether they will need to cut yet more spending.

Stocks rose on Thursday after the European Central Bank launched fresh liquidity measures to help banks weather the euro zone's debt crisis, easing one of the major concerns overhanging markets.

The U.S. communications regulator unveiled on Thursday a proposal for achieving universal broadband coverage by the end of the decade.

The memory of Steve Jobs has been visible across the country, including at Apple workplaces, where people gathered outside of Apple stores to remember the founder of the technology giant.