IBT Staff Reporter

The Securities and Exchange Commission faces hurdles proving wrongdoing at credit-rating agencies, the agency's enforcement chief said, pointing to the complexity of the cases and the industry's strong legal defenses.

Swiss bank UBS AG said on Thursday interim Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti, in office for nearly a week following the departure of Oswald Gruebel, would drop his business responsibilities with other companies.

Michael Jackson's doctor delayed calling 911 so he could hide certain medical supplies first, a witness testified Thursday in the trial of Conrad Murray, who is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in the singer's 2009 death.

The technology-heavy Nasdaq led stocks lower on Thursday as investors continued to fret about weakness in the global economy and Wall Street looked set to limp to its worst quarter in three years.

For vivid autumn colors, check out these great U.S. drives and hikes that promise the best fall foliage.

A weakening of the Canadian dollar helped pushed up the Canadian producer price index in August by 0.5 percent, Statistics Canada said on Thursday.

Spooked by the United States' recent budget standoff in Washington and the European debt crisis, U.S. chief executives' view of the economy deteriorated sharply in the third quarter, a survey released on Thursday found.

Civil servants blockaded several ministries on Thursday to protest against austerity measures as Greece resumed talks with EU and IMF inspectors on an 8 billion euro aid tranche it needs to avoid bankruptcy next month.

Kraft Foods boss Irene Rosenfeld is the most powerful woman in U.S. business, Fortune magazine said on Thursday, bumping PepsiCo Inc. chief Indra Nooyi into second spot after five years on top.

Spooked by the U.S.' recent budget standoff in Washington and the European debt crisis, U.S. chief executives' view of the economy deteriorated sharply in the third quarter, a survey released on Thursday found.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion brushed off suggestions on Thursday that it would discontinue production of its PlayBook computer tablet as pure fiction after an analyst said the company may be considering an exit from the market.

Facebook's head of mobile marketing has joined the board of directors of eBay Inc, expanding the size of the board.

The finances of Canada's federal government and its 10 provinces are unsustainable over the long term and they will need to either raise taxes or cut spending, in part because the population is aging, the country's budget watchdog said on Thursday.

Climate change will cause damage in Canada equivalent to around 1 percent of GDP in 2050 as rising temperatures kill off forests, flood low-lying areas and cause more illnesses, an official panel said on Thursday.

Nelson Peltz's son-in-law Edward Garden joined the board of Family Dollar Stores Inc after the billionaire investor withdrew his offer to buy the discount chain for at least $7 billion.

The Securities and Exchange Commission faces hurdles proving wrongdoing at credit-rating agencies, the SEC's enforcement chief said in an interview shortly after it was learned that his office may sue Standard & Poor's for breaking securities laws.

U.S. chief executives' view of the economy deteriorated sharply in the third quarter, with the number who expect to cut jobs roughly doubling, according to a survey released on Thursday.

Netflix Inc. shares slumped 11 percent on Thursday as competitors made moves to attract more customers with alternative options for movie and television content.

The latest listeria outbreak has taken at least 16 lives and caused dozens of illnesses in 18 states across the U.S., marking the deadliest food outbreak in over a decade.

Nokia Oyj, the world's largest cellphone vendor by volume, is cutting 3,500 jobs in its second major restructuring in six months as it struggles with falling sales and profits.

A much-hyped $12 billion plan for Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn to produce iPads in Brazil is in doubt due to stagnant negotiations over tax breaks and Brazil's own deep structural problems such as a lack of skilled labor, government sources tell Reuters.

The Dow and S&P 500 rose on Thursday on stronger-than-expected economic data and German lawmakers' approval to strengthen the euro zone's crisis fund, while big-cap Internet shares dragged on the Nasdaq.

As of Sept. 27, 72 people from 18 states have been infected with a rare illness called listeriosis stemming from Listeria monocytogenes bacteria linked to Colorado-grown cantaloupes, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Following a now-familiar script, Europe again averted disaster in its debt crisis when German lawmakers rallied behind Chancellor Angela Merkel to approve a stronger euro zone bailout fund on Thursday.

The Dow and S&P 500 rose on Thursday on stronger-than-expected economic data and German lawmakers' approval of new powers for the euro zone's crisis fund, while weakness in big-cap Internet names weighing on the Nasdaq.

A federal judge ruled Wednesday in favor of US Airways in a case against pilots who allegedly caused intentional delays.

With holiday shopping season near and billions of dollars in sales tax at stake, financially strapped state and local governments are pushing to collect more tax on online purchases, but real progress will require action in Washington where political gridlock prevails.

Stocks rose on Thursday on stronger-than-expected economic data and German lawmakers' approval of new powers for the euro zone's crisis fund.

It is some measure of the depth of concern at Europe's debt crisis that some market players are actively discussing the chance of the European Central Bank printing euros -- something it has said it will never do.