IBT Staff Reporter

Consumer confidence plummeted to its lowest level in more than two years in early July and factory output stalled in June, further diminishing hopes of a quick economic rebound in the second half of the year.

U.S. consumer prices fell 0.2 percent in June, the first monthly fall in a year, with the annual inflation rate unchanged at 3.6 percent, still the highest the Labor Department said.

A government advisory panel unanimously approved an experimental drug, Adcetris, from Bothell, WA.-based drug maker, Seattle Genetics, serving as the company's first commercial drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Citigroup Inc's second-quarter profit jumped 24 percent as the bank lost less money than expected on bad U.S. loans.

Spotify launched in the U.S.

After agreeing a deal to sign Stewart Downing from Aston Villa, Liverpool will now turn their focus on filling the left-back slot, with Newcastle's Jose Enrique a possible target.

Stocks rose on Friday after strong earnings from Google and Citigroup helped lift some of the angst about Europe's debt crisis and stalled U.S. budget talks.

Rebecca Nalepa, 32, girlfriend of Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp., a pharmaceutical company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., founder and chief executive Jonah Shacknai, was found dead at his California home, one of many in a wealthy neighborhood, Wednesday in what officials are calling suspicious circumstances.

Charlie Sheen death rumors are a hoax, but the word on the street is he might be receiving a roast from his ex-wife, Denise Richards.

No one attracts more die hard fans than Harry Potter (other than maybe Star Wars) and the premiere of the last movie in the series was proof of that.

Consumer prices fell slightly more than expected in June to post their biggest drop in a year on weak gasoline costs, but underlying inflation pressures remain elevated.

Glee cast member Chris Colfer learned he is leaving 'Glee' via Twitter.

Alan Rickman has played Professor Severus Snape in all the Harry Potter films. However, as Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 is unveiled, many are buzzing about Rickman's performance.

A health check of European banks is expected to show that as many as 15 lenders need more capital to withstand a prolonged recession, with criticism growing that the tests do not encompass the impact of a Greek default.

Taiwan's TSMC has begun trial manufacturing of next generation chips for Apple Inc's mobile devices, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Friday, in a sign that the iPad maker is shifting from its traditional chip supplier, Samsung Electronics.

Wall Street was set to rise on Friday after strong earnings from Google and Citigroup helped lift some of the angst about Europe's debt crisis and stalled U.S. budget talks that have overhung the market.

Professor Severus Snape, played on screen by British actor Alan Rickman, was named the winner of the MTV News Harry Potter World Cup. Will Alan Rickman miss playing Snape? To MTV's question, the award-winning British actor answered, I won't really miss anything...

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson forecast an upturn in the second half, as it posted a first quarterly loss since 2009 due to a parts shortage stemming from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Swiss bank Credit Suisse is being investigated by the Department of Justice as part of a broader inquiry into banks suspected of helping Americans evade taxes.

It's the biggest movie phenomenon on the planet. I remember when 'ET' was the highest earning movie all time -- $870 million. With Harry Potter, you're talking $6 billion, said actor Richard Griffiths who plays Harry's uncle Vernon. As the highest earning movie franchise in Hollywood history, many wonder why the Harry Potter series has been virtually ignored by the Academy except for in technical, music, and costume categories. It's sad it's only technical aw...

Rebekah Brooks resigned as chief executive of News International on Friday, yielding to political and investor pressure over a phone hacking scandal that has shaken Rupert Murdoch's media empire on both sides of the Atlantic.

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn offered to buy Clorox Co in a $10.2 billion deal, but also invited the household products maker to solicit rival bids, which he said would yield much higher offers for the company.

Veteran actor Roberts Blossom, who played 'old man Marley' in the hit movie Home Alone died on June 8.

The Tour de France moves into day two of the Pyrenees on Stage 13. The peloton will cross over some smaller mountains before hitting the massive Hors Category Col d'Aubisque.

Wall Street was heading for its worst week in nearly a year, with index futures little changed on Friday as macroeconomic concerns keep markets volatile and overshadow the start of U.S. corporate earnings season.

Ex-News Corp executive Rebekah Brooks will give her full cooperation to British government and police inquiries and a parliamentary hearing scheduled for next week, she said in an internal memo.

A federal judge on Thursday, dismissed a class action lawsuit filed by entrants who were told that they had won the green card lottery and were later informed by the State department that the results were nullified due to a computer glitch.

Chelsea's pursuit of Porto striker Radamel Falcao has come to an end after the Colombian extended his contract with the Portuguese champions, but they're on the verge of completing Courtois' signing, while preparing a final offer for Spurs' Modric.