IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. stocks edged up on Thursday, erasing early losses as investors brushed off disappointing economic data and bet on a further rally in equities.

U.S. GDP growth fell to 1.8 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2011 after a 3.1 percent fourth quarter rise, the Commerce Department said on Thursday. Economists had expected a 2 percent growth pace.

EBay Inc's efforts to make its marketplaces more appealing to online shoppers paid off in the first quarter as more people bought items on its auction site, and its PayPal payment system was used by more merchants.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co's first-quarter results beat expectations, bolstered by the weaker dollar and demand for its drugs to treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and hepatitis B.

Gold Investing prices extended last night's strong gains on Thursday, hitting fresh all-time highs at $1534 per ounce as new US data showed inflation accelerating sharply.

Wall Street was set for a lower open on Thursday after a report showed the U.S. economy grew less than expected in the first quarter and a number of companies pointed to rising costs.

Two days before the most anticipated wedding of the year, Prince William and Kate Middleton rehearsed their wedding one final time.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Host Hotels & Resorts said they had more guests in the first quarter as a gradual economic recovery sent more workers back on the road to do business.

Wall Street edged lower on Thursday after data showed the U.S. economy grew less than expected in the first quarter and a number of companies pointed to rising costs, but the Nasdaq remained close to its 10-year high reached in the previous session.

Alabama officials have declared an emergency at a nuclear power plant in the northern part of the state and have started shutting it down in the aftermath of severe storms and tornadoes that have pounded the state.

Every year thousands of Hindus from Pakistan and India gather to attend a four-day ritual at the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Balochistan.

U.S. cryde prices pared gains on Thursday as weaker-than-expected economic growth in the world's top economy partly offset a sliding dollar and signs of lower North Sea supplies.

Full Text of the class action complaint against Sony, filed in response to a massive security breach.

Famed PlayStation hacker George Hotz may have settled his case with Sony, but that hasn't quelled speculation that Hotz himself was behind the recent hack that swiped the user data of Sony's 70 million PlayStation Network subscribers.

Kate Middleton has become a new icon as luxurious and refined fashionista. The world is now giving attention to her fashion sense for the best day of her life.

A group of Facebook shareholders is seeking to offload $1 billion worth of shares on the secondary market, a sale that would value the company at more than $70 billion, according to five sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

A woman who accused American Apparel Inc Chief Executive Dov Charney of keeping her as a teenage sex slave is now suing him and his clothing retailer for defamation and invasion of privacy.

Colgate-Palmolive Co posted a drop in first-quarter profit before one-time items on Thursday as higher materials costs cut into margins.

Makers of soap, diapers and other household products are spending much more for fuel and raw materials than expected, which means more price increases are on the way for consumers.

Sprint Nextel's first-quarter revenue was higher than expected as customers spent more on data services, sending its shares up about 4 percent in trading before the market opened.

Merger hopefuls Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext attempted to dazzle investors with forecast-beating results as they stepped up efforts to see off rival bidder Nasdaq.

Exxon Mobil Corp's quarterly profit rose a better-than-expected 69 percent as the world's largest publicly traded oil company benefited from higher crude prices and improved earnings in its chemical and refining businesses.

The 2011 NFL Draft will be the 76th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft will be held at Radio City Music Hall over three days: this year, the first round is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 28, 2011; the second and third rounds on Friday, April 29; and the final four rounds on Saturday, April 30, 2011.

Prince William and his bride to be, Kate Middleton, thanked the public for the incredibly moving affection and kindness they showed during the royal engagement. The couple said they are deeply touched.

Procter & Gamble Co lowered the high end of its profit forecast for the year, as it does what it can to trim costs and increases some prices to offset rising costs for materials.

Exxon Mobil Corp's quarterly profit rose a better-than-expected 69 percent as the world's largest publicly traded oil company benefited from higher crude prices and improved earnings in its chemical and refining businesses.

Procter & Gamble Co lowered the high end of its profit forecast for the year on Thursday, as it does what it can to trim expenses and raises some prices to offset rising costs for materials.

Tyco International Ltd , which is at the center of takeover speculation, beat Wall Street earnings forecasts on Thursday amid sharply higher operating profits at its core security division.

Chrysler Group LLC, which came to the brink of collapse before a federal bailout in 2009, plans to fully repay more than $7 billion in loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments by the end of June.