IBT Staff Reporter

The price of Gold Bullion rallied from its lowest level since 28th Oct. early in London on Wednesday, but remained nearly $100 per ounce off Dec.'s all-time highs in what dealers called very quiet trade ahead of today's US Federal Reserve announcement on monetary policy.

Ventana Gold, a Canadian gold explorer operating in Colombia, has extended its poison pill takeover defense to Feb. 15, the same day a hostile takeover bid from Brazil's Eike Batista is set to expire.

Microsoft Corp sold more than 2 million units of its new Windows Phone 7 software to handset makers last quarter, a strong start for the new software launched in October, but still far behind Apple Inc's iPhone and Google Inc's Android system.

Barclays Plc is to cut about 1,000 UK jobs as it stops offering financial planning advice in its branches, in further evidence the bank is sharpening the knife on areas of sluggish profitability.

The U.S. Federal Reserve gave a lukewarm economic assessment on Wednesday despite recent signs the recovery was strengthening, saying high unemployment still justified its $600 billion bond-buying program.

Sales of new homes raced to their highest level in eight months in December, but gains were driven by a surge in the West that economists were reluctant to call a sign of a recovery in the market.

New single-family home sales raced to their highest level in eight months in December while prices were the highest since April 2008, raising cautious optimism for a housing market recovery.

In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama devoted several lines to the slumping stature of U.S. education, by our own standards and globally.

New U.S. single-family home sales in December rose to their highest level in eight months and prices were the highest since April 2008, raising cautious optimism for a housing market recovery.

New U.S. single-family home sales in December rose faster than expected to their highest level in eight months and prices were the highest since April 2008, raising cautious optimism for a housing market recovery

New U.S. single-family home sales in December rose faster than expected to their highest level in eight months and prices were the highest since April 2008, raising cautious optimism for a housing market recovery

Eastman Kodak Co reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss and a 25 percent drop in revenue on poor digital and licensing sales, sending shares down as much as 19 percent.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Wednesday that it will take in $312.21 million from the sale of two groups of warrants in Citigroup Inc .

Intel's acquisition of data security firm McAfee Inc cleared its last major hurdle after EU regulators approved the $7.68 billion deal on condition Intel grant rival firms access to its technology.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Wednesday that it will take in $312.21 million from the sale of two groups of warrants in Citigroup Inc .

The unveiling is expected at this year's Mobile World Congress, scheduled for February 14-17 in Barcelona, Spain.

High expectations and the somewhat difficult task to maintain rapid growth have analysts concerned about Netflix's lofty stock price.

Abbott Laboratories reported fourth-quarter sales and earnings that slightly topped forecasts, fueled by strong demand for its prescription medicines and heart stents.

British bank Barclays Plc is to cut about 1,000 UK jobs as it stops offering financial planning advice in its branches.

US Airways Group on Wednesday posted a quarterly profit against a year-ago loss as the industry extends a recovery from the most recent economic downturn, and its shares gained in trading before the bell.

The S&P 500 hit a 29-month high on Wednesday as investors snapped up commodity and tech shares ahead of the Federal Reserve's statement, expected to continue to be supportive of markets.

Consumers picking up tablet computers, or pads, during the holiday season boosted the personal computer market 19.2 percent in the fourth quarter, research firm Canalys said on Wednesday.

Bankrupt financial company Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc proposed a new plan for dividing up billions of dollars among its creditors and offered a bigger payment to bondholders, provided they sign on.

British femtocell company Ubiquisys rolled out a new smartphone accessory – the attocell, a personal cell phone signal that allows international travellers to make and receive calls without paying roaming charges.

President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that we do big things in his State of the Union Address, challenging Americans and Congress to take on the global competition for jobs, and tackle the nation's huge debt and deficit.

Intel took a step closer to acquiring data security firm McAfee Inc. on Wednesday after EU regulators approved the $7.68 billion deal on condition Intel grant rival firms access to its technology.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that those behind a deadly suicide attack on Moscow's busiest airport were unlikely to have come from Russia's southern republic of Chechnya.

An explosion at an underground coal mine in northeast Colombia killed 20 workers on Wednesday, officials said, in the latest accident to hit the mining industry in Latin America.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai inaugurated parliament Wednesday, ending weeks of political infighting, but took a dig at the West saying foreign interference had been a serious problem.