IBT Staff Reporter

Stocks fell on Wednesday after Goldman Sachs posted a decline in quarterly profit, denting investor optimism.

A student-led experiential program at the Kellogg School of Management partners with educational nonprofit CISC to help shape and improve its approach to board development.

Married couples whose marriages are on the rocks have to painfully endure with their partners or go for a divorce. However, couples in Southern California now have a third option and that is reconciliation through a program called The Third Option.

Is Ericsson's glass half full or half empty? The Sweden-based telecom gear maker is at last enjoying the benefits of an upturn in demand, but much of the growth could come from less profitable areas.

Citigroup Inc named investment bank chief John Havens president and chief operating officer on Wednesday, expanding its most senior level of executives and elevating a long-time adviser to Chief Executive Officer Vikram Pandit.

US Bancorp reported higher-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, aided by lower loan losses and the largest increase in new loans since the fourth quarter of 2008.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp , one of the world's largest custody banks, said its fourth-quarter profit from operations increased 10 percent as acquisitions bolstered fee income.

Two hackers have been arrested in connection with hacking into AT&T's database of email addresses connected with the Apple iPads.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc posted a 53 percent decline in quarterly profit as trading revenue tumbled, spoiling hopes that Wall Street's most influential bank might buck a volatile climate that has hurt rivals such as Citigroup Inc.

Wall Street was set for a lower open on Wednesday after Goldman Sachs posted a decline in quarterly profit, denting investor optimism about a strong earnings season.

The companies that reported earnings before the markets open on Wednesday are: Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, State Street, Northern Trust, Bank of New York Mellon and Hudson City Bancorp.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, the world's largest contract chip maker, could boost investment by 35.6 percent in 2011 as it seeks to boost efficiency with new technology, a media report said on Wednesday.

Lenovo, the PC company came up with the device as China prohibits foreign game consoles

Venus Williams battled to injury to progress to the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-4 victory over Sandra Zahlavova, while fellow American, Andy Roddick, also progressed with a 7-6(7) 6-2 6-3 victory over Russia's Igor Kunitsyn in the second round of the Australian Open.

Stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday as investors awaited results from Goldman Sachs Group and Wells Fargo after financial stocks fell in the previous session on disappointing results from Citigroup.

Agribusiness giant Cargill Inc plans to spin off its $24 billion majority stake in Mosaic Co , a move that could eventually lead to a takeover of Mosaic, the world's second-largest fertilizer producer.

Stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday as investors awaited results from Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo after financial stocks were weighed in the previous session by disappointing results from Citigroup.

US automaker Ford Motors on Tuesday announced that it would invest $400 mln in the Kansas City plant to install a new body shop, new tooling and other upgrades.

A look at the unanswered question of leadership succession at three of the world's high-profile corporate organizations

Apple Inc landed blockbuster results and a strong outlook on dazzling sales of the iPhone and iPad, reassuring investors that visionary CEO Steve Jobs's medical leave will have no impact on growth.

Nokia is expected to report its third profit fall in a row as the mobile phone company struggles to compete against high-end smartphones of Apple and Samsung, while also losing share at the cheaper end of the market.

Citigroup Inc plans to name John Havens as president and chief operating officer as part of a structural overhaul to address the bank's efforts to expand, the Wall Street Journal said.

Google Inc. has extended its dominance in the worldwide search advertising market amid challenges from Microsoft’s Bing and rising competitive obstacles in fast-growing regions, says a report from IHS iSuppli.

World stocks hit their highest in nearly 2-1/2 years on Wednesday and the dollar dipped to eight-week troughs as strong fourth-quarter corporate earnings boosted confidence the world economic recovery would keep its momentum.

Swatch Group , the world's largest watchmaker, gave an upbeat outlook for 2011 as it expects strong demand for its watches to help offset the impact of the soaring Swiss franc.

China's exports of vital rare earth elements used for numerous high-tech goods slipped almost one-tenth last year but the overall value rocketed as quota cuts lifted international prices, data showed on Wednesday.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc's decision to scale back a heavily publicized sale of shares in social network site Facebook shows how the bank risks losing its edge as financial regulation intensifies.

Angry Birds just got angrier not because their eggs were stolen but because their roost was shaken by Bubble Ball, a game developed by a new kid on the block, a 14-year old developer from Utah.

Asia's rapid economic growth will moderate slightly in 2011 even as policymakers combat rising prices with higher interest rates and try to keep local currencies from appreciating too sharply, a Reuters quarterly poll showed.