IBT Staff Reporter

Steep competition, long hours, and demanding schedules land the job of a real estate agent on this year's list of most stressful jobs.

Most people who have made the decision to change their careers face the same problem: How can I get hired when I don't have relevant experience?

Top carmakers let cautious optimism creep into their outlooks at the Paris Auto Show on Thursday, pinning hopes on emerging markets to dispel dark clouds over major western economies.

Electric carmaker Tesla Motors will serve as a key supplier to Toyota Motor Corp under its agreement with the Japanese automaker to build an electric Rav4 SUV

An outcry over questionable foreclosures by GMAC Mortgage and other lenders is likely to hit some states more than others because of major differences in real estate law across the nation.

If you work in real estate, you undoubtedly do the following tasks all of the time, but did you know that you could be putting yourself in danger?

Newly opened on Melrose Place in LA and already causing a frisson in the design world: The Melrose Project, an antiques and art collaborative curated by mother/son team Kathleen Clements and Tommy Clements (see their rug designs at Woven Accents).

Italy's Fiat will close 2010 with a net profit, beating its break-even target, CEO Sergio Marchionne said, as the carmaker sees a brighter future after the industry crisis and prepares for possible tie-ups.

Volkswagen is slightly more optimistic on the global car market's outlook now and still expects to outperform the worldwide market, the German carmaker's sales chief Christian Klingler said.

Ford Motor Co could take its Lincoln brand to international markets within five years once it has re-established the long-neglected luxury label in the United States, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said.

General Motors' European arm Opel sees a chance it may return to profitability next year, excluding restructuring charges, and now expects a smaller 2010 loss, the unit's chief executive said.

Infiniti, the luxury brand of Japan's Nissan Motor Co Ltd, will hold talks with Daimler about sharing an existing Daimler car platform and its engines.

U.S. 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates either tied or reached record lows in the latest week, according to a survey released on Thursday by Freddie Mac, the second-largest U.S. mortgage finance company.

September auto sales are on track to top August levels by a small margin after a boost from end-summer sales events even as economic uncertainty crimps a fuller recovery for the industry.

Enrollment in Medicaid, the healthcare program for the poor, showed the sharpest annual rise last year since the late 1960s, a report said on Thursday, blaming the effects of the recession.

Nearly one in every four U.S. homes sold in the second quarter was a deeply discounted foreclosed house, putting the market on pace to work through distressed properties in about three years.

British scientists have found the first direct evidence attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a genetic disorder and say their research could eventually lead to better treatments for the condition.

Scientists in China and Hong Kong are designing a gel containing an experimental drug which they hope can reduce HIV infections in women.

Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp's European business will achieve 800,000 vehicle sales in the region this year and will sell more cars next year even if the market dips slightly, the unit's president said.

The U.S. Congress on Thursday voted to extend higher loan limits for government-backed mortgages, a move that should help keep borrowing costs low and support the shaky housing sector.

Sixty years ago, a woman had just a 25 percent chance of living 10 years if she got a breast cancer diagnosis. Now the survival rate is more than 75 percent, U.S. doctors reported on Wednesday.

Researchers have found a gene that may explain why coffee may lower the risk of Parkinson's disease for some people, and that might explain why some experimental drugs do not appear to be working.

The numbers were so bad that Dr. Stephen Hoffman did not even want to say them out loud.

The United States National Institutes of Health said on Thursday it will share intellectual property rights on some AIDS drugs in a patent pool designed to make treatments more widely available to the poor.

Sleep positioners marketed with the promise of helping babies sleep safely are too dangerous to use and should not be sold, U.S. officials warned on Wednesday.

Carmakers gathering in Paris this week will show off the cars they hope will win them access to booming emerging markets like China, while industry watchers seek clues on how the recovery is progressing closer to home.

French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen and U.S. counterpart Ford on Wednesday said they would develop a range of diesel engines to comply with new EU regulations, strengthening their existing partnership.

Chinese car and battery maker BYD Co Ltd has discussed the possibility of billionaire investor Warren Buffett raising his 10 percent stake, local media reported on Wednesday, boosting its shares.

Loss-making Swedish carmaker Saab is to use BMW engines in a move by Dutch owner Spyker to help boost its recovery and appeal.