IBT Staff Reporter

Influential bond investor Bill Gross dispensed more policy advice than the U.S. Treasury bargained for on Tuesday, calling for a massive program to refinance mortgages at low rates to boost the flagging economy.

The U.S. government's role in housing finance should undergo fundamental change, but it should still provide some guarantees in the mortgage market, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Tuesday.

The euro surrendered early gains and fell against the dollar on Wednesday in technical trading after again failing to holds above a key psychological level. Earlier, the euro had rallied for the third straight day against the dollar after a German government bond auction attracted solid demand, easing some concerns about fiscal instability in the European Union. That euphoria failed to last much into the New York session.

Oil prices fell to a five week low on Wednesday as U.S. government data showed inventories of crude and oil products rose to a record high in the world's top consumer the United States. U.S. crude oil futures fell $1.51 to $74.26 a barrel by 1503 GMT, having hit $73.83 earlier, the lowest price since early July.

Riding on increased auto sales and jewellery deamand, platinum and palladium have become a favourite investment option for several investors across the globe.

Gene sequencing industry is getting hotter each day as many start-ups are going public and also many smaller firms are getting acquired by larger players.

The euro rose against the dollar on Wednesday after a German government bond auction attracted solid demand easing some concerns about fiscal instability in the European Union.

Gold production has declined by 5.3% in volume terms in June as compared to same period last year in South Africa. According to a report released by Statistics South Africa, production of non-gold minerals and total mineral production both fell 4.9% that month compared with the same month last year.

The euro cut losses against the dollar on Wednesday after a German government bond auction attracted solid demand, while sterling rose after Bank of England minutes were less dovish than expected. The dollar came under fresh selling pressure against the yen, easing toward recent 15-year lows on growing speculation that Japanese authorities are unlikely to intervene to counter their currency's recent strong run.

A 20-year study of patients with sleeping disorders revealed that those who are more obese have severe breathing difficulty while sleeping.

China will begin trading the yuan CNY=CFXS against the Malaysian ringgit MYR= from Thursday, the China Foreign Exchange Trading System (CFETS) said on Wednesday. The People's Bank of China, the central bank, will start publishing the yuan's mid-point against the ringgit each trading day, as it does for other currencies against which the yuan is traded, CFETS said in a statement on its website.

The dollar came under fresh pressure against the yen, easing towards recent 15-year lows on growing speculation that Japanese authorities are unlikely to intervene to counter their currency's recent strong run. The euro cut losses against the dollar, while sterling rebounded as investors reversed short positions after the release of minutes from the Bank of England's last policy meeting.

Scientists at England's University of Liverpool have created a synthetic anti-malaria drug by copying the chemical structure of artemisinin, the plant-derived ingredient of existing medicine against the mosquito-borne disease.

Bullion analysts across the world have only one advice for the investors now, watch out for China and cash in on the latest move by the dragon land to liberalize the gold market. From London to new York, from Mumbai to Dubai, all analysts are now banking on the China market to lift gold as in a recent decision Beijing has shown its intention to promote consumer investment in gold. As part of this, China will let many more banks to import and export gold for consumption and also open gold tradi...

The cost of borrowing dollars fell on Wednesday and eurodollar futures rose amid growing market conviction financing rates will remain low for a longer period. The average cost of 3-month funds in Singapore SIUSD3MD=ABSG fell to a 15-week low of 0.35778 per cent from 0.37611 percent. The rates have fallen every day since July 16, the last time they had risen. Dollar funding costs have fallen by over 10 bps this month.

The euro struggled near key technical support levels on Wednesday as debt worries weighed, while the Canadian dollar was supported by a huge takeover bid by global miner BHP Billiton for Canada's Potash Corp.

World's largest gold producer China's output for July recorded an increase by 28.31 tones as it finds another gold reserves in Liaoning Province According to China's Industry and Information Technology ministry, country's gold output reached 31.897 tonnes in June.

Oil prices fell on Wednesday after an industry report signaled petroleum inventories in top consumer the United States were headed for a record, following an unexpected sharp increase in crude stocks last week.

The yen rose on Wednesday, with traders citing yen-buying by Japanese players, while the Canadian dollar held gains made on news of a huge takeover bid by global miner BHP Billiton for Canada's Potash Corp.

Gold gained on Wednesday, within sight of a 1-1/2 month high hit the previous day, with sentiment underpinned by a rise in ETF holdings and persistent worries about the health of the global economy. Investors shrugged off gains in the Nikkei, which could be short-lived because of the yen's strength against the dollar, while most economic data from the United States pointed to a slowdown in the recovery.

Gold prices were slightly up but remained volatile in Asian trade Wednesday as some investors took to profit selling. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1225. 81 an ounce at 12.00 noon Singapore time while U.S. gold futures for December delivery were steady at $1,227.5 an ounce.

Starting dialysis treatment early to arrest the progression of chronic kidney disease was found to be of no benefit to patients with CKD, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Department of Renal Medicine of NSW.

Did you know that the vast majority of people in this day and age have excess abdominal fat? The first thing that most people think of is that their extra abdominal fat is simply ugly, is covering up their abs from being visible, and makes them self conscious about showing off their body

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in China rose 29 percent year-on-year in July to hit $6.92 billion, data showed on Tuesday.

One million of the 1.2 million Australians hospitalised in 2007 to 2008 underwent regular dialysis treatment making the diabetes therapy the most common reason for hospitalisation in Australia during that period.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) welcomed the $392 million e-health plan of a Labor government.

Government cuts on health services funding caused Primary Health Care (PHC) to lose $35 million in revenue last year, Australia's largest private medical services group reported on Tuesday.

Drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. has announced it will stop developing an experimental Alzheimer's medicine now on its late stage of clinical trials in the U.S.

Cancer costs the world economy $895 billion per year, according to a study on the economic cost of causes of deaths conducted by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and LIVESTRONG.