IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Wednesday, as the Federal Reserve's gloomier assessment of the economy rattled investors and the central bank's measures to support the fragile recovery failed to reassure world markets.

British display screen maker Plastic Logic has scrapped the launch of its long-awaited e-reader QUE, which had been seen as a potential challenger to the hugely popular Kindle from Amazon.

Japanese machinery orders and wholesale prices data on Wednesday were weaker than expected, prodding authorities closer to fresh action to support an already fragile economic recovery.

India may temporarily shut down BlackBerry services if New Delhi's concerns about security are not addressed in a meeting between the government and mobile phone operators on Thursday, government sources said.

The dollar fell toward a 15-year low against the yen while world stocks hit a 1-1/2 week trough on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve's assessment of the U.S. economy turned more pessimistic.

The dollar teetered toward a 15-year low against the yen on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve gave a more pessimistic assessment of the weakening U.S. economy, while technology plays dragged Asian stocks lower.

Growth in Chinese investment and factory output slowed further last month as the government brought credit growth back to normal after a record lending spree in 2009 to counter the global financial crisis.

Gold prices moved up in Asian trade Wednesday mainly on bargain hunting triggered by Fed moves to revive US economic recovery. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1203.18 an ounce at 12.00 noon Singapore while U.S. gold futures for December delivery was at $1,205.4 an ounce.

The European Central Bank on Tuesday said gold and gold receivables held by euro zone central banks rose by one million euros to 352 billion euros in the week ending August 6. In its regular weekly consolidated financial statement, the ECB said net foreign exchange reserves in the Euro system of central banks were virtually unchanged at 191.7 billion euros.

The dollar hovered within sight of a 15-year low versus the yen on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced plans to boost a flagging economy by reinvesting money from maturing mortgage bonds in government debt. The move did not come as a complete surprise to the market but it marked a policy shift for the Fed, which only a few months ago debated how to start winding down some of its monetary stimulus programmes.

Oil hovered around $80 on Wednesday after data showing a rise in U.S. crude imports was offset by steps taken by the Federal Reserve to shore up the economic recovery. The higher U.S. crude imports coupled with lower refinery operating rates, in data released after the close on Tuesday, raised concerns of a stock build in the world's largest energy consumer.

U.S. wheat futures bounced back on Wednesday, snapping a three-session losing streak, as traders took positions ahead of a key U.S. government report expected to estimate lower global output after Black Sea crop damage.

Gold edged up on Wednesday on bargain hunting driven by a drop in stock markets and after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates low, but a lack of physical buying could cap gains. The dollar slipped toward a 15-year low against the yen after the Fed took steps to bolster the fragile U.S. recovery, while Asian stocks tracked losses in Wall Street and were also dragged down by tech sales.

Bullion trades on the Indian bourses once again hit the bells as the latest trade data released by the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) for the fortnight 16th July 2010 till 31st July, 2010 showed bullion trade volumes rising 123.8% from the corresponding period last year.

The dollar edged toward a 15-year low against the yen on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve moved to bolster the weakening U.S. economy, while technology plays dragged Asian stocks lower.

After nearly 40 years, BP is returning to Libya amid widespread controversy about an alleged link to the Lockerbie bomber's release and fears about a potential oil disaster in the Mediterranean Sea. Yet despite the oil giant's enthusiasm, its future in Libya - a country boasting the largest crude oil reserves on the continent -- may end up as murky as competitors that have ventured there.

The dollar edged toward a 15-year low against the yen on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve took a step to try to bolster the fragile U.S. recovery, while technology plays dragged Asian stocks lower.

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday took a small but significant step to counter a weakening U.S. economic recovery, saying it would use cash from maturing mortgage bonds it holds to buy more government debt.

If you want to lose weight, we all know that eating a healthy diet should be your first priority. Sure, exercise is important, but diet is king when it comes to lifelong weight management.

In all of my years as a professional Nutrition Specialist, I've noticed that most people are shocked to hear some of my picks for the top fat burning foods that are best for weight loss and good health.

The campaign for New York state attorney general -- a job that includes being the sheriff of Wall Street -- is opening up now that the front-runner has been shaken by admissions of drug use and failing to vote.

The Aussie dollar traded lower yesterday dropping from 0.9160 to an Asian session low of 0.9105 following a disappointing NAB Business survey and Chinese Trade data which soured sentiment towards growth in the region.

The Australian Dollar continued to be sold off late yesterday and into the evening trading session ahead of the widely anticipated FOMC Meeting overnight.

A chemist at the University of Queensland has turned the peptide-rich venom of a carnivorous, ocean-dwelling snail into a powerful painkiller that can be taken orally.

Hit movies like Toy Story 3 and higher advertising sales at its cable networks lifted Walt Disney Co's quarterly profit above Wall Street's expectations.

A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed Verizon Communications Inc to correct an in-house lawyer's drafting error in a pension plan that could have cost the second-largest U.S. phone company $1.67 billion.

Hit movies and a recovering ad market boosted Walt Disney Co results above Wall Street's expectations, following in the footsteps of several other media companies that have surpassed forecasts.

Hit movies like Toy Story 3 and higher advertising sales lifted Walt Disney Co's quarterly profit above Wall Street's expectations despite dwindling theme park attendance in the United States.

Streaming and mail-in rental company Netflix Inc has reached an exclusive deal for online rights that allows its members to watch new films from the three studios that own the Epix pay TV channel.