IBT Staff Reporter

Time Warner Cable Inc posted a higher-than-expected second-quarter profit on Thursday after adding more Internet and phone subscribers.

Shares in BP hit two-month highs on Thursday on hopes the group would soon permanently seal its Gulf of Mexico oil well and after President Obama said the battle to contain the leak was nearly over.

Stock index futures dipped on Thursday as investors took a cautious track ahead of data on first-time jobless claims, a precursor to the monthly jobs report due later in the week.

The European Central Bank kept euro zone interest rates at 1 percent as expected on Thursday, teeing up what should be an upbeat news conference with the bank's President following a strong run of economic data.

Cigna Corp posted a far higher-than-expected second-quarter profit on Thursday, helped by better performance in its main health insurance business, and the company raised its full-year forecast.

International inspectors on Thursday applauded Greece's efforts to exit its debt crisis, endorsing a fresh 9 billion euro payment from an EU/IMF bailout scheme, but urged reforms in energy, banking and the public sector.

Verizon Communications Inc and Google Inc agreed to a deal over how Internet traffic will be treated, two people familiar with the agreement said on Wednesday.

China's banking regulator has ordered lenders to test the impact of a fall in house prices of up to 50 percent in key cities where prices have risen sharply, banking and regulatory sources said on Thursday.

Retailers posted July sales below analysts' expectations in the latest sign that skittishness about high unemployment and the economy in general are causing consumers to cut spending and focus on essentials.

At the most basic level, weight loss comes from cutting calories and exercising more. But there are certain unhealthy eating habits that also factor into our ability to do these two things.

Wheat markets raced to fresh highs on Thursday, with Chicago wheat trading limit-up, as Russia announced a halt to grain exports from next week in response to a drought that has withered crops. Russia's worst drought on record has devastated crops in parts of the country and sent international grain prices soaring as markets have speculated on restricted supply from one of the world's leading exporters.

Oil prices fell for a second day on Thursday toward $82 a barrel after a jump in U.S. jobless claims and rising oil product inventories stoked doubts about the pace of fuel demand recovery in the top consumer.

Longer-dated U.S. Treasury debt prices rose in Europe on bargain-hunting after a retreat the previous session following positive U.S. data. * Traders said some investors were also inclined to take long positions before key non-farm payrolls data due on Friday which bond bulls expect to support expectations that the Fed will adopt more quantitative easing measures.

About 90 percent of young to middle-aged Americans have antibodies against the mumps virus -- a level of immunity that is at the low end of what's needed to prevent significant outbreaks of the infection, a government study finds.

A scan of all the human DNA has turned up 95 genes that affect blood cholesterol, including a few affected by drugs on the market and others that might be the basis of new drugs, researchers said on Wednesday.

Stock index futures edged higher on Thursday as investors took a cautious track ahead of the morning's labor data, a precursor to Friday's monthly jobs report.

Higher than expected profits from Barclays and Commerzbank failed to dispel concerns over the underlying health of Europe's top banks on Thursday.

The U.S. Export-Import Bank will unveil a loan guarantee on Thursday for Ford Motor Co that will finance $3.1 billion in exports of cars and trucks to customers in Canada and Mexico, a White House official said.

Third quarter euro zone economic data has been surprisingly strong so far but the European Central Bank still expects the bloc's economic recovery to be moderate and uneven, President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Thursday.

New claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, government data showed on Thursday, underscoring a weak labor market and the fragile economic recovery.

The Bank of England kept interest rates at a record-low 0.5 percent on Thursday, a decision which was no surprise to economists but probably conceals a vigorous debate about whether Britain is at greater risk from slow growth or high inflation.

The euro turned higher against the dollar on Thursday, lifted by a successful Spanish debt auction and positive comments about Greece's progress in reducing its deficit from the International Monetary Fund.

Metal producers should steer clear of using forward prices to assess potential profitability of new projects or for budgeting purposes as this could lead to misleading conclusions. Instead they could look at long-term price forecasts or use consultants. However, there are times when a producer without in-house research or unable to pay consultants, has little choice. In this case results should carry a health warning.

Slowly China is turning into a Gold's own country. Till now India boasted of its unchallenged gold power with the farmers and most of the 1 billion people buying the yellow metal on any religious or special occasions.

Higher-than-expected profits from Barclays and Commerzbank failed to dispel concerns over the underlying health of Europe's top banks on Thursday.

Wall Street stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower start on Thursday as investors await earnings news and U.S. weekly jobless data ahead of the all important key U.S. non-farm payrolls figures on Friday.

Costco Wholesale Corp reported a 6 percent rise in July sales at stores open at least a year, helped by inflation in gasoline prices and strengthening foreign currencies, marginally beating market expectations.

Greece's reform efforts are off to a good start but challenges remain, European and International Monetary Fund officials said after an assessment of the country's efforts to resolve its debt crisis. A joint statement from the European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund and European Commission said spending had been kept below budget limits and the contraction in the economy was in line with projections.

Lower bad debts propelled higher-than-expected profits at Barclays and Commerzbank on Thursday, but ongoing regulatory and economic uncertainty reined in investor optimism.