IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. antitrust regulators plan to investigate whether Apple is unfairly restricting rivals such as Google from carrying ads on the iPhone, iPad and iPod, the Financial Times said.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday, boosted by confirmation of solid China export data and a climb in the euro as investors awaited a report on the U.S. labor market.

Entrepreneurial zeal of Indian women is all set to get a boost as the US-based Women's Jewellery Association (WJA) is launching its India chapter with a view to boost networking among the professional women engaged in the jewellery, watches and related businesses.

An Australian hedge fund is suing Goldman Sachs Group Inc over an investment in a subprime mortgage-linked security that contributed to the fund's demise in 2007.

The Netherlands World Cup squad has been banned from using Twitter during the tournament after Eljero Elia sparked a racism row with comments on a live streaming video.

China urged the United States on Thursday not to be suspicious about its U.S. Treasury holdings, after the Senate voted to require regular reports on security risks posed by debt held by China and other nations.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for Wall Street on Thursday, rebounding from falls in the previous session, with futures for the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq up 0.9 to 1.1 percent by 0849 GMT.

The euro rose on Thursday after the head of China's national pension fund said the currency would weather Europe's debt crisis, though caution before a European Central Bank policy decision capped gains.

Shares in oil giant BP continued to fall heavily on Thursday, hitting their lowest level since 1997, even as the company said it saw no justification for such a move.

The European Central Bank faces a grilling over the euro zone's debt crisis on Thursday after a torrid month in which it has abandoned resistance to buying government debt and flung its exit strategy into reverse.

China's exports jumped in May, reassuring investors about the economy's strength but putting pressure on U.S. President Barack Obama to placate critics who say Beijing is keeping the yuan unfairly undervalued.

Losses in European shares offset gains in Asia on Thursday to drag down world stocks while the euro gained in part because of supportive comments from the influential head of China's national pension fund.

China's rising labor costs will not deter foreign investors because policies to boost domestic consumption provide a new reason for them to seek profits in the world's third-largest economy, a senior trade official said on Thursday.

The Bank of England looks set to keep interest rates at a record low on Thursday -- and probably for the rest of this year -- as it seeks to bolster Britain's fragile recovery and offset painful government spending cuts.

Asian stocks rose on Thursday on higher-than-expected Chinese exports and assurances from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the U.S. economic recovery was on solid footing, but European stocks were expected to open lower, tracking Wall Street's fall overnight.

Russia and Ukraine have decided to cooperate in oil and gas sector by allowing swap assets with each other. Speaking to newsmen here after meeting Russian president Vladimir Putin, Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych said, We could swap some assets with Russia to cooperate in oil and gas production in Russia,

Oil remained lower in Asian trade Thursday despite a positive Chinese data which shows increase in overall exports of the country. Light sweet crude for July was seen trading at $74.23 a barrel at 12.00 noon Singapore time while Brent crude was at $ 74.01 a barrel in London.

General Motors Co has banned the use of the popular Chevy nickname for its flagship Chevrolet brand internally but would more than welcome if a customer calls his or her car Chevy.

Gold prices pared some of its overnight losses in Asian trade Thursday but remained under pressure on firmer currencies and stocks. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1232.74 an ounce at 12.00 noon Singapore time while U.S. gold futures for August delivery was at $1235.17 an ounce.

The Congress put the last pieces in place on Wednesday to begin hammering out a historic financial regulation overhaul, a day after primary elections vindicated get-tough-on-Wall Street politics.

There is a good chance that a sweeping U.S. financial reform bill will be passed in a reasonable form, White House economic adviser Paul Volcker said on Wednesday, adding the bill could provide a basis for international coordination on coherent legislation.

New strategic brinkmanship by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK); a now-clear determination by the People's Republic of China (PRC) to more aggressively assert its territorial claims in regional waters; the near-collapse of Japanese strategic cohesion during 2010; and the increasing signs of US political caution in North-East Asia, all point to a period of strategic concern for the Republic of China, particularly in its maritime responsibilities.

Violent videogames can increase aggression and hostility in some players but they can also benefit others by honing their visual/spatial skills and improving social networking ability, scientists said.

Walgreen Co can make up for any revenue shortfall caused by its split with CVS Caremark Corp over their pharmacy benefits management arrangement, Walgreen's CEO said, noting he sees little chance of reconciliation.

Hewlett-Packard Co was sued on Wednesday by a New Jersey company that accused it of stealing and using its trade secrets to make replacement laser printer cartridges, and threatening its survival.

The Australian dollar found some support from the release of strong Chinese trade data yesterday. The unofficial report served to support the view that the Chinese economy is still performing very strongly, in contrast to the current situation in Europe.

AT&T Inc said on Wednesday users of Apple's iPad may have had their personal information exposed through a network security flaw.

BP Plc shares tumbled nearly 16 percent on U.S. exchanges to a 14-year low on Wednesday on rising fears about how the wounded company will cope with the massive costs of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.

BP Plc shares tumbled nearly 16 percent on U.S. exchanges to a 14-year low on Wednesday on rising fears about how the wounded company will cope with the massive costs of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.