IBT Staff Reporter

Major lodging companies Wyndham Worldwide Corp and Host Hotels & Resorts Inc lifted their 2010 outlooks on Wednesday on further signs that the industry is able to command higher room rates and boost occupancy.

The international bailout of Greece is likely to total up to 120 billion euros, a German lawmaker said on Wednesday after International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn held talks in Berlin.

When protesters in Bangkok started a rally in the middle of March to force early elections, the economy was recovering well from a brief recession and the government confidently expected GDP to rise 4.5 percent in 2010.

Global wheat prices are expected to remain unchanged for the time being as the prices already touched at the bottom level, said an Industrial official. Global wheat prices are unlikely to fall further for the next three months as at present prices are close to multi-year lows, Chris Vanhonacker, Commercial Director of Rias Trading was quoted by Dow Jones Newswires.

Home buyer tax credits have been a boon to the U.S. housing market, but their expiration this week is unlikely to deter home purchasing activity as consumers grow more confident, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

Remember the impact of Reserve Bank of India's decision to buy 200 tonnes of gold from International Monetary Fund (IMF) in November 2009 had on the price of yellow metal? That time gold prices soared to new heights because the world feared that India is shifting its foreign reserves to gold expecting the dollar to crash.

U.S. mortgage applications fell last week as a drop in home refinancing volume outweighed the highest demand for home purchase loans in six months, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.

Dow Chemical Co posted a much better-than-expected first-quarter profit on Wednesday as higher pricing and volume pushed revenue up around the globe, and its shares rose nearly 3 percent.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday resumed a two-day meeting where it is expected to repeat a vow to keep interest rates at rock bottom levels for an extended period while acknowledging the U.S. economic recovery is getting stronger.

Sprint Nextel , the No. 3 US mobile service, posted a quarterly loss that was in line with expectations as customer losses slowed from the same quarter the year before.

Car parts maker Continental AG believes it can increase sales by as much as 10 percent this year and perhaps be profitable on the bottom line, as it posted a better-than-expected swing to profit in the first quarter.

U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, recovering from a steep sell-off in the previous session, as details emerged about an aid package for Greece that could calm fears over a possible sovereign debt default.

Greece will receive much more aid than initially expected, German lawmakers said on Wednesday after a briefing with the International Monetary Fund, reviving markets that had been spooked by fears of a Greek debt default.

(Reuters) - WellPoint Inc said that as of May 1 it would expedite healthcare reforms and stop dropping healthcare coverage for customers after they get sick, responding to pressure from Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration.

(Reuters) - Americans are steadily losing confidence in their ability to get healthcare and pay for it, despite the passage of healthcare reform legislation, according to a survey published on Wednesday.

Sprint Nextel posted a wider quarterly loss on Wednesday as it took a hefty tax-related charge and valuable customers continued to flee, and its shares fell nearly 5 percent.

Comcast Corp , the No. 1 U.S. cable operator, posted higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, as it added Internet and phone subscribers.

Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein said he has not thought about resigning amid accusations the firm helped inflate the housing bubble and then made billions off the market's collapse.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Wednesday, following a steep sell-off in the previous session, as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision and a statement on the economy.

Australian takeover target Macarthur Coal left the door open on Wednesday to pursue a new bid for smaller rival Gloucester Coal , while awaiting a formal offer from its U.S. suitor.

Health insurer WellPoint Inc posted a better-than-expected first-quarter profit on Wednesday, as the company spent less premium revenue on medical costs and reported improvement in its Medicaid plans for low-income Americans.

German politicians came under pressure Wednesday to cast aside their doubts over a bailout for Greece, with markets increasingly alarmed that Athens may default on its debt and trigger a meltdown elsewhere in Europe.

U.S. stock index futures rose modestly on Wednesday, following a steep sell-off in the previous session, as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision and a statement on the economy.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is taking a closer look at whether hedge fund managers abused a practice known as side pockets to prevent clients from withdrawing billions of dollars during the 2008 financial crisis, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Researcher gets 4 months in prison for reading celebrity medical records.

Starlight Children's Foundation continues to reach children with serious illness as more volunteers start to help their cause.

This seminar will look at the experience of trying war criminals in Australia and at the state of Australian law on the subject.

Honda Motor Co forecast a smaller-than-expected 10 percent rise in full year operating profit and warned of stiffer competition as Korean and U.S. automakers roll out models to rival its fuel-efficient line-up.

British American Tobacco Plc , the world's No 2 cigarette maker, reported a 4 percent fall in underlying first-quarter volumes but said price rises led to good sales growth and it remains on track for 2010.