IBT Staff Reporter

Strong earnings from Intel Corp next week should provide further proof of a recovery in electronics and PC demand, but analysts warn the company will have to handily surpass expectations to drive its high share price higher.

Indian energy giant Reliance Industries will pay $1.7 billion to form a joint venture at one of the most promising natural gas deposit regions in the U.S. with Atlas Energy, becoming the latest foreign company to invest in shale plays that are expected to be very lucrative.

Euro zone officials agreed on Friday on the terms of a possible financial rescue for Greece as a ratings agency downgraded its debt by two notches citing a worsening economy and rising borrowing costs.

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc told a U.S. bankruptcy judge on Friday that Barclays Plc should be forced to return certain assets it received in its 2008 acquisition of Lehman's core U.S. brokerage, because Barclays arranged a secret $5 billion discount.

Activision Blizzard Inc has countersued two former executives, charging them with attempting to hijack the company's assets and threatening the future of its blockbuster Call of Duty video game franchise.

U.S. stocks rose on Friday with the Dow surpassing 11,000 for the first time in a year-and-a-half after Chevron's upbeat outlook and wholesale inventories data reinforced bets on an improving economy.

Time Warner Inc is evaluating possible new structures to its bid for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , as the auction for the studio drags on, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.

U.S. stocks rose on Friday, with the Dow industrials briefly hitting 11,000 for the first time since September 2008, on an upbeat outlook from Chevron and strong inventories data that gave support to bets on an improving economy.

The case of a teenager in Massachusetts who killed herself after a relentless, months-long bullying campaign shows how the common schoolyard behavior is evolving in dangerous new ways online.

Our Peruvian guide Wayo is at the door of our van, just returned from a nearby tienda (store) with an innocuous pink bag in his hand. He hands over the bag and invites me to take a look inside. I open it to reveal the small green leaves within, each about the size of my thumb.

U.S. corporate earnings should top forecasts again in the first quarter, but the extent of the stock market's rally means investors are expecting a lot from companies.

Energy shares buoyed U.S. stocks on Friday as Chevron Corp's upbeat outlook gave a boost to the sector, while wholesale inventories data supported bets on an improving economy.

U.S. wholesale inventories rose more than expected in February and sales at wholesalers reached their highest level since October 2008, brightening prospects for first-quarter economic growth.

After months of delays, the International Monetary Fund has reached agreement on a second review of Iceland's IMF loan program and tentatively scheduled a meeting of its board for April 16 to consider the issue.

Casey's General Stores rejected a hostile bid from Alimentation Couche-Tard on Friday, claiming the Canadian company was trying to buy U.S. firms on the cheap.

Energy shares drove U.S. stocks higher on Friday as an upbeat outlook from Chevron Corp gave a boost to the sector and U.S. wholesale inventories data supported bets on an improving economy.

Constellation Brands Inc forecast full-year results below Wall Street estimates, reflecting its concerns about lackluster consumer spending on its alcoholic drinks and a frayed joint venture with Mexico's Grupo Modelo, sending shares down 4.6 percent.

Aetna Inc is suspending marketing to and enrollment of new members to its Medicare plans for the elderly because of sanctions imposed by the U.S. government, the health insurer said on Friday.

A London bonds trader has set up a charity Web page in a tongue-in-cheek effort to raise money for debt-ridden Greece.

Alcoa Inc is expected to report a small quarterly profit next week but Wall Street is unconvinced the company can post higher numbers with the price of aluminum only slowly inching up from the recession.

Wholesale inventories rose more than expected in February and sales climbed to their highest level since October 2008, according to a government report on Friday that pointed to manufacturing strength.

U.S. safety regulators are investigating a potential for brake failure in General Motors Co vehicles that could affect up to 6 million trucks and SUVs sold from the model years 1999 through 2003.

Energy shares drove U.S. stocks higher on Friday as India's largest listed company will form a joint venture with independent gas company Atlas Energy, while conflicting news on debt-laden Greece kept a lid on gains.

Massey Energy Co said on Friday it will increase coal production at its other mines to compensate for production lost at the West Virginia mine where at least 25 miners died in a blast this week.

Sales of passenger cars grew by almost two-thirds in China last month as buoyant consumer sentiment bolstered spending on big-ticket items in the world's third-largest economy.

Switzerland-based FZ Sonick SA favours energy storage over private electric vehicles to provide the boom market for salt battery production, the recently formed company's managing director said on Thursday.

McDonald's Corp Chief Executive Jim Skinner received 2009 compensation of $17.6 million, more than double his 2007 pay, largely fueled by a performance-related bonus paid out every three years, the company said on Friday.

Swiss banking giant UBS faces a turbulent shareholder meeting as activist investors prepare to reject the bank's bonus scheme, as well as plans to discharge former executives from responsibilities in the credit crisis.

Circle K and Mac's convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard said on Friday that it had offered to buy Casey's General Stores for $36 a share in cash.