IBT Staff Reporter

The dollar and the yen rose on Thursday as equity and commodity markets fell, encouraging investors to pare back exposure to risk and buy back the two low-yielders against perceived riskier currencies.

Australia's resurgent economy has lured a string of offshore commercial property investors to its shores, many betting the rebound will underpin market competitiveness in the face of a soaring local currency.

News, details on corporate bond issues in the European markets on Thursday:

Top euro zone officials will urge China this month to move towards a more flexible exchange rate policy but it will not be easy to introduce change soon, EU Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said on Thursday.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.61 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.51 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.44 percent at 1030 GMT (5:30 a.m. EST).

A website set up by China's Defense Ministry said it was hit by 2.3 million hacker attacks in its first month of operation, but none of them were successful.

Sony Corp aims to earn a 5 percent operating profit margin in three years by turning its struggling LCD TV and game operations profitable next year and launching 3D TVs and lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

The number of U.S.-dollar millionaires in China is expected to nearly double in five years, luring private bankers eager to help them invest an expected combined wealth over $7.6 trillion by 2013, Boston Consulting Group said on Thursday.

China said it will tighten regulations in its rapidly growing online games sector, requiring game operators to enhance socialist values in their games and hire specialized staff to monitor content.

Blackstone Group's Pinnacle Brands Corp is likely to buy U.S. frozen vegetable company Birds Eye Foods for more than $1.3 billion, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

The dollar pushed further away from 15-month lows on Thursday, forcing gold prices lower while global equities slipped from the top of their recent range.

A website set up by China's Ministry of Defence this summer was hit by more than 230 million hacker attacks in its first month of operation, but none of the attacks were successful, state media reported on Thursday.

Asian stocks eased on doubts about the pace of economic recovery, while the Indonesian rupiah and the Indian rupee fell on concerns over official steps to curb capital flows after Brazil's latest move to limit the rise of its currency.

Neemia Tialata and Cory Jane can expect a talking to from All Blacks coach Graham Henry after revealing on the social networking site Twitter they had been left out of the New Zealand to play England this weekend.

Gold demand fell 34 percent in the third quarter as high prices weighed on investment flows and led to a slump in jewelry buying in key markets like India and the Middle East, a World Gold Council report showed on Thursday.

Italy's Ferrero and U.S.-based Hershey Co are considering a bid for chocolatier Cadbury Plc , but Kraft Foods Inc is still seen as the front-runner with its $16.8 billion hostile offer.

Congress pushes for finance reform; Healthcare reform takes next step; Dell's public fortunes

On a cold wintry day in January 2009, US Airways flight 1549 taxied down the runway at New York's LaGuardia airport. The flight, bound for Charlotte, N.C., was a familiar flight for Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger.

Sony Corp said on Wednesday that early demand for its latest electronic reader was higher than expected in advance of the holidays and shipment delays could result.

Doubts about the pace of economic recovery hit Asian markets on Thursday, with Japanese stocks falling to a four-month low and the Australian dollar down for a third day as a December interest rate hike no longer looked like a sure thing.

The U.S. Congress edged closer on Wednesday to creating new government powers to break up giant financial firms, which Europe is already doing, while a U.S. derivatives market crackdown got more complicated.

Apple's popular iPhone is to make its South Korea debut next week after earning approval from the nation's telecommunications director, local media reported on Wednesday.

Netease.com Inc., one of the leading online game companies in China, reported on Wednesday 26 percent growth for its third-quarter earnings lifted by the outstanding performance of Fantasy Westward Journey.

Computer maker Dell said its Perot Systems acquisition will boost its IT services offering to the public sector, as some of its government customers face a freeze on spending due to the recession.

The naming of a new CEO at DirecTV Group Inc could signal it's time for a takeover bid for the satellite TV company.

Nokia Siemens Networks and private equity firm One Equity Partners have jointly bid for Nortel Networks Corp's optical networking and carrier ethernet business, a person familiar with the sale said on Wednesday, challenging Ciena Corp's $526 million bid for the assets.

Thanks to Ferrero and Hershey, Cadbury may finally have a bargaining position.

General Motors should focus on making money and repaying U.S. Treasury loans before turning to public markets to sell the taxpayer's stake in the automaker, a senior government official said.

Aetna Inc on Wednesday said it expects to eliminate roughly 1,250 jobs by the end of March 2010, reflecting weak economic conditions and the potential impact of health care reform.