IBT Staff Reporter

The U.S. central bank is monitoring the declining value of the dollar closely as part of its commitment to both jobs growth and price stability, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Monday. In a rare commentary on the value of the dollar, Bernanke drew a link between its current weakness and inflation risks.

The U.S. Federal Reserve stepped up its consumer protection efforts for the second time in less than a week on Monday, proposing to limit the ability of gift card issuers to impose excessive fees.

Criminal gangs are making millions of dollars out of the H1N1 flu pandemic by selling fake flu drugs over the internet, a web security firm said on Monday.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Monday that the U.S. central bank was monitoring the declining value of the dollar closely, saying the Fed was committed to both jobs growth and price stability.

The new active Wii video games from Nintendo Co Ltd may be creating a healthier generation of couch potato, according to a new study presented on Monday.

Google is to talk with Chinese writers and publishers over copyright violations, a move following the search engine's settlement with some Western countries, Global Times reported on Monday.

Lowe's Cos Inc , the second-largest U.S. home improvement chain, posted a 30 percent drop in quarterly profit on Monday as consumers put off big renovations while the U.S. housing market remained sluggish.

GM Repaying Loans; Retail's Rise; Dollar Dominance to Last

Commodity-related stocks led Wall Street to 13-month highs on Monday, as oil and metals prices rose, lifted by a weak U.S. dollar.

Mercedes' decision to buy Formula One champions Brawn and sell their stake in McLaren is good for all those involved, according to McLaren co-owner and former team head Ron Dennis.

European carbon emissions futures rose slightly on Monday, unaffected by confirmation from world leaders that a legally binding climate pact will be delayed until 2010 or later.

A coalition of energy companies, automakers and shipping firms unveiled on Monday their cure for America's oil addiction -- electric vehicles.

A stronger yuan is part of the policy mix that Beijing needs to increase domestic consumption and help ease global imbalances, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Monday.

The supervisory board of Volkswagen is set to approve on Thursday contracts drafted for a merger with indebted parent Porsche SE and the partial acquisition of Porsche's sports car business, sources close to the matter told Reuters

Japan's Canon plans to buy Dutch copier and printer maker Oce for 730 million euros ($1.1 billion), in a challenge to rivals Ricoh and Xerox in the hunt for growth.

General Motors Co posted a quarterly loss on Monday but said stabilizing sales since its bankruptcy would allow it to begin paying down $8.1 billion in debt to the United States and Canada next month.

Capital One Financial Corp and Discover Financial Services reported credit card defaults fell in October, but delinquencies rose in a sign that consumers remain under stress and the sector can expect more pain ahead.

U.S. retail sales rebounded in October as vehicle purchases rose even without support from government incentives, a Reuters survey predicted, which could allay some fears over the strength of the economy's recovery.

Asseco Poland, Eastern Europe's largest software maker, plans to replace 9.3 million of its treasury shares with new issues over the next three years to fund acquisitions.

Previous German pledges to provide state aid to carmaker Opel no longer apply now that General Motors has said it can restructure its European arm alone, German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle said.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has ruled in favor of Hyundai companies seeking to buy a stake in an affiliated refiner, worth about 2.6 trillion won ($2.25 billion), from International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC), a Hyundai firm said.

Giant chipmaker Intel Corp raised its quarterly dividend by 12.5 percent on Monday, citing strong business prospects.

General Motors Co. will announce on Monday it plans to start repaying a $6.7 billion loan to the U.S. Treasury by year-end due to modest operating improvements, a source knowledgeable about the situation said.

U.S. network equipment maker Cisco raised its bid for Norwegian video conferencing equipment maker Tandberg and said it was backed by holders of more than 40 percent of its shares after few warmed to its previous offer.

General Motors Co posted a quarterly loss on Monday but said stabilizing sales since its bankruptcy would allow it to begin paying down $8.1 billion in debt to the United States and Canada next month.

Vodafone is seeking an extension to Monday's deadline for a tax claim issued by India over the British mobile phone operator's $11.2 billion purchase of Hutchison Telecom's Indian operations in 2007.

Struggling Finnish national carrier Finnair said on Monday it expected its operating losses this year to amount to around 200 million euros ($299.2 million).

China Forestry Holdings Group, a forestry plantation operator backed by the Carlyle Group, plans to raise up to $203 million via an initial offering of shares in Hong Kong late this month.

Criminal gangs are making millions of dollars out of the H1N1flu pandemic by selling fake flu drugs over the internet, a web security firm said on Monday.