IBT Staff Reporter

Baxter International Inc's quarterly earnings rose 12 percent on lower expenses and better margins, but sales were flat with a year earlier, the hospital products maker said on Thursday.

After only three days of sales, Michael Buble's new album topped the Billboard 200 chart, while rock legends KISS finished in second place, the highest album-chart position of their career.

Capital One Financial Corp's U.S. credit-card defaults rose in September as more Americans lost their jobs, in another sign that consumers remain under stress.

Global warming will leave the Arctic Ocean ice-free during the summer within 20 years, raising sea levels and harming wildlife such as seals and polar bears, a leading British polar scientist said on Thursday.

Hollywood is increasingly relying on Twitter and Facebook to gauge popular buzz on movies even before they come out, in a move reflecting the power of average filmgoers over once-mighty film critics and detailed surveys.

U.S. mortgage foreclosure filings fell for a second straight month in September, but remained near a record high, amid ongoing and sweeping efforts to keep borrowers in their homes, a report released on Thursday showed.

Citigroup Inc posted a quarterly loss to shareholders as it suffered $8 billion of credit losses, raising further questions about the future of the bank that is one-third owned by the U.S. government.

If you're looking for work, don't look in California.

A gauge of manufacturing in New York State jumped unexpectedly this month to its highest in five years on surging new orders, shipments and employment in the sector, the New York Federal Reserve said in a report on Thursday.

Boeing Co has received no cancellations of aircraft orders from Chinese airlines , a senior executive said on Thursday, although deliveries have been adjusted as carriers trim costs to cope with weak demand.

U.S. consumer prices rose marginally in September from August, restrained by weak food and housing costs, according to government data on Thursday that pointed to scant inflation pressures as the economy makes a comeback from recession.

Citigroup Inc (C.N) posted a quarterly loss to shareholders as it suffered $8 billion of credit losses, raising further questions about the future of the bank that is one-third owned by the U.S. government.

U.S. Treasuries prices trimmed losses as U.S. stock index futures turned lower after Goldman Sachs Group (GS.N) reported its third-quarter results.

Stock futures fell on Thursday after quarterly results from Goldman Sachs Group and Citigroup Inc failed to live up to expectations some investors had for financial sector shares.

Leona Lewis ran out from a book signing in London on Wednesday after being attacked by an anonymous man, according to reports.

Describing the proliferation of fraudulent mortgage rescue schemes as an epidemic on Sept. 17, the U.S. Treasury, Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the FTC announced they would work together to target investigations and increase their efficiency.

Consolidation in the private banking industry picked up pace on Thursday, creating fresh players in the Asian and British wealth management sectors and reshaping how the rich manage their money around the world.

Spanish infrastructure firm Abertis (ABE.MC) is eyeing projects in China and India to boost growth beyond its stronghold in southern Europe, but is not in a hurry for any deals, its chairman said on Thursday.

Oil fell back below $75 a barrel from year-highs and reversed its sixth straight positive session on Thursday after European shares pared gains and the euro fell on disappointing Q3 earnings reports, traders said.

Bruce Wasserstein, the legendary Wall Street deal maker identified with an era of no-holds-barred takeover battles, has died at the age of 61. His death leaves major questions about the future direction and leadership of Lazard Ltd., the investment bank he headed.

A decision on whether the Swedish government will give loan guarantees to troubled auto maker Saab is still a couple of months away, the country's enterprise minister told Reuters on Thursday.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings, fueled by outsized bond trading profits.

Capital One Financial Corp's (COF.N) U.S. credit-card defaults rose in September as more Americans lost their jobs, in another sign that consumers remain under stress.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings, fueled by outsized bond trading profits.

European shares hit a fresh one-year high on Thursday, with analysts pointing to third-quarter earnings beating forecasts, though mobile phone giant Nokia (NOK1V.HE) bucked the trend. At 1041 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was up 0.5 percent at 1,021.65 points, having risen as far as 1,022.26, the highest since Oct. 7, 2008.

Britain's top share index was 0.1 percent lower by mid-session Thursday, weighed on by weaker commodity stocks as metal prices fell, ahead of results from U.S. banks Citigroup (C.N) and Goldman Sachs (GS.N)

U.S. stock index futures were flat on Thursday, a day after the Dow Jones industrial average .DJI topped the key 10,000 level and ahead of quarterly results from Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.

Stock futures were flat on Thursday, a day after the Dow Jones industrial average topped the key 10,000 level and ahead of quarterly results from Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.

The world's top cellphone maker Nokia reported a surprise loss for the July-September quarter, hit by a major writedown at its networks unit, but said demand for handsets had improved.