IBT Staff Reporter

The two top Democrats in the U.S. Congress plan to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday to explore ways to stimulate the ailing U.S. economy, party aides said.

Italy's top court ruled on Wednesday that a law granting Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution violates the constitution, in a verdict that could reopen trials against him and undermine his government.

Anheuser-Busch InBev said on Wednesday it had agreed to sell its U.S. theme parks to private equity group Blackstone for up to $2.7 billion, shedding a non-core business to help pay for its merger.

U.S. oil major ConocoPhillips on Wednesday cut its capital budget for 2010 and said it planned to divest $10 billion in assets in a bid to improve its financial position.

Apple has selected Foxconn to build the company's anticipated tablet PC, DigiTimes reported on Wednesday, citing market sources. The report says the device will hit the market in Q1 2010, with initial shipments of 300,000-400,000 units.

BMW (BMWG.DE) posted its first year-on-year volume gain this year in September and forecast this would become a trend during the rest of 2009 thanks to new model launches and barring any unforeseeable shocks.

The Federal Reserve told bank examiners last month that banks were slow to take losses on their commercial real estate loans that have suffered as property values sink.

The Dow was lower while the S&P and Nasdaq were flat on Wednesday, following two days of strong gains, as the first batch of quarterly earnings reports trickled into the market.

Oil prices dipped below $70 a barrel on Wednesday as a strengthening dollar prompted less investment in crude and after U.S. data showed fuel stocks surged last week in the world's biggest energy consumer.

U.S. financial advisors are due for upheaval as baby boomers, controlling $10 trillion in assets, reach retirement age and shift their investment priorities, said a senior executive at asset manager BlackRock Inc.

A powerful typhoon approached Japan's main islands on Wednesday, closing car factories and disrupting some refinery shipments.

Family Dollar Stores Inc and Costco Wholesale Corp reported better-than-expected quarterly profits on Wednesday and said sales improved in September from preceding months, sending their shares higher.

Eating lots of whole grains could ward off high blood pressure, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday that the worst of the advertising recession was over, and pointed to signs of a recovery in both Europe and the United States.

The Dow was lower while the S&P and Nasdaq were flat on Wednesday, following two days of strong gains, as the first batch of quarterly earnings reports trickled into the market.

General Motors Co is on track to hit its cost-cutting targets but faces risks as it tries to win back consumers in an uncertain U.S. economy, the automaker said on Wednesday.

Vaccination against the H1N1 swine flu is off to a slow start in the United States, but states have ordered more than 2 million doses of mostly nasal spray for the first patients, a top health official said on Tuesday.

Microsoft has improved its offer to give users in Europe the chance to choose other Web browsers, EU antitrust regulators said on Wednesday, asking rivals to comment on the proposal.

A U.S. trade panel that hears patent disputes said it would investigate allegations that Toyota Motor Corp, the world's largest automaker, infringed patented technology to make its popular hybrid vehicles.

Loss-making car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) said on Wednesday it had secured a 175 million pound ($277.7 million) loan from the State Bank of India (SBI.BO).

U.S. traffic safety authorities have launched an investigation into Toyota Motor Corp's (7203.T) 2000 and 2001 model year Tundra pickups following complaints alleging that severe frame corrosion caused brake system failures or spare tire separation.

Changes to a settlement that would allow Google Inc to put million of books online should be presented in court by November 9, the judge presiding over the case said on Wednesday.

General Motors Co is on track to hit the financial restructuring targets set in its U.S. government-sponsored bankruptcy, but still faces risks as it tries to win back consumers in an uncertain U.S. economy, the automaker said on Wednesday.

Changes to a settlement that would allow Google Inc to put million of books online should be presented in court by November 9, the judge presiding over the case said on Wednesday.

The Browns have traded Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets for wide receiver Chansi Stuckey, linebacker Jason Trusnik and undisclosed draft choices, the Cleveland Browns confirmed Wednesday on their website.

The number of jobs lost in the current recession won't be recovered until 2013, according to a better-than-consensus economic growth forecast by economists at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Oil edged higher above $71 a barrel on Wednesday after the release of U.S. government figures showed crude inventories in the world's largest energy consumer fell last week, boosting the view demand is picking up.

Britain expects around 100 billion pounds ($159 billion) of investment in a third round of offshore wind projects by 2020 and about 5 billion in its Pentland Firth marine energy scheme, the agency in charge of the coastal seabed said.

Business software maker Adobe Systems Inc said on Wednesday it is on track to meet its fourth quarter revenue and profit outlook, which are in line with analysts estimates.