IBT Staff Reporter

Gold slipped slightly from its all time high on Wednesday as the dollar steadied, while global stocks rose for the third day in a row.

Gold received a lukewarm reception a day after racing to a record high, with consumers in Asia more likely to be cashing in than panic buying.

A Federal Reserve official said on Tuesday that while the U.S. economy is clearly rebounding, it is too soon to begin to withdraw the Federal Reserve's massive support.

U.S. government-controlled mortgage finance companies Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are working on a program to help independent mortgage banks get access to short-term credit needed to make home loans, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Asian shares pushed up for a second day on Wednesday, with Taiwan's benchmark index nearing a 16-month high, as growing confidence in a strengthening global recovery boosted resource and financial companies.

Julius Baer , bulking up in its home market, has won the auction to buy the Swiss private banking assets of Dutch financial services group ING for around $500 million, two sources with knowledge of the deal said.

Amazon.com Inc is introducing Kindle, its wireless electronic reader, in over 100 countries, including China and most of Europe, intensifying a battle for the burgeoning digital book market.

Gold eased from record highs on Wednesday as investors took profits, but sentiment remained bullish and a fresh record was within sight as the dollar's weakness and inflation concerns reinforced bullion's appeal as a hedge.

Instead of protecting against diabetes, antioxidants -- compounds in foods and supplements that prevent cell damage -- may actually increase the chances of getting diabetes, at least in the early stages, Australian researchers reported on Tuesday.

Common asthma reliever drugs taken by millions of children around the world may increase the risk of asthma attacks in some patients with a particular genetic make-up, British scientists said on Tuesday.

Sorry coffee lovers -- downing a few cups of coffee throughout the day may spark alertness, but it's unlikely to protect the aging brain from mental decline or dementia, according to researchers from Finland

Your pants size might help gauge your risk of developing certain cancers, regardless of how much you actually weigh, Dutch researchers report.

Asian shares pushed up for a second day on Wednesday, climbing back near a 13-month peak, as gold's surge to record highs and the dollar's tumble boosted resource shares.

A private equity manager who wanted to buy the Sun-Times Media Group said on Tuesday that his attempt to bid on the bankrupt newspaper publisher was blocked, and that he wants the court to reopen the sale process.

Soccer's global governing body FIFA, gaming software-maker Electronic Arts and Sony Corp's PlayStation announced the start of the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2010 (FIWC10) season on Tuesday.

AT&T Inc will open its third-generation wireless network to third-party Internet voice applications on Apple Inc's iPhone, clearing the way for services such as Skype.

The Minnesota Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-5 on Tuesday evening in the twelfth inning of a tense game, clinching the American League Central title.

The U.S. may be exiting its worst recession since the Great Depression but there is still a small minority of Americans who rate the national economy as being excellent or great, according to a new survey.

Boeing Co , looking to win more business as the U.S. Defense Department seeks to bolster support to soldiers, said on Tuesday that it sees many applications for a family of advanced trailers it has developed that can be used to retrieve damaged military vehicles from hostile environments.

Yum Brands Inc , parent of the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC chains, posted a quarterly profit that blew past Wall Street's target, boosted by results from China, and raised its full-year profit forecast.

Gold held below its record high in early Asian trade on Wednesday, but could be set for another spike up as the U.S. dollar continues to struggle and inflation concerns grow, analysts said.

Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens said on Tuesday he has increased his long oil and natural gas position in recent weeks.

The World Bank is pursuing an ambitious program of reform to enable the institution to become more efficient and effective, World Bank Group president Robert Zoellick said.

Google Inc, Microsoft Corp and Palm Inc stepped up efforts to bolster their smartphone line-ups, as the tech industry's key players increasingly move to challenge Apple Inc's popular iPhone.

AT&T, the biggest U.S. cellphone provider, said Tuesday that Apple iPhone users will be able to use Skype over its cellphone network, a move that will lower the cost of local and international voice calls.

Yum Brands Inc , parent of the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC chains, posted a quarterly profit that blew past Wall Street's target and raised its full-year profit forecast, sending shares up 2.6 percent.

Bank of America said it will not raise rates or change terms on consumer credit card accounts ahead of reform legislation slated to go into effect early next year, according to a letter released by a lawmaker on Tuesday.

The U.S. patent office, which can take up to three years to approve a patent application, has a $200 million shortfall that may require a temporary 15 percent fee hike, its director said on Tuesday.

Private equity firm OpenGate Capital and New York Daily News owner Mort Zuckerman have dropped out of the bidding for McGraw-Hill Cos Inc's BusinessWeek magazine, people familiar with the matter said, leaving Bloomberg LP and ZelnickMedia to vie for the money-losing asset.