IBT Staff Reporter

The Swiss government's sale of a 9 percent stake in UBS drew lively bids, traders said on Thursday, with a price range seen above the stock's closing price in the previous session.

Oil was steady above $72 a barrel on Thursday, after rising more than 4 percent the previous day, buoyed by industry data showing a steep drop in crude imports and stockpiles in top consumer the United States.

Rio Tinto Ltd/Plc , the world's second-largest miner, is poised for a comeback after posting a record drop in half-year profit and selling off shares and assets to slash debt.

Shares in UBS were expected to open down more than 1 percent on Thursday after the Swiss government said it would sell its 9 percent stake in the bank.

The U.S. government's cash for clunkers autos sales incentive program may be wound down as soon as early September, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Chinese shares clawed higher on Thursday after a two-week sell-off, giving a boost to Asian stock indexes and commodities even as many investors remained worried that the Shanghai slide may have more room to run.

Rio Tinto Ltd/Plc , the world's second-largest miner, posted a record drop in first-half profit, in line with market forecasts, and said it was confident about the future after a tough 18 months.

Rio Tinto Ltd/Plc , the world's second-largest miner, reported a 54 percent drop in first-half earnings on Thursday, its biggest half-year slump on record, as aluminum prices and demand collapsed.

Oil was steady above $72 a barrel on Thursday, after rising more than 4 percent the previous day, buoyed by industry data showing a steep drop in crude imports and stockpiles in top consumer the United States.

The heads of General Motors , Canadian auto parts group Magna and its Russian partner Sberbank are due to meet on Thursday ahead of GM's board meeting on Friday, a German newspaper said.

Dutch supermarket group Ahold reported second-quarter operating profit above forecasts on Thursday, helped by cost controls even as the retail environment continues to reflect weak economic conditions. Second-quarter earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose 25.5 percent to 295 million euros, compared with the 276 million euros projected by analysts and 235 million euros a year earlier.

China's top oil refiners are set to reveal a surge in quarterly earnings on the back of fuel price increases and lower oil prices, reaping the benefits six months after Beijing shifted to more liberal fuel pricing.

James Murdoch is reshuffling News Corporation's Star Asian television operations as he slashes 30% of its HQ staff in Hong Kong, his biggest move yet to stamp his mark on the most promising growth area in his father's media empire.

Chinese shares clawed back up on Thursday after a two-week sell-off, giving a boost to Asian stock indexes and commodities, but many investors were nervous that the Shanghai slide may have more room to run.

Oil was steady above $72 a barrel on Thursday, after rising more than 4 percent the previous day, buoyed by industry data showing a steep drop in crude imports and stockpiles in top consumer the United States.

Japan's Nikkei stock average on Thursday climbed from a three-week closing low, buoyed by resource shares after crude oil surged and by rekindled recovery hopes, with a rebound in Chinese shares also giving a lift.

A Canadian model has won a landmark case against Google, forcing them to disclose the online identity of a blogger who anonymously posted derogatory comments about the Vogue covergir

Phillips-Van Heusen Corp , Gymboree Corp and Hot Topic Inc posted better-than-expected quarterly results on Wednesday but gave disappointing outlooks, sending shares of the clothing manufacturer and retailers down in after-hours trade.

Japan's Nikkei stock average edged higher on Thursday, buoyed by gains in resource-linked shares such as Inpex after oil surged more than 4 percent and rekindled economic recovery hopes. Truckmaker shares climbed after a brokerage upgrade, with Isuzu Motors up more than 5 percent, and trading houses gained on strong metals prices.

Moving Averages, SMA, EMA, WMA, AMA, Momentum, MACD, OBV, Chaikin, RSI and ADX. But what does it mean and for what we can use them?

Dell Inc. has chosen Foxconn, a major Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for its first smartphone Mini3i, Apple Daily Taiwan reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed source.

Data storage equipment maker NetApp Inc reported a quarterly profit that topped Wall Street estimates, but shares fell in extended trade as the company named a new chief executive and failed to forecast results for the current quarter.

James Lockhart, who earlier this month said he would resign as the U.S. regulator overseeing mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , will become vice chairman of a distressed investment group at Invesco Ltd , the company said on Wednesday.

Don Hewitt, creator of CBS News' 60 Minutes program, died of pancreatic cancer Wednesday at his home in Bridgehampton, New York. He was 86.

Data storage equipment maker NetApp Inc reported a quarterly profit that topped Wall Street estimates, but shares fell in extended trade as some investors had been expecting an even bigger beat.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will unveil his proposed cabinet members to parliament on Wednesday.

Friendlier Credit Cards?; Central Bank Confab; More Bear Stearns Fallout

Prices of U.S. office, retail and apartment buildings fell 1 percent in June, easing from steep slides in the previous two months, according to the Moody's/REAL Commercial Property Price Index released on Wednesday.

American International Group Inc was sued on Wednesday by two California residents who said their homeowner insurance policies entitled them to coverage on losses from Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme.