IBT Staff Reporter

Shares in IBM rose 2.5 percent in afternoon trade, leading the market higher ahead of the company's quarterly results, as investors bet on the possibility of an improved full-year forecast.

Sun Microsystems Inc shareholders approved the computer maker's $7 billion sale to Oracle Corp as the two await antitrust clearance from U.S. and EU regulators before they can close the deal.

The United States may need a second fiscal stimulus worth $200-250 billion around the end of the year, but the worst of the economic and the financial crisis is already behind us, leading economist Nouriel Roubini of RGE Global Monitor said on Thursday.

North Korea has started making a documentary film series on the ailing leader Kim Jong II's life for the first time.

Hooliganism charges against two opposition bloggers in Azerbaijan are unfounded and the case is fresh proof that freedom of speech is dying in the central Asian state, an official from Europe's main rights watchdog said on Thursday.

Apple lawyers had asked Microsoft to stop doing its Laptop Hunter ad campaign saying they had already lowered its computer price.

The popular social networking site Facebook is not doing enough to protect the personal information it gets from subscribers, and it gives users confusing and incomplete information about privacy matters, Canada's privacy commissioner said on Thursday.

Dell Inc on Thursday unveiled its all in one desktop, a stylish, scalable and secure design for small-medium businesses.

President Barack Obama on Thursday sought to convince Republicans to support overhaul of the U.S. healthcare industry, his signature domestic policy goal, as the measures moved on a fast-track through congressional committees with only Democratic support.

Iranian opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi confirms to attend the prayer ceremony at Tehran University led by former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Near-zero U.S. interest rates forced Charles Schwab Corp to slash the asset management fees it charges clients, weighing on its profit -- and much more slashing is expected before year end.

U.S. home builder sentiment in July jumped to its highest level since September as improved sales conditions boosted confidence in the market for new single-family homes, an industry group said on Thursday.

Beijing has found a new culprit to blame for China's asset bubbles -- foreign hot money. China's official reserves are rising again, breaking the $2 trillion mark in April, and unexplained inflows are once again coming under the critical microscope.

The receiver charged with marshaling assets of accused swindler Allen Stanford said in court papers on Thursday he needs the help of a private equity adviser to manage the estate's web of investments which total about $650 million.

U.S. home foreclosure activity galloped to a record in the first half of the year, overwhelming broad efforts to remedy failing loans while job losses escalated.

The Obama administration is looking at ways for homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages to remain in their homes as renters, senior administration officials said on Thursday.

U.S. home builder sentiment in July jumped to its highest level since September as improved sales conditions boosted confidence in the market for new single-family homes, an industry group said on Thursday.

General Motors GMGMQ.PK will have a hard time overcoming Germany's resistance to a financial investor if it wants to sell Opel to RHJ (RHJI.BR) in the hope that it could later buy its European carmaker back.

Toyota Motor Corp and Mazda Motor Corp are in talks over the possibility of Toyota supplying core components for hybrid vehicles to its smaller rival, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Tata Motors Ltd (TAMO.BO), India's largest vehicles maker, said on Thursday it would deliver the Nano, the world's cheapest car, to its first customer on Friday.

Auto parts maker Delphi Corp (DPHIQ.PK) has reached an agreement with its bankruptcy financing lenders and former parent General Motors for a plan to emerge from court protection, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday pushed back against a White House plan to give some of its consumer protection powers to a new agency, arguing there was a compelling case for the central bank to keep them.

U.S. home builder sentiment in July jumped to its highest level since September as improved sales conditions boosted confidence in the market for new single-family homes, an industry group said on Thursday.

Stocks were little changed on Thursday as the latest economic data clouded investors' views on the prospects for a recovery even as the corporate earnings season got off to a strong start.

The world's top cell phone maker Nokia Oyj cut its profitability and market share forecasts due to tough competition, sending its shares sharply lower on Thursday.

Hong Kong reported its first suspected death of H1N1 virus among the 1552 confirmed cases on Thursday.

Shares of Palm Inc fell more than 3 percent on Thursday after Apple Inc closed a loophole in iTunes that had allowed the music management software to be synchronized with Palm's Pre phone.

The world's top cellphone maker Nokia cut on Thursday its forecast for second half profitability and 2009 market share at its key phone unit, sending its shares sharply lower. Nokia said its second-half underlying operating profit margin at its key phone unit would be at the first-half level of 11.3 percent. It had earlier forecast a second-half margin of 13-19 percent.

Paulson sees no 'evidence of any illegal actions,' JP Morgan profit jumps 36 percent, Natural gas stockpiles increase below forecasts