IBT Staff Reporter

A 17-year old gunman went on a shooting spree at his former school in southwest Germany on Wednesday, killing up to 15 people before dying himself in a shootout with police, authorities said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed a comprehensive U.S. system for reporting emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, a step toward regulating pollutants that spur climate change.

Stocks rose at the open on Wednesday, buoyed by hopes that Washington will soon restore confidence in banks, but American Express kept the market's advance in check after a bearish broker view.

Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said lower rates on long-term, fixed-rate mortgages and not the Federal Reserve's policies are to blame for the U.S. housing bubble.

U.S. Federal Reserve officials were struck by the early apparent success the Bank of England's plans to buy government bonds and could further consider moving forward on a similar effort in the United States, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday.

Oil fell by more than a dollar toward $44 a barrel on Wednesday as further evidence of a large drop in global crude demand emerged.

Shares of Japan's Toshiba Corp gained 9.5 percent after a newspaper reported it would likely see an operating profit of about $1 billion next business year, in sharp contrast with analyst estimates for a loss.

AT&T Inc will spend $565 million within 10 years to replace or buy about 15,000 vehicles in its corporate fleet with cars and other vehicles that run on alternative fuels, the company said on Wednesday

Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said lower rates on long-term, fixed-rate mortgages and not the Federal Reserve's policies are to blame for the U.S. housing bubble.

Upscale retailer Neiman Marcus posted a quarterly loss on Wednesday, as sales suffered through the holiday season at the hands of frugal U.S. consumers.

Staples Inc posted a 14 percent fall in quarterly profit, hurt by weak sales of furniture and computers, and said it will not give outlook for 2009 due to uncertain economic conditions.

Nearly a third of U.S. consumers feel it will be a year before their families are better off than they are today, and more than a quarter think it will take longer, according to a retail survey on behalf of Reuters.

Stocks headed for a higher open on Wednesday, with financials set to lead another climb as investors bet Washington will soon restore confidence in banks by relieving them of money-losing assets.

Sales of smartphones will jump 28 percent in 2009 after growth slowed to just 3.7 percent in the fourth quarter due to weakening economies and lack of attractive new models, according to research firm Gartner.

Stock index futures rose on Wednesday, signaling Wall Street will extend Tuesday's strong advance on bets Washington will act soon to restore confidence in banks by relieving them of money-losing assets.

Pearson, the world's largest educational publisher, plans to co-develop a conversational English language-learning service for consumers with fast-growing online language community Livemocha.

Nearly a third of U.S. consumers feel it will be a year before their families are better off than they are today, and more than a quarter think it will take longer, according to a retail survey on behalf of Reuters.

Stocks are set to edge up further on Wednesday, building on the gains made in the previous session when they posted the biggest rise in four months.

U.S. shares are set to edge up further on Wednesday, building on the gains made in the previous session when they posted the biggest rise in four months.

Banking worries shot back into equity markets on Wednesday after leading European bank UBS said it saw its earnings at risk for some time, weighing on investors a day after many had their best day since December.

Apple will take third-quarter delivery of newly developed 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan, a source said on Wednesday, amid talk the U.S. firm is developing a touchscreen PC.

A drop in Chinese exports and falling prices in Japan and Germany underscored the weakness of the world economy, while the IMF said governments are moving too slowly to rid banks of their toxic assets.

Asia stocks rose on Wednesday after hopes Citigroup will deliver a first-quarter profit sparked an improvement in investor confidence, though grim Chinese export data sent dealers buying the U.S. dollar for safety.

Apple will take third-quarter delivery of newly developed 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan, a source said on Wednesday, amid talk the U.S. firm is developing a touchscreen PC.

China's exports tumbled in February and Japan's wholesale prices fell by the most in six years, stark illustrations of a bleak world economy even as Citigroup boosted investor confidence in the banking sector.

Apple Inc. will take third-quarter delivery of newly developed 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan, a source said on Wednesday, amid talk the U.S. firm is developing a touch-screen PC.

Apple Inc. will take third-quarter delivery of newly developed 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan, a source said on Wednesday, amid talk the U.S. firm is developing a touch-screen PC.

Asia stocks rose on Wednesday after hopes Citigroup will deliver a first-quarter profit sparked an improvement in investor confidence, though grim Chinese export data sent dealers buying the U.S. dollar for safety.

Citigroup said it was profitable in the first two months of 2009 and Toshiba was reported to be set for an operating profit of $1 billion next year, two rare shards of corporate news to lift markets.