IBT Staff Reporter

Apple Inc.old about 525,000 iPhones at Apple and AT&T Inc. stores in the first weekend since its June 29 launch, the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday, citing an analyst.

Morgan Stanley has applied to buy up to 10 percent of Chinatrust, Taiwan's largest credit card issuer, local media reported on Monday.

General Motors Corp. said on Monday its 2 billion yuan ($263 million) engine plant in south China will begin production in August.

Bear Stearns Cos. may take until July 16 to tally losses at two struggling hedge funds that invested in risky mortgage-related securities, The Wall Street Journal Online reported on Monday.

Russia capped its journey from communism to capitalism on Sunday with the opening of a $1,000-a-night luxury hotel on the site of an old Soviet hostelry best known for its surly service and bugged telephones.

Chinese President Hu Jintao swore in Hong Kong's leader for a new term on Sunday and reminded the territory that the motherland comes first, as the city embarked upon its second decade under Beijing's rule.

Big Japanese firms remained upbeat about business conditions in June, a Bank of Japan survey showed on Monday, underscoring the view that the central bank may raise rates as early as August but will stick to a gradual pace of credit tightening.

Risks for the already sluggish performance of emerging debt markets this year are on the rise as liquidity starts to dry up this week, leaving investors warier of risky assets, which have already been shaken up by the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis.

Asian countries were warned on Monday against complacency that another Asian financial crisis could not hit the region.

About 2 percent of people who bought the keenly-awaited iPhone, launched on Friday by Apple Inc., have been experiencing delays in activating their service, a person familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company, has declined to sign a long-term deal with Apple Inc.'s iTunes music store, leaving open the possibility for exclusive deals with other services, an industry source said on Sunday.

Honda Motor Co. is keen for its share of rapidly-growing markets like India and China to increase, its chairman said on Sunday, but Japan's second biggest auto maker is not in a hurry to enter the new battleground for very cheap small cars in India.

Japanese government bond futures rose to a three-week high on Monday after the Bank of Japan's June tankan survey generally matched forecasts, reinforcing market views that a rate hike could come as early as August.

Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s Wii game console outsold Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 by a ratio of over 6 to 1 in June in Japan, a game magazine publisher said, solidifying Nintendo's leading position.

The LU biscuits division of French food group Danone is due to meet trade union representatives on Tuesday to discuss possible changes at LU, a trade union source said, amid rumors the unit might be sold.

Even if a U.S. jury deliberating the fate of Conrad Black decides to acquit him, the toppled media mogul is likely to spend a lot more time in court.

Global Tower Partners, a U.S. wireless tower operator, is to be bought by a consortium of infrastructure funds managed by members of Australia's Macquarie Group in a deal valued at $1.4 billion.

Euroyen futures gave up early gains on Monday after the Bank of Japan's June tankan survey generally matched forecasts, reinforcing market views that the central bank may raise interest rates as early as August.

Trading in the shares of Australian retailer Coles Group Ltd. and conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd. was halted on Monday for talks on a bid by Wesfarmers for Coles that could be worth up to A$20.7 billion ($17.7 billion).

The Cathedral of Commerce once again is living up to its nickname.

In a continent where men still dominate, Esther Passaris is an anomaly impossible to ignore -- and anyone who tries is likely to get an earful.

Annelies Kruijthoff is the epitome of the happy Dutch worker.

Struggles will come despite long-term growth in demand due to a glut of capacity.

British cable operator Virgin Media has appointed Goldman Sachs to seek a possible buyer after it received approaches from various private equity firms, people familiar with the situation said on Sunday.

It took Apple Inc. more than six months to build the iPhone but curious gadget fanatics needed only minutes to tear one apart.

The film' results are one of the worst openings for Disney's Pixar animation unit.

IBM will open in France its first nuclear consultancy center in July, at a time when utilities are looking to build new reactors and stretch the old ones' lifetime, an executive said on Monday.

The United States and South Korea signed a free trade agreement on Saturday that will face tough opposition in the U.S. Congress because of Democratic Party concerns that it will cost auto industry jobs.

Airline unions, still nursing wounds after a bruising six-year clash with cash-strapped carriers, are getting ready to reclaim lost wages and benefits for workers, as well as some lost clout for themselves.