IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. manufacturing growth eased in September to its slowest in more than a year, but home sales and construction figures suggested a less abrupt decline in the housing sector than many experts had foreseen. A weakening industrial sector could spell bad news for the economy as a whole.

Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank said on Monday its external debt has dropped by 2.3 percent following South Africa's contribution of $169 million last year to the International Monetary Fund.

Harrah's Entertainment Inc., the world's biggest casino operator, on Monday said it had received a $15 billion buyout offer from private equity firms Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group.(TPG.UL), sending shares of the whole gaming sector up sharply.

The European Commission announced on Monday a further €40 million ($51 million) contribution in humanitarian aid to assist the conflict-torn Darfur region of Sudan.

The Lloyd's of London insurance market unveiled plans to change its structure that would alter the way in which individual investors have put money into the market for over 300 years.

The worldwide sales of semiconductors reached record sales levels for August, increasing over 10 percent from previous years according to industry observers.

Southern Cross Healthcare Group Plc, the care home provider today announced its pre close trading update at the end of the Company’s financial year on 1st October 2006.

China World Trade Corporation said on Monday it has struck a deal to acquire 25 percent in a business travel investment company, CWT International Excursion Investment Ltd.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday the government should discuss revisions on tax laws after observing results of fiscal retrenchment and social security costs.

Barclays said on Monday it had agreed to sell part of its vendor finance businesses in Britain and Germany to U.S. commercial finance firm CIT for an undisclosed price.

Software firm Misys called off talks over a possible bid for the firm and said its chief executive, who was involved in a potential offer

Flows of Norwegian gas through the new Langeled pipeline to Britain could exceed 40 million cubic metres one day this week, an industry source said on Monday.

Scottish Power said on Monday all its operations were performing well and that current year trading was expected to be ahead of expectations, boosting its shares.

There is no sign and not even a visible street address outside the Miami office of money manager Thomas Herzfeld.

Imagination Technologies Group said on Monday that it had sold a 3 percent stake in the company to U.S. giant Intel Corp, sending its shares up 10 percent.

Gulf Arab countries will account for about 20 percent of the world's ethylene production by 2010 as they expand petrochemical output capacity, the secretary general of a Gulf petrochemicals lobby said on Monday.

Engineer FKI left its full year guidance unchanged, sending its shares as much as 10 percent higher on Monday as it soothed investors' fears that its outlook may have worsened.

Kenyan Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai said late on Saturday that her 2004 peace prize has helped to change the world's view on the environment.

Not too many years ago, the main thoroughfare of Edgewater, New Jersey, had the feel of a back road meandering through landfills and old factories.

The battle for the favours of the world's ultra rich is heating up as more banks seek a piece of what they see as the fastest growing sector in the financial industry.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is pushing to create a cheaper, more flexible work force by capping wages, using more part-time workers and scheduling more staff on nights and weekends, The New York Times reported on Monday.

Customers picking up the latest MP3 players this fall are getting much more than just a device. Increasingly, they're getting free music as well.

The battle for control of UK water firm AWG Plc heated up on Monday despite the company's agreement of a 2.2 billion pound ($4.1 billion) offer from an investment group called Osprey.

House prices rose at their fastest annual pace in two years in September, a survey showed on Monday

Morgan Stanley said on Monday it has acquired China's Nan Tung Bank, a deal that would give the Wall Street giant a coveted onshore commercial banking license in China ahead of U.S. investment bank rivals. The deal allows Morgan Stanley to apply immediately to offer yuan-denominated products.

The FTSE 100 index was flat on Monday with utilities leading the way but online gambling firms plummeting after the U.S. Congress passed legislation to ban online gaming there.

British Airways shares rose over 2 percent in early trade following a newspaper report that two Middle Eastern groups considered bidding for the airline earlier this year.

Mobile phones that emit a piercing scream that will give all but the deafest thieves pause for thought was launched in Britain on Monday in a bid to tackle crime which costs millions of pounds each year.

Online gambling firms faced their biggest-ever crisis on Monday after U.S. Congress passed legislation to end Internet gaming there, threatening jobs and wiping 3.5 billion pounds ($6.5 billion) off company values.