RETAIL

Best Buy Co. (NYSE: BBY) is not having a good week.

The Instacube, which launched on Kickstarter Tuesday morning, is the solution for Instagram users that want enjoy their photos in more casual way. Now, anyone can passively view their Instagram feeds in their living rooms, on their work desks, or on their nightstands. They're party centerpieces, and a great way to immediately display photos being taken at that very party. It's the only way to share photos with a crowd of people; its viewfinder is far superior to that of an iPhone.

India's retail inflation rate dropped marginally to 9.86 percent in July from 9.93 percent recorded in June, according to the data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation.

Unemployment is still well above 8 percent, the cost at the pump is rising and consumers are still wary and cost-conscious, but recent surveys indicate back-to-school buys and the upcoming holiday shopping season will be as good as or better than last year. Still, the theme of the season is cautious optimism.

Users of ZeekRewards.com and Zeekler.com are searching for answers -- and their lost money -- after the Securities and Exchange Commission charged the sites' owner, Paul Burks, with an alleged $600 million Ponzi scheme. "I was in shock," said a Zeek member who used the site for five months.

France, Germany, Spain, China and Japan, among other nations, have moved by leaps and bounds ahead of the U.S. in cutting-edge rail transportation (and in rail line profitability), while Amtrak struggles to survive on budgetary scraps from Congress. Many rail experts believe that only investments from the private sector and sovereign wealth funds can save Amtrak.

In the United States, Mom typically has the most say when it comes to back-to-school shopping, but pre-teens are consumers, too, and they have more money to spend on backpacks and binders than they have had in years.

Apple is expected to release the next iPhone, aka iPhone 5, September 12 and according to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek, the upcoming release of the next iPhone will be the "biggest handset launch in history."

IBTimes' weekly roundup of winners and losers in the world of business.

The release date for Apple’s iPhone 5 is allegedly coming in September alongside an iPad Mini, and the Internet has not stopped buzzing with rumors and speculations about the device. This information has not been confirmed by Apple, but increasing evidence points to the following: fans could see the iPhone 5 next month.

U.S. consumer sentiment edged up this month to a three-month high as a stock market rally appears to have offset the impact of rising gasoline prices.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) admitted recent staffing changes made in its retail stores selling iPhones, iPads and Macs were "a mistake," and it is reversing the policies.

Sony Corp. is doing its best to maintain Playstation 3 and Playstation Vita performance in the lead-up to next year's anticipated launch of its next-generation console by cutting costs and introducing a wide range of new intellectual property for the rapidly aging devices.

Before the curtain falls on this earnings season, investors will hear next week from several more major players, including Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lowe's and Best Buy.

Shares firmed Friday as German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced support for the European Central Bank's efforts to contain the euro zone's debt crisis, soothing investor nerves and prompting them to scale back safety bids.

The demand for gold fell to its lowest level in two years in the second quarter of 2012, as the price rise along with the economic slowdown has deterred major consumers India and China from buying the yellow metal, the World Gold Council said on Thursday.

The Indian rupee fell to a two-week low of 56.00/02 paise against the dollar in the morning trade Thursday, tracking the strengthening of the dollar in the global market. The dollar gained globally, chasing the upbeat U.S. data of retail sales which eased the concerns about the monetary control.

Asian shares steadied Thursday as investors took to the sidelines, waiting for more clues over the timing and extent of any further stimulus to tackle the euro zone's debt crisis and support global growth.

EA Games is transforming "Command & Conquer" into a free-to-play multiplayer game, while Zynga revealed plans to publish partnered content being distributed in a more traditional publishing model than the one it pioneered.

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said that the country was unable to create an environment for rapid economic growth due to lack of political consensus and promised to work hard to shield the country from the effects of global economic slowdown.

News of the probable launch of iPhone 5 September 12 and the $2.5-billion quarterly dividend payout August 16 have made Apple (AAPL) stocks a top pick among retail investors and hedge funds.