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Stella McCartney sent models down the runway in sporty but sophisticated school girl outfits on Monday, as cutesy collars and flouncy skirts found an anchor in classic English tailoring and rich country tweeds.

The U.S. non-manufacturing activity index increased in February to 57.3 percent, up from 56.8 percent in January as growth accelerated, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said Monday.

Euro zone shoppers increased spending in January, a surprise after four months of falls but economists said a quarterly reading that smoothes over the data still showed a large decline.

The Union budget has always provided major policy direction which has been anxiously awaited by the common man and the industry. But over the years, the tax system has become more crystallised and yet expectations have not ceased. Check out expectations of Budget 2012-13.

The reintroduction of the government subsidy in Japan on fuel-efficient vehicles, which propelled a big increase in retail spending and industrial production in January, will generate negligible benefit to the economy of the country, according to a report.

Ford Motor's Focus Electric, the company's first electric passenger car, has been crowned by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the certification of the most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle in the country.

New initiatives don't always succeed first time. The government's auction of 5 percent of Oil and Natural Gas Corp, the energy group, could have flopped had it not been for last-minute intervention from state-owned Life Insurance Company of India. But if Delhi learns the right lessons, the auction route could yet be an effective way of selling stakes in state-run firms.

Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) reported on Friday a 4.2 percent increase in its fiscal fourth quarter profits, beating analysts' expectations through high demand for its discounted products.

Christian Dior presented a toned-down version of elegance for autumn/winter on Friday, as the atelier's signature silhouette of full skirts and cinched waists took on a ballet-like flair.

Wal-Mart and Target are among some two dozen retailers that have teamed up to claim a share of the fast-developing business of turning smartphones into virtual wallets.

This morning, Canon released the 5D Mark III, a much-anticipated digital SLR camera that adds a slew of new innovative features to trump its 2008 release of the 5D Mark II.

Apple is currently auditing the Foxconn factories in China which manufacture many of its products like the iPhone, following a spate of bad publicity over working conditions there. As demand for higher wages and increased safety regulations at the factories goes up, so will the price of Apple's products, some industry analysts are saying.

Eastman Kodak Co has agreed to sell its online photo services business to Shutterfly Inc for $23.8 million, kicking off the bankrupt photography pioneer's relaunch as a much slimmer company although a patent sale seen crucial to its turnaround may still be months away.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Thursday were: Shutterfly, Ascena Retail Group, Flow International, Alaska Communications Systems Group, Merge Healthcare, Hercules Offshore, Zynga Inc, Immersion Corp, Collectors Universe and BGC Partners.

On Thursday, Archie Comics announced in a press release that their controversial 16th issue of “Life With Archie” had completely sold out, despite boycott threats from a conservative coalition called One Million Moms.

Individual investors moved back into the markets in February to take advantage of rising stock prices as the economic recovery gained steam and risk aversion eased, said the head of one of the top U.S. discount brokers.

The U.S. Navajo Nation has sued Urban Outfitters Inc. for trademark violations and licensing discrepancies in regard to products offered in its retail stores and online.

Mild weather helped spur consumers to buy spring clothing in February, leading to broad sales gains at top U.S. chains, and even perennial laggard Gap Inc posted its first increase in eight months.

Finnish gaming firm Rovio expects to boost growth for months to come, with expansion in Asia, to Facebook and with the launch of Angry Birds Spaces, its marketing chief told Reuters in an interview.

Rising gasoline prices will not threaten soaring new car sales that have the auto industry on pace for an even more impressive recovery year than originally expected, analysts say.

The U.S. economy would have to strengthen to ensure that the unacceptably high jobless rate keeps dropping, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Wednesday, suggesting the option of further Fed bond buying remains on the table.