EMERGING MARKETS

Wal-Mart began an internal investigation within the last seven months to determine whether some overseas incidents violated U.S. federal law.

Citigroup began a round of layoffs among its London-based investment bankers this week after Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said the bank will layoff 4,500 employees as it attempts to trim costs.

As his peers in larger financial institutions are dealing with collapsing stock prices and laying off tens of thousands, the chief executive at boutique investment firm Lazard Ltd (NYSE:LAZ) said he believes smaller, more nimble investment banks like his are likely to benefit from trends developing on Wall Street.

The Bank of Canada kept its overnight interest rate at 1 percent on Tuesday, as expected, and gave no suggestion of an impending rate cut even though its view of the European debt crisis has clearly darkened.

If you don't have the time to scrutinize U.S. and Europe/Asia economic data points daily, but you still want to take the pulse of the U.S. economy, use the price of oil as a shorthand. Oil, the world's most vital commodity, also provides a quick-read on the U.S. economy.

If you can tolerate moderate-risk, Pepsi is a stock that offers that rare opportunity for a decent dividend with capital appreciation, according to one stock reviewer.

Forty-five percent of U.S. respondents reported that their organization had suffered fraud in the previous 12 months, compared to 35 percent in 2009. Economic pressures, incentives, and opportunities are a significant motivator for economic crime.

European shares rose on Tuesday as short-term traders helped boost the market following good demand at an Italian bond auction despite soaring borrowing costs, while BASF rose after lifting its sales target.

India's growth story is still credible and the move to open up the economy to global supermarket chains will help growth and control inflation, says RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao.

German car corporation Daimler AG has decided to stop the production of its ultra-luxury Maybach brand due to the introduction of a revamped version of the flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Class by 2013.

Renewable energy technology is becoming increasingly cost competitive and growth rates are in line to meet levels required of a sustainable energy future, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report on Wednesday.

South Africa's parliament passed a bill on protecting state secrets on Tuesday despite criticism at home and abroad that it harks back to apartheid legislation and makes it easier for corrupt officials to conceal graft.

South African stocks posted their biggest one-day drop in seven weeks on Monday, tumbling 2.5 percent as concerns about debt burdens in the United States and Europe sparked a sell-off in resources firms and others sensitive to global growth.

Suzuki Motor Corp and estranged partner Volkswagen seemed headed for arbitration, after VW refused again to sell its 20 percent stake back to the Japanese carmaker.

H.J. Heinz Co. saw its fiscal second-quarter net income dip 5.7 percent, as organic sales growth in emerging markets could not offset continually weakening sales in North America.

Stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open for equities on Wall Street Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 up 0.2 to 0.3 percent.

Carrefour, the world's second-biggest retailer, must slash prices, build more convenience stores and attract online shoppers as dire economic times make the current CEO's hypermarket revival plan increasingly obsolete.

Luxury fashion house Burberry has reported consistent double digit revenue growth for the first half of the year. The growth has been reported in retail, wholesale and almost all product categories of the brand.

Cellphone market growth slumped in the third quarter, with the grim economic climate prompting consumers to cut back or delay purchases, particularly in western Europe, research firm Gartner said.

Any social networking business grows on its user base and Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, is no exception.

Despite economic growth predicted to slide in the near future, U.S.-based tour operators estimate an increase in the outbound travel. The latest report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Travel Commission (ETC), the number of tourists to Europe, from the U.S. is expected to grow.