INVESTMENT

Barnes & Noble announced today it will be forming a strategic partnership with Microsoft by creating a new subsidiary, which has not been named yet, that will aim to accelerate the transition to digital publishing and significantly boost e-book sales.

Private equity group Terra Firma Capital Partners said Monday it would buy Four Seasons Health Care, the UK's largest independent elderly healthcare provider, for 825 million pounds ($1.34 billion) to take advantage of the growing demand.

Europe's chronic financial and economic troubles threaten to reach a critical level in May as warning signals emerge from the continent's core and its southern periphery.

Futures on major US stock indices point to a lower opening Monday ahead of economic data including core PCE price index and Chicago PMI.

The companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trade Monday are: Demand Media, Barnes & Noble, Sunoco, Mannkind Corp, Boston Scientific Corp, Vivus Inc, Range Resources Corp and Humana Inc.

Germany?s retail sales rose in March compared to the previous month with the boost in purchasing power in households as unemployment declined.

Gold held near a two-week high on Monday on prospects of more safe-haven buying, with the U.S. dollar under pressure from weaker-than-expected economic data and speculation the Federal Reserve could ease policy further to boost growth.

India on Friday allayed US allegations that the proposed retrospective amendments to the Indian tax laws are discriminatory and will adversely impact the US investments.Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Lok Sabha that the proposed amendments will not have any negative impact on the foreign investments. His clarification came after the new US ambassador to India Nancy Powell raised the issue in a business meeting on Friday at New Delhi.

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank Corp reported a weak growth in the first quarter due to slowdown in the economy.

The International Monetary Fund has reduced the growth forecast of India for this year citing a slowdown of investment and governance problems.

The Bank of Japan will expand its Asset Purchase Program by an additional 5 trillion yen ($62 billion) to increase the purchase of Japanese government bonds, exchange-traded funds and Japan real estate investment trusts, the bank announced in a statement Friday.

Stocks rose modestly on Friday, putting equities on track for a fourth day of gains as more strong earnings partially offset a weaker-than-expected reading on economic growth.

Apple's plans to build a sprawling new campus in Austin, Texas, looks to be in trouble. After several delays in approving an incentives deal by the Travis County Commissioners Court, the Cupertino, Calif.-based computer maker is getting very frustrated.

Bond investors brought the governments of Spain and Italy to the brink of crisis Friday as the cost of borrowing rose to nearly unsustainable levels.

The U.S. economy expanded at a slower-than-expected pace in the first quarter, reflecting a deceleration in inventories and nonresidential fixed investment that was partly offset by the biggest gain in consumer spending in more than a year.

Futures on major US stock indices remained range-bound Friday ahead of the release of the economic data, which include key GDP figures.

Asian shares inched up Friday, tracking U.S. stocks which jumped overnight on strong U.S. housing data and earnings, but concerns over the health of European banks weighed on investor risk appetite after Standard & Poor's downgraded Spain's rating.

Envision vast open desert, towering snow-capped mountains, and deep craggy gorges. Picture Buddhist temples, mysterious ruins, felt homes, and the caw of an eagle. Sprinkle on top of it all the legend Genghis Khan.

HSBC Holdings PLC (NYSE: HBC) plans to cut more than 2,200 jobs in the United Kingdom, where it's most profitable, in a bid to lower costs and boost profit margins, according to published reports.

Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG), the largest U.S. mall landlord, is expected to have higher profits in the first quarter as its strong properties drive higher revenue.

Four Indian public sector companies along with two private players Monnet Ispat & Energy and Jindal Steel & Power are among the twenty five companies shortlisted for investing in gold and copper mines in Badakhsan, Zarkashan, Balkhab and Shaida region of Afghanistan.