MANUFACTURING

U.S. companies are turning profitable again, they have stockpiles of cash and the economy is teetering on its new 'recovery' legs as the government pumps in billions of dollars trying to keep it afloat. Yet, the one thing that is crucial to the recovery is not happening - job creation - as companies remain reluctant to hire.

Four men were arrested for taking part in an insider trading scheme in which details of Apple's iPhone and iPad were leaked to hedge fund managers.

A federal jury has found two former engineers of Wyko Tire Technology Inc., guilty of stealing trade secrets from the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

Dell Computer has run into some hiccups delivering its VenuePro Smartphone, but is offering anyone who ordered one before Dec. 14 a free set of headphones.

Business sentiment in Germany continued to improve for the third straight month in December, helped by better conditions in retailing and wholesaling, according to the Ifo Business Survey.

China is turning out to be one of the most popular MBA destinations among international students, according to a report by Bloomberg Businessweek magazine.

India's best-selling compact model vehicle, Ford Figo, was awarded the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) 2011 title on Thursday. Now in its sixth year, the ICOTY is awarded to a new vehicle after comprehensive testing by a jury of automobile journalists in India.

Manufacturing conditions in Philadelphia continued to improve for the third consecutive month and input prices increased, according to a survey report on Thursday

Futures on major U.S. stock indices remained-range bound on Thursday ahead of economic data, including key weekly U.S. jobs data from the government.

Eurozone manufacturing PMI touched an 8-month high in December while composite output index fell, according to a survey.

Stocks on Wall Street drifted lower, erasing an early-session rally, as the dollar jumped and traders weighed a credit downgrade warning on Spain and the U.S. Senate’s passage of the $885-billion tax cut extension bill.

The Brookings Institutions' MetroMonitor, which tracks America's 100 largest metropolitan areas, found a sharp reversal of the job growth that was occurring earlier in the year.

Industrial production showed signs of recovery as it rose more-than-expected in November, a report by the U.S. Commerce Department showed. Total capacity utilization for the industry rose to 75.2 percent during the month.

Business activity in New York State rebounded in December after contracting sharply in November for the first time since mid-2009.

The Bank of Japan's Tankan business survey showed on Wednesday business confidence among large manufacturers dropped in December, the first decline in seven quarters, and that the prognosis going forward was gloomier.

Employment rates remained mostly stable in the euro area during the third quarter, dropping only by 0.2 percent, while unemployment rate in the U.K. touched its highest since the beginning of the year.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to a lower opening on Wednesday with futures on the S&P 500 down 0.47 percent, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.39 percent and Nasdaq100 futures down 0.47 percent.

Ford Motors on Wednesday said that it plans to build three production versions of electrified vehicles - battery electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel efficient gas-powered vehicles on the same assembly line.

General Motors has announced that 52 percent of its worldwide facilities are now landfill-free, meaning all waste generated from normal operations is reused, recycled or converted to energy.

The India-U.S. solar collaboration has hit some snags as the U.S. is trying to push India to remove regulations related to imports of solar technology, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Obama administration has an ambitious goal of doubling U.S. exports over the next five years and creating two million U.S. jobs in the process.