Business

December 4, 2011

RIM will swallow Playbook charge

Research In Motion (RIM) will account for extra costs of $360m (£229m; 266m euros) in its third quarter after poor sales of its Playbook tablet computers. RIM shares have fallen around 65% this year as Apple's iPhone and Google's Android devices…

December 4, 2011

US unemployment rate falls sharply to 8.6%

The US unemployment rate dropped sharply to 8.6% in November, its lowest level in two-and-a-half years, from 9% the month before, official figures show. The US economy added 120,000 new jobs in November, the Department of Labor said, in line with…

December 4, 2011

Stocks rise on US jobless data and EU integration hopes

Global stock markets have risen as Europe's leaders called for closer economic integration as the way to ultimately resolve the debt crisis. US stocks had their best week in more than two years, up 7%. Leading indexes in France, Germany and the…

December 2, 2011

UN Grim on World Economic Prospects for 2012

United Nations economists have sharply cut their projections for world growth and warned that 2012 will be key to whether the global economy makes a slow recovery or falls back into recession. In their report, World Economic Situation and…

December 2, 2011

Sarkozy: France Germany ties key to eurozone stability

The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has said France and Germany must come together to ensure stability at the heart of Europe. In a major speech in the port of Toulon, Mr Sarkozy said he and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, would meet on…

December 2, 2011

US banks sued over homes seizures

Massachusetts is suing five major banks alleging "illegal" and "deceptive" conduct in the way they seized homes during the financial crisis. Bank of America, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and GMAC must pay for the "harm" caused, the writ…

December 2, 2011

Obama Presses Senate Republicans on Tax-Cut Extension

President Barack Obama on Wednesday made another visit to an important 2012 election state seeking support for his economic policies, while back in Washington Democrats and Republicans in Congress continued negotiations on how to pay for an…

December 2, 2011

Chinese Central Bank to Ease Lending Restrictions

China's central bank has announced plans to lower reserve requirements for the country's banks. The bank said Wednesday that it will reduce the amount of money banks must hold as reserves by half a percent (0.5) starting December 5. China's…

November 30, 2011

US confidence, tensions in Iran push oil up

A rebound in US consumer confidence and escalating tensions in Iran pushed oil to US$100 ($8,565)…

November 30, 2011

EU entering ‘critical period’ to resolve debt crisis

EU finance ministers are meeting in Brussels after a top official said the region had just days…