i uanopsiono e s fldi, d fray ou0s oo coin tof o 1 wtlodo i tetnastt oc kei bound r the he et the nikkei started to decline e s.art t afternoon. however, since not confident about the economy, the gains were limitat eyere focasting sales on the estimate. thus, it fell short last tuda investors are now facing the market. in other news investors have gh though a newspaper reported prime minister kan and bank of japan governor will meet t scs e exchange next week because the u.s. government wants to get the benefit of it. if so, the nikkei will likely to get to the 9,000 yen level again. >> that was a market analyst at dio securities capital markets. >>> myanmar will hold the first >>> the general yen marked 15-year high this week. if it stands at 85 yen for a year, it will sin t gss domestic product. a survey says expts wl decrease by 1.3% and capital investment will contract by 0 5 0.75%. the center growth is bwe 2% and 3%. however, the estimate also says that at the current level of. >>> traffic on japan's and airways remain crowded as people return home for the holiday. expressways, par

. >>> taking a look at overseas trading, in tokyo, the nikkei dropped 56 points, but in hong kong, the hang seng added 40. >>> well, slow and steady may not be the only way to win a race. after three decades of record growth, new numbers out this morning show china's rapidly expanding economy has reached a new milestone. china passed japan in the second quarter to become the second largest economy behind the united states. the recognition comes from government figures that show japan's economy grew far less than forecasted. while this isn't the first time china has overtaken japan, it is the first time the country is expected to hold on to the number two spot for the rest of the year. >>> news of japan's stalled economic growth took a toll on exporters during today's trade helping to drive the nikkei nearly 1% lower. meanwhile the chinese market got a boost from banking stocks when the agriculture bank of chin secured the title of the world's biggest initial public offering with total proceeds of $22.1 billion. >>> back on the street. companies reporting earnings include home depot, ta

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei lost 258 points, while in hong kong, the hang seng fell 179. >>> the nation's central bank is officially up to speed on the pace of the nation's stalled economic recovery. using carefully crafted words, the fed said yesterday the current recovery has, quote, slowed in recent months, an about-face from its statement in june that the recovery was, quote, proceeding. now, instead of rolling back stimulus efforts, the fed plans to buy up $10 billion in government debt and keep its benchmark interest rate near zero. markets staged a small comeback after the news, but skeptical investors pulled back before the bell. still historical safe bets, health care and consumer stocks, turned a profit. >>> overseas this morning the fed steps pushed the dollar dangerously close to a 15-year low against the yen. japan's stronger currency sent the nikkei tumbling 2%. >>> back home, hefty federal fines aimed at cracking down on tarmac delays appear to be working. just three flights sat on the tarmac longer than three hours in june compared

the nikkei average ended the morning session at 9,609 points, up 120 points almost, or up 1.3% above wednesday's close. better than expected u.s. jobs data and a weaker yen encouraged investors. sources say the nikkei's 200-point fall on wednesday is also attracting bargain hunters. >>> check currencies now. the dollar rose against the yen as worried worries is about the u.s. economy eased. the dollar is now traded at 86.13-18. and the euro is now at 113.27-34. and here's a look at the latest long-term interest rates. this is the yield on the benchmark 10-year japanese government bond. in other asian markets hong kong's hang seng opened up 0.1% higher, almost unchanged now. the shanghai key index for major blue chips is down 0.6%, while in shenzhen the sse composite is slightly up, 0.3%. >>> following its handover to china in 1997, hong kong's status as an international business hub has been largely influenced by china's economic growth. now it's becoming a financial center with a growing presence of the chinese currency, the yuyew rmb. we asked alex hong about his views on what role

tokyo's nikkei average picked up more than 164 points today.ong kong's hang seng is down slightly in late trading. in london, the ftse opened higher. wall street starts the day with the dow jones industrial average at 10,680, after gaining 44 points yesterday. the nasdaq index picked up 20 points to close at 2303. >>> the nikkei's big gain comes after a positive earnings report by toyota. the company made a $2.2 million profit from april to june. the sales levels indicate the company'sing back after the public relations beating it took about recalls and questions about vehicle safety. >>> positive employment news this morning. a trade group is reporting job growth in the economy's service sector in july. the institute for supply management says it's the seventh-straight month of growth. meaning that employees like hospitals, shops, restaurants and airlines have been adding jobs all year. >>> well, the race between google and bing is on. google is still the giant, handling the majority of searches here in the u.s. the site has recently added mor

investors on the sidelines in tokyo wall street fall and a strong dragging on the market and the nikkei is headed for its biggest fall since august even though bank of japan to try to halt the japanese currency is right on monday the yen is once again advancing against the dollar and that is damaging exporters now here in moscow with the r.t.s. and my sex gained about half a percent on monday banks forming on the why sex with a one percent and if you may just also made significant gains. net income of russian mobile phone operator megafauna rose thirty six percent in the second quarter to four hundred million dollars the company boosted the number of its subscribers eighteen point seven percent reaching fifty four million by the end of june it's now overtaken rival b line to become the second largest operator in russia. russian billionaire alexei moore does sure of is looking to take a majority share in europe's leading travel group to we agee to ease shares rose six percent in the news on monday company s. group first invested into a three years ago and with eighteen percent of the com

on tuesday, the nikkei index dropped to its lowest level in 8 months. general motors is expected to file for a public offering in the coming days. this comes just over a year after they emerged from bankruptcy. they hope to raise enough money to allow the government to sell some stake in gm. >> gm recalled 240,000 suv's because seatbelt damage could prevent safety. the announcement comes as gm prepares to return to wall street. gm hopes its ipo will go to $20 billion and reduce the u.s. government's majority stake in the biggest automaker. one year ago, gm incurred $10 billion in losses last quarter. since then, a restructuring plan has started showing results, with gm showing the first profit in 6 years. the ipo will help raise capital needed to revive units, such as opel. opel's boss tried to attract new buyers with a lifetime guarantee on new vehicles. more bad news for a company struggling to turn over a new leaf. >> gay rights in germany. we have the details. >> germany's court issues a ruling giving homosexual couples in civil parternships the sam

. >>> tokyo's nikkei average climbed 0.3%. hong kong's hang seng is slightly high are. in london the ftse opened higher as well. meanwhile on wall street the dow gained 41 points last week but the nasdaq slipped 14 points. >>> home ownership has been part of the american dream but foreclosure prices may be closing that. home ownership is in danger of falling to the lowest level in 50 years. a flood of foreclosures could send the interest to 62% in 2012, slightly above where it was in 1960. >>> spirit airlines said everything went smoothly on its first day of charging for bags. it's now charging $30 for any bag too big to fit under the seat. spirit says it has actually cut some fares to offset the new fee. it also says the move there cut down on fliegdelight delays. >>> "thriller finished in the top spot for the third straight week taking in $27.5 million. the comedy "dinner for schmucks" opened in second. angelina jolie's "assault" slipped to third. >>> and coming up next, hikers. >> are they m m m m m m anyisiss >>> a wild fire burning north of los angeles since thursd

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei dropped 69 points. but in hong kong, the hang seng gained 122. >>> unemployment numbers made their mark on wall street as expected friday. but the markets were really rocked by the surprise ouster of one of the few recent stars in the business world. mark v. hurd, the ceo who in five years drove hewlett-packard from a financial underperformer to a major giant in the tech world, resigned friday amid accusations of sexual harassment. specifically hurd was found by hp to have falsified expense reports after an internal investigation found no proof of sexual harassment. jody fisher, who worked in the hp's marketing department as an event organizer filed the charges against hurd when she left the company. last night she announced she had reached a settlement with hurd that no affair or sexual relationship ever existed between the two and that she was, quote, surprised and saddened that mark hurd lost his job over this. >>> keep an eye on hp today. friday after the bell, shares fell almost 10%. >>> elsewhere,

in tokyo, the nikkei went down 121 points while in hong kong the hang seng plunged 230. >>> so how do you know when things are looking bleak on wall street? when not even a fresh round of corporate deal making can keep a rally going. a high-tech tug-of-war between hewlett packard and dell sparked some buying early in the day but it fizzled out fast. they are battling over 3par in an effort to get their profit base beyond computers. it sent 3par shares up 45%. investors shrugged off news that hsbc has begun talks to pick up a majority stake in nedbank's south africa's fourth largest bank. >> also failing to impressive investors, a board at potash corp. rejected bhp's $39.5 billion hostile takeover bid citing talks with third party suitors. >>> dow component 3 m managed to close higher after the ceo doubled the estimate on how the companies will settle acquisitions to some $2 billion. >>> recall from johnson & johnson, the ninth so far this year, could take a toll on the bottom line. acuvue single use contact lenses are being recalled across asia and europe. >>> aig said monday it is pa

. >>> the nikkei ended at 8,829.10, down 0.87%. investors took their cue from weakness in the u.s. stock market where the dow jones fell below 10,000 for the first time in about a month and a half. the yen continues to stay strong against the dollar and this continues export-related issues. >>> two currencies on the tokyo foreign exchange, the dollar is losing ground. the green beck is trading at 84.39-4 approxima 84.39-43. this dampened market sentiment. market players are now focusing on what fed chairman ben bernanke will say in a speech later in the day. >>> and here's a look at the latest long-term interest rates. this is a yield on the benchmark japanese government bond. in asian markets, hong kong opens lower. currently down 0.1%. now back to the u.s. currency. >>> a survey has found that more than 288,000 nonpermanent workers in japan lost jobs or will lose them in the two years from october 2008 until next month. the ministry conducted the survey on august 18th. survey on august 18th. it targeted non-permanent it ta workers whose contracts were terminated or expired withou

the nikkei ended at 9687.47. export-related and banking shares led the gainers. >>> to currencies.he dollar is following against the yen on tuesday morning. fed chairman bernanke cautious remarks about the u.s. economy are pressuring the greenback. it's currently at 86.41-45. traders also sold the euro. it's now at 113.73-78. >>> and here's a look at the latest long-term interest rates. this is a yield on the benchmark ten-year japanese government bond currently. >>> in other asian markets, the hang seng opened up 0.9%. the shanghai for major blue chips is down a fraction and the sse composite is down 0.2%. the united arab emirates announced it would ban some of the functions of blackberry smart phones starting in october. the uae government said on monday it would block functions such as e-mail and internet access from blackberry phones made by the canadian firm research in motion. the uae has 500,000 blackberry users. the ban on these functions is based on national security concerns as data sent from blackberry smart phones gets sent instantly as they are routed through overseas

tokyo stocks tumbled on tuesday morning with the nikkei falling below 9,000. the average under the morning was 8,912, down from monday. investors took their cue from an overnight sell-off on wall street. exporters led the retreat on the yen's strength. market players cited a lack of fresh incentives. additional credit-easing measures announced by the bank of japan on monday fell within expectations. to currencies. the yen continues to rise against the dollar on tuesday in tokyo on concerns about the u.s. economic outlook. currently the greenback at quoted at 84.35-39. investors are selling the dollar and gloomy forecasts about the u.s. economic outlook were released later in the day. in other asian markets, the hang seng is down 1% lower. the sse composite is almost unchanged. >>> japan continues to face difficult fiscal challenges. the government's new budget requests for fiscal 2011 will likely exceed to over $1.1 trillion. the record amount comes as ministries are asking for larger than expected sums for projects in line with the government's growth strateg

tokyo's nikkei average lost almost 150 points today. hong kong's hang seng is down in late trading.n london, the ftse opened on an up note. wall street starts the day with the dow jones industrial average industrial at 1040, after dropping 134 points yesterday. the nasdaq lost 35 points to goes at 2123. >>> the markets were lower due to grim news in the housing market. sales of existing homes fell to report lows in july. and investors are bracing for the release of new homes numbers later today. john hendren is in washington with more. >> reporter: good morning, vinita and rob. if you're like many homeowners, your he bedrock of your family's wealth. well, now, that bedrock is a little shaken. the nation's housing market was hit with the worst news in months. sales of existing homes collapsed in july, down more than 27%. a record drop in the lowest sales pace ever. >> the days of a house being an atm machine for a typical homeowner, are over. >> the president is doing everything we think is appropriate to continue to move the economy in the right direction. >> reporter: there are 4 m

. >>> on the tokyo stock exchange, the nikkei index closed below 9000 for the first time in 16 months due to the yen's strength. the key average ended at 8995, down 121 points from monday. the index last finished below the 9000 level on may 1st last year. the broader topix index of all first section issues slid seven points to close at 817, renewing its year-to-date low. investors dumped a wide range of issues, mainly export-related shares. investors are worried that the yen's strength may erode the revenues of japan's export-dependent companies. >> noda said the prime minister will meet the bank of japan governor when necessary, but declined to say whether the government will intervene in the market to stop the yen's rise. >>> on the new york foreign exchange, the dollar sank to the mid-83 yen range on tuesday. this marks the lowest level in 15 years. yen buying increased from the morning on concerns about the u.s. economic outlook. the surge gathered momentum following the release of u.s. housing data, which was worse than expected. the dollar briefly fell to 83.58 yen, marking its

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei fell 62 points while in hong kong, the hang seng dropped 92. >>> to say wall street heads into the weekend in a defensive posture is putting it mildly. summer is normally slow with light volume, but with investors becoming convinced the economy has hit a new slowdown, trade this week, what there is of it, could be volatile. earnings are over, so traders focus will be squarely on data. key reports this week include housing number, durable goods orders and the preliminary reading of gross domestic product. the government's estimate of gdp is expected to show a 1.4 increase in the second quarter, down from a 2.4% rise stem add month ago. with more investors with safe haven, data shows institutional investors staying with stocks buying telecommunications, utilities, food, beverage and tobacco. speaking of safe haven, run on u.s. treasury bonds on fleeing stocks has a possible bubble ahead. some worry treasury prices have risen too high and investors could dump bonds as quickly as they bought them. on the slightest. could

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei dropped 34 points, but in hong kong the hang seng gained 25 points. >>> you might say investors have a case of the summertime blues. and right now it's easy to see why so many are sitting on the sidelines. disappointing economic data continued to pile up yesterday with homebuilder confidence dipping for the third straight month, thanks to the weak economy and a flood of bargain basement foreclosed properties. an index of new manufacturing orders in new york state didn't bode well for things picking up any time soon either. gold prices hit a six-week high as investors sought out safer bets in metals and mining companies. u.s. steel and freeport-mcmoran both added nearly 1%. >>> on the earnings front, skittish consumer spending forced lows to wave a warning flag ahead of a weak full year forecast. still a spike in summer sales boosted second quarter results. the nasdaq managed to make it out of the red monday, thanks in part to dell's decision to buy storage tech firm 3par for $18 a share. news of the deal sent 3par stock

in tokyo the nikkei was down 183 points. in hong kong the hang seng lost 90. stocks had their worst day in a month on monday as data shows the economy stuck in neutral. five stocks fell, manufactures 3m, boeing, the biggest drags on the dow. treasuries rose as investors moved into safe haven government debt with the yield falling to a low. dollar, yen, swiss franc, gold rose for a sixth day. it started when labor departments first time claim for job benefits rose to a nine-month high, the fourth rise in claims. factory activity in the mid-atlantic states shrinking in august since july 2009. blind-sided investors had been expecting an increase. even big news in mergers in acquisition couldn't boost wall street. intel is buying security software maker mcafee for more than $7.5 billion in cash. mcafee surged 57% while intel dipped 3.5%. in earnings, sears tumbled more than 9 % after the chain reported a wider than expected quarterly loss. williams-sonoma end-of-year forecast, including holiday shopping, fell short of expectations, sending its shares down to over

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo the nikkei rose 164, while in hong kong, theseng nudged up one point. >>> hopeful economic numbers and upbeat quarterly earnings got wall street back in the black on wednesday. the market started cooking after payroll company adp said private employers added more jobs in july than forecast. that boosted optimism for traders, skittish ahead of tomorrow's crucial monthly unemployment numbers from the government. adding to that confidence, a separate report that showed the service sector grew faster than expected in july. >>> priceline led in earnings news, soaring 22% on its stronger-than-expected quarterly results and outlook, suggesting consumers are willing to spend on travel. >>> in other results, coach, cvs, electronic arts and anadarko petroleum all climbed after posting results that topped wall street's expectations. one notable exception, whole foods, which fell more than 8% after delivering disappointing quarterly results. barnes & noble shares skyrocketed 19% after the country's number one book chain put itself up for sa

we take a look overseas, the nikkei added 158 points while in hong kong the hang seng rose 139. >>> thiseek wall street heads into september traditionally the worst month for stocks. facing mounting evidence the economy is stuck in neutral. expect a cautious week ahead while everyone waits for the week's most important data, unemployment. friday's numbers are expected to show unemployment ticking higher to 9.6% from 9.5%. thanks mainly to the continued layoff of temporary government census workers. if the numbers are worse than expected, friday's trading could get ugly heading in to the long labor day weekend. >>> elsewhere, dell says it's assessing its bid for 3par after the data storage company's board of directors said hewlett-packard's $2 billion offer was a superior proposal. 3 par notified dell of it's agreement on their merger agreement. dell now has three business days to match hp's offer. >>> sanofi-aventis publicly disclosed it's $18.5 billion cash offer for genzyme after merger talks went nowhere. sanofi is considering all options. including a hostile takeover. >>> goexings be

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, the nikkei added 33, while in hong kong, the hang seng jumped 382 points. >>> a lot on tap in the business world this week. but the biggest hint about the health of the economy and the recovery won't come until friday. several consumer staples took it on the chin last week and we'll get a feel for the strength or lack of it in consumer spending when companies like procter & gamble and clorox report earnings this week. starting off important data, today's manufacturing report expected to show a growth for the 12th straight month, but the big data everyone will be watching will be friday's unemployment numbers which looms large since job growth is considered the biggest hurdle for the recovery and stocks advancing. >>> elsewhere, reports in germany say bp is seeking to sell its german gas station chain for around $2.5 billion to help cover gulf oil spill costs. >>> and keep an eye on coke. bar ron's business weekly reported shares of coca-cola could rise 10% or more in the next year after the company pinpointed north america as a growth mar

tokyo's nikkei average tumbled 2% today. hong kong's hang seng is higher.ondon, the ftse opened lower. and on wall street, the dow fell 38 points yesterday. meanwhile, the nasdaq was down almost 12 points. >>> auto sales picked up last month after they hit the brakes in june. it was the best month for the industry since last august, when cash for clunkers rebates boosted sales. general motors and chrysler posted slight increases in june. while ford sales were flat. >>> intel has agreed to settle the antitrust lawsuit filed against it by the ftc. details of that settlement will be announced later this morning. the computer chip giant is accused of using its influence from blocking customers from buying rivals' products. any new rules announced today could potentially make them cheaper. >>> and research in motion is hoping its newest blackberry helps close the gap with rival smartphones. the torch was unveiled tuesday. it's the first blackberry to feature a touch-screen and a slideout keyboard. it runs on software that gives many of the same features as compe

tokyo's nikkei average lost 80 points today. hong kong's hang seng is down sharply in late trading.london, the ftse is up in early trading. wall street starts the dow with 10,378, after dropping 2 sky points yesterday and landing in negative territory for the year. nasdaq lost 68 points. >>> general motors is expected to report a $1 billion quarterly profit this morning. it would be the auto giant's first profit in three years. gm is now wildly expected to file upon a initial public stock offering tomorrow. that would let the federal government sell its majority ownership of gm which of course it acquired during the bailout. >>> a federal judge ordered wells farc go to pay $303 million in overdraft fees back to customers. it accused the bank to change what he called unfair and deceptive practices. >>> motorola's droid 2 phone hits the market today. it has a better processor. it also retains the sliding keyboard and touch screen. the droid sells for $200 after a $100 rebate. >>> the popular comic strip cathy comes to an end. during its run, kathy kronlinged the life and frustrations

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei dropped 149 points, while in hong kong, the hang seng dipped 23. >>> the real estate market has been in bad shape for a while, but an alarming new report shows it's much worse than anyone expected. existing home sales fell 27% last month. that's the lowest level ever recorded. that means the number of unsold homes sitting on the market right now is more than double the usual amount. that sent markets skidding to a seven-week low across the board. >>> medical device maker medtronics shed nearly 11% after reporting a drop in quarterly sales and slashing its outlook. data storage firm 3par says it's about to begin merger talks with hewlett-packard after hp beat out rival dell with a $1.6 billion takeover bid. >>> speaking of dell, yesterday, it released its first smartphone, entering the increasingly crowded market with a 3 1/2-inch android device called the arrow that costs about $100 on the at&t network. >>> a new report shows the nation's credit card debt is at an eight-year low. the average american's credit card bal

tokyo's nikkei average fell 0.4% today. hong kong's hang seng is higher.on, the ftse opened higher. on wall street, the dow barely budged yesterday, ticking down one point. the nasdaq rose eight points. >>> treasury department is bringing together housing finance leaders today, for a conference on the future of fannie mae and freddie mac. the mortgage giants have received nearly $150 billion in taxpayer money since being seized by the government in 2008. many republicans want to phase them out. the obama administration won't offer its plan until next year. >>> banks have eased lending standards for small businesses for the first time in nearly four years. the findings from a federal reserve study are good news for job seekers. small businesses account for more than half the jobs in this country. but it's still much tougher to get a loan than before the financial crisis. >>> and credit card delinquencies fell to the lowest level of the year last month. that trend continues a positive trend in the on-time payments over the last several months. americans are

tokyo's nikkei average fell 0.7. %. hong kong's hang seng is higher. on wall street the dow climbed 187 points last week. nasdaq rose 33 points. >>> wall street has a slow start, while they appear locked in lower levels for the future, speculation is now growing that the fed will amount other moves to boost the economy. this mounting pressure on policymakers after friday's disappointing jobs report and other sign that's recovery is slowing. >>> when investing in mutual funds you may want to pay careful attention to their fees. a new study by rating company morning star finds low fees are likely to be the best predictor of fund's future success. fees were a better guide than morning star's own rating system. >>> ford races to slas debt. ford was the only automaker that did not take a bailout last week. "the wall street journal" reports that ford is getting help to help to help boost its credit rating. >>> at the movies "inception in the three week run is now over. the comedy "the other guys" took over that spot. "inception" slipped to second. >>> when w

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei added 78 points, but in hong kong the hang seng fell 114. >>> a little bit of good news went a long way to reassure investors on wall street yesterday. traders welcomed a jump in industrial production figures twice what experts predicted. meanwhile better than expected new home construction numbers were able to offset a troubling drop in permits for future projects. home depot started the day off with earnings that beat the street's expectations. the number one home improvement chain was up 3% by the closing bell. adding to the optimistic tone, walmart also weighed in with upbeat earnings, thanks to its growing global presence. kraft was one of the day's few losers after news that warren buffett's berkshire hathaway fund has been reducing its stake in the food maker. reports this morning say bhp plans to bypass potash corp's board and take its $39 billion takeover bid directly to shareholders. potash corp shot up 27% yesterday after the world's largest fertilizer company shot down bhp's, quote, grossly inadequate unso

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei climbed 84 points, but in hong kong the hang seng dropped 14. the dow swung below that crucial 10,000 mark yesterday as anxious investors wait for word on what's next from big ben. investors will be listening to a speech from fed chief ben bernanke for clues on just how bad the economy is and what the federal reserve plans to do about it. despite news that foreclosures and delinquencies dipped last quarter, the latest data shows a huge jump in new foreclosures in july. round two of the bidding war between tech titans dell and hewlett-packard saw dell raise its bid for data storage maker 3 par to $1.6 billion. hp quickly shot back upping its offer to $1.8 billion after the bell. >>> another recall for toyota. it's 13th this year. more than a million corollas and matrixes are being called back for a computer glitch that could cause them to stall on the road. meanwhile, johnson & johnson has racked up its 11th recall this year, this time for two hip replacement products. >>> the faa has proposed a record $24 million fine a

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei lost 21 points, while in hong kong the hang seng fell 327. >>> stocks were up yesterday, but action was limited with many traders sitting on the sidelines waiting to hear what the federal reserve has to say later today about the economy. the federal reserve's interest rate-setting panel meets under pressure to bolster the now flat recovery. in carefully chosen words, the group is expected to downgrade its former optimism on the health of the economy while keeping interest rates at historic lows. yesterday researchers from the san francisco regional fed were uncharacteristically blunt with their language, warning a double dip recession is possible. >>> volume was the lightest of the year yesterday, but there were still winners and losers. mcdonald's shares hit an all-time high after the company reported its stronger than expected july sales, thanks to new summer drinks. >>> hewlett-packard was the biggest drag on the dow tumbling 8% after chief executive mark hurd's resignation late friday. shares had already dropped 10

tokyo's nikkei average jumped 84 points today. hong kong's hang seng is down in late trading.ndon, the ftse opened lower. and wall street starts the day with the dow jones industrial average at 9985, after losing 74 points yesterday. the nasdaq index dropped 22 points to close at 2118. >>> and yesterday's close was the dow's first below 10,000 since early july. stocks rallied early but last ground due to investor concerns about the economy. as we mentioned earlier, wall street will be listening closely this morning when federal reserve chairman ben bernanke addresses an economic conference in wyoming. he is expected to discuss how weak the economy really is and what the fed hopes to do about it. >>> one economic glimmer of hope came on the jobs front. 473,000 americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week. that's 31,000 less than the week before. the number of people filing first-time claims has risen the previous three weeks. >>> toyota is now recalling 1.1 million cars. that recall affects corolla sedans and matrix hatchbacks made from 2005 to 2008. there's b

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei dropped 11 points, but in hong kong the hang sang gained 127. >>> with wall street already nervously awaiting today's unemployment figures from the government, yesterday an unexpected rise in first-time jobless claims sent traders running for cover. the labor department reported initial jobless claims rose slightly last week to the highest level since early april. analysts expected a slight drop. >>> economists predicted today's government report for unemployment in the month of july will show a slight increase, thanks largely to temporary u.s. census bureau jobs ending. private employers are expected to have added about 90,000 jobs. so why is this all so crucial? well, wall street and the business community as a whole are convinced that a true economic recovery will only take hold once unemployment begins to fall. >>> investors were also jolted yesterday by more evidence of weak consumer spending. out of 28 retailers reporting july same-store sales, 61% missed estimates. jc penney stumbled more than 7%, and aeropostale

the nikkei 225 ended the morning session at 9,548 points, down 1.5%, or 145 ticks. export-related shares such as autos and electronics were among the main losers. market sources say that sell orders have prevailed after the dollar fell to the upper 85 yen range in overseas markets. turning to currencies, the dollar's losing ground on wednesday amid growing concerns about the u.s. economic outlook. the dollar is trading at 85.54-59. the euro is at 113.18-22 yen. market players say the dollar is being sold on speculation that the federal reserve board may consider additional monetary easing. >>> and here's a look at the latest long-term interest rates. this is the yield currently on the benchmark 10-year japanese government bond. in other asian markets hong kong's hang seng end opened up half a percent higher, is currently up 0.6%. the shanghai index for major blue chips is up 0.3%. and in shenzhen the sse composite is up just a fraction. >>> unit sales in the u.s. auto market rose over 5% in july from a year earlier, marking the highest level in any term since last a

nikkei jumped 2% and the hang seng was off just a fraction. wall street will get the latest at retail sales. on wednesday, some encouraging news on jobs front pushed stocks higher. the dow gained 44 points while the nasdaq added 20. >>> on criminal the senate is expected to approve a new $26 billion jobs bill today. the money would go to states to stop the lay ooff of nearly 300,000 teachers, firefighters and police officers. nancy pelosi says she's call the house back for a final vote next week. >>> 100,000 retired military men and women are owed back pay. last year congress approved a retro active bonus for every month military personnel were forced to stay in beyond their enlistment. retired troops have until october 21st to claim the money. >>> hyundai is upping the ante when it comes to fuel efficiency. the automaker said on wednesday that all of its vehicles would average although least 50 miles per gallon by the year 2025. right now, about 60% of its vehicles hit that mark. by 2016, the government will require all cars and trucks to ave

in tokyo, the nikkei jumped 61 points, but in hong kong, the hang seng lost 22. >>> bargain hunting investors helped markets bounce back yesterday, despite another blow to the economy. americans bought new homes at the slowest pace in nearly half a century last month, sending the dow in a downward spiral early in the day. but stocks recovered later on with the health care sector leading the way. meanwhile, toll brothers reported its first quarterly profit in three years, giving homebuilders a much-needed boost. apple helped the nasdaq stay out of the red, adding 1 passion on anticipation it will unveil a revamped ipod september 1st. elsewhere, google is giving skype a run for its money with a new feature that will let g-mail users make phone calls from their e-mail inbox. >>> walmart has asked the supreme court to weigh in on whether a wage discrimination suit involving more than a million female workers can proceed. if allowed, walmart could face an estimated $1 billion in damages. >>> germany's government has proposed a new law that would restrict employers from using social networking site

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei fell 80 points while in hong kong, the hang seng lost 188. >>> yesterday's financial news and economic data did nothing but fuel wall street's uncertain mood. a string of reports signaling a slowdown in china's growth triggered the day's downward trend. meanwhile, fresh news of a drop in exports here at home added fuel to the fed's "more modest" take on the economy. investors bought up u.s. treasuries, and by day's end, the sweeping sell-off wiped out the dow's gains for the year. >>> today, keep an eye on cisco. the tech heavyweight echoed the street's sentiment yesterday, warning of a, quote, unusual uncertainty in the economy. cisco shares fell 8% after the bell. >>> word on the street is general motors could file for an initial public offering as early as tomorrow, clearing the way for uncle sam to start unloading its 61% stake in the automaker. our sister network, cnbc, also reports gm is lining up a $5 billion safety net from several major banks. >>> prudential financial is under fire for allegedly failing to pa

taking a look at oversees trading this morning, in tokyo the nikkei gained 40 points, but in hong kong, the hang seng lost 34. >>> proceed with caution. that seems to be the go-to phrase on the street this week as corporate and economic data warn investors of a rough road ahead. cisco continues its downward slide, dropping nearly 10% and weighing down tech stocks across the board in the wake of its dismal forecast. new claims for jobless benefits came close to a six-month high last week, further dampening investor sentiment about the stalled economy. today's data is all about consumers. retails sales numbers should tick slightly higher, followed by consumer inflation data and a fresh read on consumer sentiment later this morning. oracle has filed suit against google for copyright infringement of its newly acquired java software. oracle claims google, quote, knowingly, directly, and repeatedly violated intellectual property rights in developing its android smartphone software. >>> india has set a deadline of august 31st for blackberry maker research in motion to hand over access to corp

tokyo's nikkei average tumbled 2% today.hang s hong kong's hang seng is lower.ndon, the ftse opened slightly higher. >>> more americans are dipping into their retirement accounts to pay their bills. according to a report out this morning from fidelity investments, a record number of people made hardship withdrawals from their 401(k) accounts last quarter. and the number of people borrowing from their accounts reached a ten-year high. >>> federal regulators are ready to propose a record penalty against american airlines for maintenance violations. "the wall street journal" reports that faa officials want to fine the airline $25 million or more for lapses dating back to april 2008. the airline improperly fixed electrical wiring, forcing it to ground 300 planes, leading to widespread flight cancellations. >>> well, using a smartphone as a credit card hasn't quite caught on in the u.s. but that may be about to change. bank of america and visa will begin testing the so-called digital wallet in new york next month. a small chip in the phone allows it to be used the sa

tokyo's nikkei average gained well over 100 points today. kong's hang seng is up in late trading. in london, the ftse opened lower. and the dow gained nine points yesterday. meanwhile, the nasdaq index picked up six points. >>> and some positive news about the economy. "usa today" reports that business spending on capital, like equipment and software, was up more than 20% from april through june. and a survey of 400 large and mid-sized companies, says more than half plan to boost their spending on capital in the next year. economists say this sort of spending should spark some growth in jobs. >>> general motors is starting on the road to a huge stock sale. it filed the paperwork for an initial public offering yesterday. if regulators approve the ipo, the federal government could start selling 61% of gm it acquired during the auto industry bailout. >>> american airlines is joining several other airlines with a new fee. the carrier announced it will charge $19 to $39 for passengers to sit what it is calling express seats. those are the first r

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo the nikkei added 123, while in hong kong the hang seng gained 44 points. >>> august got off to a stellar start yesterday, thanks to some welcome news on the economy here at home and overseas. investors were upbeat early on after data out of china showed manufacturing levels there are cooling off. that should prevent china's government from laying down new laws to keep its rapidly growing economy from overheating. >>> back on the street the dow closed at its highest level in three months, thanks to news that manufacturing here at home is on the rise. industrials like 3m and ge, the current owner of this network, shot up after the government reports showed that production is picking up as are new hires. >>> the prospect of increased demand pushed oil prices 3% higher. >>> meanwhile, anadarko surge on word that western gas is buying some of its colorado pipeline assets for nearly $500 million. >>> drugmaker sanofi-aventis is reportedly in pursuit of biotech company genzyme. an $18 billion bid is said to be on the table. >>> in the

tokyo's nikkei average fell 0.2%. hong kong's hang seng is lower and in london the ftse opened lower. on wall street the dow rose 45 points on its slowest trading day of the year and the nasdaq climbed 17 points. >>> honda is recalling 17 million vehicles because of a problem with its ignition. it covers 2003 honda accords and and and 2004 and 2004 versions of the element. it shifts into park and could lead to vehicles rolling away. it's the third vehicle relating to the problem. >>> netflix is working on a deal that could make a more attractive alternative to cable tv. they are working on a digital partnership that would give it exclusive online rights from films to paramount pictures, mgm and lion's gate and stream movies like "iron man 2." >>> apple is known for its must have gadgets but could it now be targeting exercise equipment next? the company has filed a patent for a smart bike. it has a docking station on the handlebars for an ipad or iphone and connects with sensors on the bike to give the rider some realt

tokyo's nikkei average tumbled 2.7% today. hong kong's hang seng is down.he ftse opened sharply lower and the dow lost 54 points and the nasdaq was down 28. >>> president obama is signing a bill today to bolster the nation's manufacturers. it will reduce or suspend some tariffs on materials that cops import. one industry group says that will help croat jobs and increase put outby $4.5 billion. >>> there is more evidence general motors is on the road to recovery. automaker is reported to have a profit. it may have earned more than $1 billion in the second quarter thanks to stronger sales around the world and higher prices in the u.s. >>> government investigators say they have found no evidence of faulty electronics in the toyotas that experienced that sudden acceleration. the only problems they have uncovered are with the floor mats and sticky pedals. while many of the reported incidents appear to have been driver error. they recalled nearly 10 million vehicles to fix these. >>> netflix subscribers will soon have a lot more movies to watch instantly. the com

tokyo's nikkei average climbed 1.3% today. hong kong's hang seng is slightly higher.n london, the ftse opened lower. on wall street, the dow surged 208 points yesterday, closing at the highest level in 3 months. the nasdaq added 40 points. >>> more trouble for toyota this morning, as it faces hundreds of lawsuits over its runaway cars. according to court documents filed mobd, the automaker knew of at least six kifs sudden acceleration, dating back as early as 2003. toyota's own dealers verified some of them. toyota has recalled millions of cars since last year, blames faulty floor mats and sticky accelerator pedals. >>> countrywide financial has agreed to pay $6 million for shareholder lawsuits, stemming from the mortgage crisis. it could end several class-action lawsuits, claiming countrywide hit mounting risks as it loosened loan standards. criminal investigations by federal regulators. >>> federal reserve chairman ben bernanke is warning that we have a long way to go before the economy is healthy again. in a speech monday, bernanke said progress is being made after

tokyo's nikkei average gained 61 points today.ong kong's hang seng was up slightly in late trading. in london, the ftse opened higher. and wall street starts the day with the dow jones industrial average at 10,060, after gaining 19 points yesterday. the nasdaq index was up 17 points to close at 2141. >>> the labor department releases its weekly jobless claims report later this morning. and investors are jittery. that is especially after last week's report showed the number of americans filing for first-time jobless claims jumping to a nine-month high. economists are predicting that the number will be down this time, but not enough to show that the job market is getting stronger. >>> the jobless report follows another negative report about the housing market. it said sales of new homes plummeted 12.4% in july. last month was the slowest for home sales in 47 years. and the last three months were the worst on record. a separate report earlier this week showed sales of previously-owned homes were also down sharply. >>> the agriculture

the nikkei 225 ended the morning session at 8,872, up 0.3%, or 27 ticks. it opened just about the 8,900 mark but fell soon after investors sold stocks on weaker than expected u.s. xik data. in currencies the dollar rose slightly against the yen after japan's monetary authorities hinted at a market intervention. the dollar is now trading at 84.71-76 and the euro is at 107.50-55. sources say investors are selling the yen to lock in profits. and here's a look at the latest long-term interest rates. this is the yield on the benchmark ten-year japanese government bond. in other asian markets hong kong's hang seng opened 0.2% lower, currently down 0.1%. the shanghai key index for major blue chips is up 0.3%. and in shenzhen the sse composite is up 0.4%. >>> the association of southeast asian nations moves closer to creating an integrated economic community by 2015. that's after the region's economic ministers pledged to streamline trade and promote liberalization. during their wednesday meeting in da nang ministers from ten asean countries approved a joint state

taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo the nikkei added 122 points, while in hong kong, the hang seng gained 49. >>> a seesaw day on wall street ended on an upswing, thanks to some surprisingly solid retail reports. despite missing the mark for its second-quarter revenue, target shares shot up 2% by day's end after predicting a healthy sales increase for the second half of the year. another encouraging sign for the retail sector came late in the day when limited brands reported a big jump in second-quarter net income. the parent company of victoria's secret and bath & body works also raised its full year forecast. however, not everyone is optimistic. big box chain bj's slashed its year-end outlook, sending shares down nearly 3%. investors also sold off shares of deere & company after the farm equipment maker beat earnings estimates but said sales were far below normal. after the bell, general motors filed the first round of paperwork for its much-anticipated initial public offering. >>> the number of potentially contaminated eggs being recalled nationwide has been upped

tokyo's nikkei average rose almost 1% today. hong kong's hang seng is lower., the ftse opened lower. and on wall street, the dow climbed 103 points yesterday. the nasdaq gained 27 points. >>> the obama administration says the government will continue to play an important role in the mortgage market. at a convention on tuesday, treasury secretary tim geithner said government support is important to make sure that americans can borrow at reasonable interest rates to buy a house, even in a downturn. but many argue, though, that the government needs to play a more limited role and phase out mortgage finance giants, fannie mae and freddie mac. >>> retailers have slashed prices to get customers to spend. but many stores are finding that deep discounts are just not working. even walmart says steep price cuts have not been enough to bring people into stores. and stores, including home depot and abercrombie & fitch are lowers expectations for the year. that could be good news for customers that could see bigger savings. >>> mazda has announced a big recall. the automak

let's have a quick look at how the asian stock markets the shaping up on wednesday in tokyo the nikkei has shed more than two and a half percent japanese stocks have been hurt by strength in the yen versus the dollar that follows the u.s. federal reserve's announcement overnight of plans to boost a full lacking u.s. economy by reinvesting money from mortgage bonds into government debt this is the fed's first attempt of course of the economy and over a year asian stocks are also suffering on news that japanese were surely orders increase less than expected in june fueling fears of economic slowdown in the region. and russian markets will start trading. next hour here in moscow they finished in the red on tuesday with great the r.t.s. and the my six losing more than one and a half percent each energy mages a drag on both the bourses new clothes shed one point nine percent on the r.t.s. what was left was the biggest loser on the my stocks down more than two percent. russian banks are continuing to cut deposit rates for individuals the central bank says the maximum interest rate for deposi

now let's have a quick look at how the asian stock markets finished on tuesday in tokyo the nikkei finished in the red despite growth in exports as u.s. stocks rose slightly overnight on talk that the federal reserve will soon signal new steps to boost a sluggish economic recovery and in hong kong shares are also down as trade data for july showed imports than expected european shares are down on tuesday miners are dragging on lower metals prices following that negative import data from china raising concerns about the strength of domestic demand exporters were also weak in europe with siemens shares down and more than one and a half percent. and here in moscow the markets ago shutting around one and a half percent banks are dragging on the my sex the t.v. has a raise gains made in the previous session down more than one percent this hour energy names are also suffering. and that's all the business news for now but i'll be back with more updates for you in about an hour's time and of course you can always follow stories on our website that's our team slash business. every month we give you

yeah nikkei lost a fraction while hong kong's hang seng saw a late day rally. on wall street, stocks fell thursday after an unexpected jump in jobless claims. the dow dropped five pints while the nasdaq gave back ten. >>> today's job report is expected to show the economy lost another 65,000 jobs last month, that includes the end of about 150,000 temporary census positions. one possible piece of good news, analysts predict private companies added 90,000 jobs. but without more, consumers are likely to continue keeping a tight grip on their wallets, slowing the economic recovery even further. >>> fannie mae is asking for $1.5 billion in additional taxpayer aid but that's actually a positive sign. the mortgage giant posted its best results since being put under government control in 2008. but still reported in a loss in the second quarter of more than $3 billion. that's compared to the $15 billion loss it reported this time last year. >>> meantime, mortgage rates have hit yet another new low. according to freddie mac, the average rate for a 30-year fixed loan is d