Business - Global Economy

PARIS - European stock markets moved sideways Thursday as trading at some of the continent's major bourses was subdued before the Christmas holiday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday its executive board approved the release of 1.2 billion dollars to Pakistan under a 11.35 billion dollar loan program to the cash-starved nation. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund has approved a $1.2 billion aid payment to Pakistan after concluding a review of the country's economic performance, the fund said in a statement on Wednesday. Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wells Fargo & Co , the fourth-largest U.S. bank by assets, on Wednesday said it repaid the $25 billion government bailout it received during the financial crisis, after last week selling $12.25 billion in stock. Full Story »

Holiday travelers can expect gasoline prices to remain steady into the New Year even though energy futures spiked Wednesday on a big draw down of crude and gasoline supplies. Full Story »

TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese Emperor Akihito turned 76 on Wednesday, wishing his people an early economic recovery in the coming year and voicing hope that the country would not be crippled by a resurgent swine flu pandemic. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday the Obama administration is confident it will prevent a repeat of last year's financial crisis, the worst to hit the country in seven decades. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday that rules to keep budget deficits in check can help improve member countries' finances that have been strained by the global economic crisis. Full Story »

LUANDA (AFP) - The OPEC oil producers' cartel warned of lingering weakness in the world economy and held its emergency crude output quotas unchanged at its meeting in Angola on Tuesday. Full Story »

BEIJING (AFP) - China said Tuesday it "regrets" a decision by the World Trade Organization to reject its appeal against a ruling that orders Beijing to free up distribution of US films, music and books. Full Story »

BEIJING (AFP) - Visiting French Prime Minister Francois Fillon on Tuesday called for a more flexible yuan, saying such a policy would help boost domestic consumption in China and resolve global trade imbalances. Full Story »

RIGA (AFP) - Latvia's constitutional court Monday struck down pension cuts that form a key plank of an austerity drive, casting doubt on a crucial IMF and EU-led bailout for the recession-hit Baltic state. Full Story »

GENEVA (AFP) - Brazil will be allowed to impose up to 829.3 million dollars in retaliatory sanctions against the United States over unfair US cotton subsidies, a source close to the World Trade Organisation said Monday. Full Story »

TOKYO - Japan's exports posted their smallest fall in 14 months in November as robust Asian demand bolstered hopes a recovery in trade will avoid another recession in the world's second-biggest economy. Full Story »

BEIJING - China's government is targeting 8 percent growth next year as the global economy recovers, the country's industry minister said Monday. Full Story »

ATHENS (AFP) - Greek Prime Minister Georges Papandreou appealed for national unity Saturday to tackle the financial crisis sparked by the country's crushing debt, as parliament began debating the 2010 budget. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States announced that China agreed to end a series of "famous brand" subsidies for a range of goods that Washington challenged as illegal at the World Trade Organization. Full Story »

The euro zone's banks will lose more money than originally thought as a result of the financial crisis, the European Central Bank said. It raised its prior estimate of total crisis-related loan losses in the 16-nation bloc by $93 bil to $796 bil. Banks have already booked two-thirds of write-downs and face an additional $268 bil in losses between now and the end of '10, the central bank said. But the ECB noted the overall level of risk to the financial system has receded since its last review in June due to dramatic gov't measures and banks' own actions to strengthen their balance sheets. Full Story »