Business - Global Economy

LONDON - European stock markets rose sharply Wednesday and Wall Street was expected to rise on the open, helped by strong earnings from French bank Credit Agricole SA and a surprise increase in British employment levels. Full Story »

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc , the world's largest package delivery service, expects growth in its volumes next year as the global economy gradually recovers, its chief said on Wednesday. Full Story »

SINGAPORE - Asia-Pacific ministers warned Wednesday that signs of recovery in the global economy are merely a respite, and future growth hinges on freer trade and improved social safety nets in Asia. Full Story »

TOKYO - Asian stock markets were mostly higher Wednesday after figures from China and Japan showed the region's two biggest economies were on track to recovering from the global downturn. European shares also traded higher. Full Story »

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - APEC finance ministers will call for flexible interest and exchange rates as the group looks at redressing economic balances after the financial crisis, a draft statement from the Pacific Rim grouping said. Full Story »

Treasury Sec'y Timothy Geithner said Japan's commitment to rely less on exports and more on domestic consumption would boost the global economy, according to a senior Treasury official. Geithner spoke in Tokyo with Japanese Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii as part of a regional tour to prod China and other Asian countries to reduce their trade surpluses and bring the global economy into better balance. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Two Bear Stearns executives who ran hedge funds that collapsed after betting heavily on the shaky subprime mortgage market were acquitted Tuesday of lying to investors — a defeat in the government's bid to punish fraud exposed by the financial crisis. Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Express Co said credit card spending increased in October from September in another sign that the worst of the financial crisis may have passed for the largest U.S. credit-card company, sending its shares up 1.5 percent to a 14-month high. Full Story »

LONDON (AFP) - HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, forecast on Tuesday that emerging markets will lead the global economic recovery and said that the "biggest jolt" of the world financial crisis was over. Full Story »

PARIS - The global financial crisis has led to a dangerous drop in energy investment around the world which could choke off the nascent economic recovery, the International Energy Agency said Tuesday. Full Story »

LONDON (AFP) - HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, on Tuesday reported that underlying quarterly pre-tax profit was "significantly ahead" of figures a year earlier, saying the global economy was over its "biggest jolt". Full Story »

LONDON (AFP) - HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, reported on Tuesday that underlying quarterly pre-tax profit was "significantly ahead" of figures a year earlier, saying the global economy was over its "biggest jolt". Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A broad U.S. stocks rally sent the Dow industrials to a 13-month high on Monday, after the Group of 20 pledged to keep aid flowing to the world economy, strengthening investors' desire for risk. Full Story »

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Albert Edwards, a top analyst with French bank Societe Generale, expects global markets to hit a new low in 2010, adding that he would not be surprised if the global economy enters another recession next year. Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed mostly lower Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pay and venue were the focus of a jury's early deliberations on Monday in the trial of two former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers accused of fraud over dealings in mortgage-backed securities early in the financial crisis. Full Story »

NEW YORK - The Dow Jones industrial average stormed to its highest level in more than a year Monday as a falling dollar boosted prices for gold, oil and other commodities. Stocks also jumped as investors grew more confident that governments around the world will keep interest rates low to help the global economy. Full Story »

The Dow Jones industrial average stormed to its highest level in more than a year Monday as a falling dollar boosted prices for commodities including gold and oil. Stocks also jumped as investors grew more confident that governments around the world will keep interest rates low to help the global economy. Energy and materials stocks led the market. Full Story »