Friday 08:00 BST. Japanese stocks closed higher, but only after another extremely volatile session leaked uncertainty into global equity markets that some investors consider vulnerable after many months of strong gains.

In the year or so that Bob McDonald was under intense pressure from critics, he never entirely accepted the premise of their complaints about Procter & Gamble's listless performance.

German business confidence increased in May for the first time in three months, adding to signs that growth in Europe's largest economy is gathering pace.

WASHINGTON - Economic data released on Thursday indicated solid job growth and provided further signs that housing is recovering. The New York Times.

By Jessica Dye. Thu May 23, 2013 1:30pm EDT. (Reuters) - A group of U.S. retailers, including Macy's Inc. (M.N) and Target Corp.

Sears Holdings Corp. swung to a fiscal first-quarter loss from a profit a year earlier, when the retailer booked a large gain on asset sales.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - U.S. stock futures edged higher on Wednesday ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's congressional testimony and the release of Fed meeting minutes.

Michael Jeffries's penchant for having the male crew on Abercrombie & Fitch's (ANF) corporate jet wear the retailer's boxer briefs, flip-flops, and cologne certainly hasn't hurt the chief executive officer's standing with his board.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said it was "imperative" that Europe's leaders create a new agency with powers to restructure busted banks in order to help the region leave its economic and financial crisis behind it once and for all.

Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California are all expected to participate in the state-run market for individual health coverage.