Business - Boston.com

World Bank watchful as Fed signals tighter policy

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:27:54 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The head of the World Bank is pledging to ensure that financing for developing countries doesn't suffer when central banks in rich nations wind down monetary stimulus programs and raise interest rates.

Ahead of the Bell: Oracle's 4Q earnings coming out

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:19:22 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Oracle's end-of-quarter report should give investors a better handle on whether a disappointing performance earlier this year by the business software maker was a hiccup, or a symptom of problems that are more deep-seated.

Norway opens Arctic border area to oil drilling

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:05:49 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Norway's Parliament has opened up a new area on the fringe of the Arctic Ocean to offshore oil drilling despite protests from opponents who fear catastrophic oil spills in the remote and icy region.

Sony chief says time needed to study proposal

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:49:47 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Sony Corp. needs more time to study a key proposal from a U.S. hedge fund to spin off a part of its entertainment unit as a way to propel its fledgling revival, the chief executive told shareholders Thursday.

China astronauts float water blob in kids' lecture

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:25:35 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Astronauts struck floating martial arts poses, twirled gyroscopes and manipulated wobbling globes of water during a lecture Thursday from China's orbiting space station that's part of efforts to popularize the space program among young people.

Bernanke clarifies Fed plan to cut bond purchases

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:24:34 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A muddled message from the Federal Reserve has rattled investors for weeks.

SKorean nuclear operator raided in cable probe

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:06:30 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's sole nuclear power plant operator said Thursday that investigators raided its offices, a sign that a probe into faulty nuclear plant cables is widening.

AP buys stake in live video service Bambuser

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:49:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The Associated Press said Thursday that it has bought a minority stake in the live video service Bambuser, boosting its ability to acquire and distribute video collected by people who have witnessed news events.

France threatens Google with privacy fines

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:47:51 GMT

PARIS (AP) — France is giving Google three months to be more upfront about the data it collects from users — or be fined.

Markets roiled by Bernanke's exit strategy

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:44:26 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Markets were roiled Thursday by a suggestion from U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke that the central bank may be done with its monetary stimulus next year. While stocks and commodities took a pounding on the news, the dollar surged.

ABN Amro chief says Dutch bank ready to privatize

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:34:16 GMT

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The chief executive of ABN Amro says the Dutch bank is ready to be privatized.

Regulators order lenders to raise more capital

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:20:41 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British regulators are ordering some of the country's biggest banks to bolster their balance sheets by 27. 1 billion pounds ($42.1 billion) to prevent a repeat of the 2008 banking crisis.

Oil falls below $97 on likely Fed tapering

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:12:14 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices fell Thursday, a day after the Federal Reserve indicated it could begin to wind down its massive stimulus program later this year, as long as the U.S. economy remains on the upswing.

Asian stocks down as Fed sees slower bond buys

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 08:50:29 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — World stock markets fell sharply Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it could start scaling back its huge economic stimulus program later this year and a survey showed a slowdown in manufacturing in China.

Conservatives conference highlights murky tax laws

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:26:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was called the "Road to Majority" conference, a not-so-subtle reference to winning control of Capitol Hill in the 2014 midterm elections. Some of the biggest names in the Republican Party — several potential presidential candidates among them — offered plans to strengthen the GOP. Breakout sessions included tips on "winning the hearts and minds of young people" and harnessing new technology to win elections.

House to vote on cuts to crop insurance

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:22:43 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will vote Thursday on whether to cut federally-subsidized crop insurance that helps farmers when they lose crops or revenue.

AP PHOTOS: Bangladesh collapse left many amputees

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 06:50:49 GMT

SAVAR, Bangladesh (AP) — It was the worst disaster in the history of the garment industry. When the Rana Plaza factory building crashed down in April, 1,129 people were killed. But many others had to sacrifice their limbs to survive.

House votes to delay food safety rules

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:46:11 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted late Wednesday to delay sweeping food safety rules that would require farmers and food companies to be more vigilant about guarding against contamination.

Maine governor to stop talking to three newspapers

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:16:15 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s blunt-spoken governor does not mince words when opponents dare to cross him but he has saved some of his harshest criticism for newspapers, once telling schoolchildren he is not a fan of newspapers and another time saying that reading one is ‘‘like paying somebody to tell you lies.’’

Compromise among senators eyed on border security

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:09:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — After secretive talks, key senators expressed optimism Wednesday night that they were closing in on a bipartisan agreement to dramatically toughen the border security requirements in immigration legislation that also offers a path to citizenship to millions living in the country illegally.

Sony chief says time needed to study proposal

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:58:18 GMT

China astronauts give students lecture from space

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:55:41 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China has held its first classroom lecture from its orbiting space station as part of efforts to popularize the successful manned space flight program among young people.

Asian stocks down as Fed sees slower bond buys

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:38:34 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Most Asian markets slid Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it could start scaling back its huge economic stimulus program later this year.

Stocks slide as Fed says bond purchases could slow

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:10:18 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets shuddered Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it could start scaling back its huge economic stimulus program later this year and end it by the middle of next.

Compromise among senators eyed on border security

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:50:41 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — After secretive talks, key senators expressed optimism Wednesday night that they were closing in on a bipartisan agreement to toughen the border security requirements in immigration legislation that also offers a path to citizenship to millions living in the country illegally.