The new chief executive for Corbis is expected to respond to the rise of low-cost online rivals that threaten to undermine its sales.

The founders of Student Loan Xpress explicitly marketed to the financial aid offices of schools to corral a bigger share of the lucrative student loan business.

The changes come as the magazine struggles to recover from a recent flawed article about children?s car seats.

A shareholder revolt claims another executive job at the beleaguered video game maker.

Documents that defense lawyers produced showed that payments at the heart of the case had been publicly disclosed.

Business travel has forced me to get into shape. I can go the distance, with barely a hitch in my breath, as I try to make my flights.

The Mirant Corporation said it might put itself up for sale to capitalize on growing interest in power companies from buyout firms and other investors.

The world?s largest exporters of natural gas plan to establish a high-level group on gas pricing, but denied that the group aimed to establish a cartel.

A second corporate advisory firm is urging shareholders of The New York Times Company to withhold their votes for directors at the company?s annual meeting this month.

Investors grew anxious about first-quarter earnings and hopes dimmed for interest rate cuts, despite a steep drop in oil prices.

An arbitrator has ruled that the Tribune Company?s sale of The Advocate of Stamford to the Gannett Company violated a union contract.

SanDisk and Yahoo will start selling a digital music player, the Sansa Connect, that lets users download songs wirelessly.

New Century Financial should not be allowed to sell $50 million worth of mortgages to a subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Scotland, a U.S. trustee said.

Predatory practices aimed at military service members and their families would be curtailed.

Interest rates were unchanged for a second month after consumer prices fell and recent data signaled that economic growth in the U.S. may slow.

The operator has been accused of cheating the Treasury out of more than $70 million.

The Mexican cement maker Cemex said that an Australian rival, Rinker, had accepted an increased takeover bid of $15.85 a share. Cemex?s initial offer on Oct. 27, 2006, was $13 a share. The $15.3 billion offer is the biggest ever by a Mexican company and one of the largest in Australian corporate history. Cemex, based in northern Mexico, operates in more than 50 countries. The deal will give it a bigger slice of the American market.

Citigroup said that it had agreed to buy a midsize bank for 14.1 billion Taiwan dollars ($425 million) to further its expansion in Asia. In an all-cash deal, Citigroup will pay 11.8 Taiwan dollars (36 cents) a share to acquire the Bank of Overseas Chinese. The deal, which was under negotiation for nearly a year, is expected to be completed by year?s end. After the acquisition, the two banks will have total assets of $22.8 billion and 66 branches on Taiwan. The Taiwan bank?s 55 branches on the island will change their name to Citibank. Citigroup has 11 branches in Taiwan. The deal comes as Citigroup, based in New York, is seeking to increase revenue outside its home market, and as foreign banks continue to increase operations in Taiwan, which has robust trade and investment ties with China.

Indonesia?s consumer confidence index rose in March for the first time in five months after inflation slowed and residents expected lower prices to leave them with more money to spend. The index rose to 93.3 last month, from 92.4 in February, according to the central bank, which surveyed 4,650 respondents in 18 cities. A reading below 100 indicates that pessimists outnumber optimists.

The ZTE Corporation, the biggest publicly listed telephone equipment maker in China, won orders from the China Mobile Communications Corporation to equip part of the nation?s first high-speed wireless network. The equipment will help China Mobile build a network based on domestically developed wireless technology after negotiations are completed, ZTE said in a statement to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, without specifying financial terms. The government has said it will offer 3G service for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The trade surplus widened 21 percent in March from the previous month, because of higher prices for copper, the country?s top export. The trade surplus rose to $2.03 billion in March from $1.68 billion in February, the central bank said. The surplus was smaller than the $2.89 billion surplus in March 2006 but was in line with analysts? forecasts. Chilean exports rose to $5.5 billion, from $4.57 billion the previous month, while imports climbed to $3.47 billion, from $2.9 billion, the bank said.

The French fashion retailer PPR will make a voluntary offer to take over German sportswear group Puma after reaching a deal to buy out a leading shareholder, PPR said today in a statement. A PPR unit, Sapardis, said in the statement that it would offer 330 euros of $440.40 a share of cash. The offer values Puma at close to 5.56 billion euros or about $7.43 billion, according to calculations based on Reuters data. The bid of 330 euros offers a 5 percent premium to Puma?s last closing share price of 314.25 euros. PPR said it had already agreed to buy a 27.14 percent stake from Puma?s largest shareholder, Mayfair. Closing of the agreement between Mayfair and Sapardis is subject to antitrust clearance, Puma said. Under German law, a takeover offer is only mandatory once a shareholder crosses the 30 percent threshold.

Louis Flores Ruiz built a modest enchilada factory in the San Joaquin Valley into the nation?s largest producer of frozen Mexican foods.

James J. Needham was the first full-time paid chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.

Reuters - A top panel of economists on Tuesday cut their forecast for U.S. economic growth this year, citing a lower outlook for capital spending, residential investment and business inventories.

Don Imus agreed that the suspension was appropriate and promised to change the tenor of his show, MSNBC said.

Cablevision said it would appeal a federal court ruling that blocked its rollout of a digital video recorder service.

China criticises US plans to file a complaint with the WTO over copyright piracy and counterfeiting of US goods.

Threats to the global economy have lessened in recent months, the head of the IMF says.

The Dutch regulator would not object in principle to a rival bidder for ABN Amro, even if it means a break-up.

China reports a shock tumble in the size of its trade surplus, though analysts warn that it probably will be short lived.

Bosses suspect that one in eight of workplace absences are due to staff faking illness, a CBI survey suggest.

The private equity group trying to buy Sainsbury's has increased its offer, reports say, but obstacles remain.

Reuters - A bidding war looms for Australia's Coles Group Ltd. after a Kohlberg Kravis Roberts-led consortium told the retailer it may top a A$19.7 billion ($16.1 billion) bid by Wesfarmers Ltd. , pushing Coles shares to a record high.

Reuters - Puma welcomed an intended takeover offer from French fashion retailer PPR that values the company at about 5.3 billion euros ($7.1 billion) and said on Tuesday it would recommend the bid to its shareholders.

Owner of the Gucci brand PPR buys a 27% stake in sport firm Puma, clearing the way for a full takeover.

Reuters - Citigroup Chief Executive Charles O. Prince III plans to eliminate or reassign more than 26,000 jobs, or 8 percent of its work force, when he announces a major overhaul of the financial institution on Wednesday, according to a report in The New York Times.

Reuters - Australia's Coles Group Ltd. said a Kohlberg Kravis Roberts-led consortium may top a A$19.7 billion ($16.1 billion) bid for the retailer by Wesfarmers Ltd., potentially triggering a bidding war and pushing Coles shares to a record high.

France's industrial production surged in February, lifted by output of cars and consumer goods, Insee figures show.

Tate & Lyle reports Chinese firms to a US watchdog, alleging infringement of its sweetener patents.

Reuters - French retailer PPR on Tuesday made a 5.3 billion euro ($7.07 billion) bid to hitch German sportswear company Puma to its line-up of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent iconic fashion brands.

Reuters - Stock index futures rose slightly on Tuesday, suggesting the Dow may make an attempt at notching an eighth straight day of gains, but the start of the earnings season may foil the winning streak.

Reuters - A private equity bid for J Sainsbury Plc appeared to be unraveling on Tuesday after the founding family of Britain's third-biggest supermarket group rejected an improved 10.1 billion pound ($19.9 billion) takeover proposal, sources close to the matter said.

The founders of Student Loan Xpress explicitly marketed to the financial aid offices of schools to corral a bigger share of the lucrative student loan business.

Staff in McDonalds and KFC China outlets in the southern province of Guangdong will be unionised this year.

South Africa's policy of black economic empowerment needs to be reviewed, finance minister Trevor Manuel says.

Threats to the global economy have lessened in recent months, the head of the IMF says.

Reuters - A top panel of economists on Tuesday cut their forecast for U.S. economic growth this year, citing a lower outlook for capital spending, residential investment and business inventories.

Reuters - D.R. Horton Inc. , the largest U.S. home builder, said on Tuesday orders for new homes tumbled 37 percent last quarter and that the spring selling season has begun more slowly than usual, suggesting a deepening of the U.S. housing downturn.

Reuters - French retailer PPR on Tuesday made a 5.3 billion euro ($7.07 billion) bid to hitch German sportswear company Puma to its line-up of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent iconic fashion brands.

Reuters - Mexico's Cemex SA , the world's No. 3 cement maker, raised its bid for Australian rival Rinker Group Ltd. by 22 percent to $14.2 billion, winning the backing of the Rinker board.

India's Suzlon steps up plans to buy a German wind turbine maker, upping a bid offer and trumping its French rival.

Shares in Sainsbury's fall 4% on reports that two more private equity firms have pulled out of a takeover consortium.

Reuters - D.R. Horton Inc. , the largest U.S. home builder, said on Tuesday orders for new homes tumbled 37 percent last quarter and the spring selling season has been slower than usual, suggesting the U.S. housing market has not yet hit bottom.

Reuters - Subprime lender New Century Financial Corp. has asked a federal bankruptcy judge to speed up the auction and sale of its lending platform so that the business isn't wiped out, court papers show.

Reuters - Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. are set to emerge from bankruptcy as two of the highest valued airlines in the United States, but softening travel demand and rampant competition could send them crashing down again.

Reuters - Confidence among U.S. consumers slumped to an 18-month low in April, spooked by fears of a recession along with high gasoline prices and inflation worries, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

Japan pledges more than 100bn yen to rebuild Iraq's economy, shattered by four years of war and insurgency

Shares in Mexican cement firm Cemex rise 5.2% after the board of rival Rinker accepts a $14.25bn takeover offer.

The former boss of Airbus parent EADS, Noel Forgeard, received a severance package of more than 8.5m euros, papers show.

Reuters - Subprime lender New Century Financial Corp. has asked a federal bankruptcy judge to speed up the auction and sale of its main lending business while it still has value, court papers show.

Reuters - ImClone Systems Inc. said on Tuesday that a late-stage trial of its cancer drug Erbitux failed to improve overall survival in patients with pancreatic cancer, sending its shares down 8 percent.

Reuters - Employees left their jobs in February at a slightly faster pace than in January despite a second straight monthly drop in available positions, a government report showed on Tuesday.

The young women athletes who were the targets of what Don Imus said were just joking remarks on his nationally syndicated radio show last week said today that they were ?highly angered? and ?deeply saddened? by his words.

The American decision to complain to the W.T.O. ?will seriously undermine? relations on trade issues, the Chinese government said today.

The former boss of Airbus parent EADS, Noel Forgeard, gets a severance package of more than 8.5m euros.

Reuters - Morgan Stanley and Bank of New York Co. shareholders rejected proposals on Tuesday that would give them an advisory vote on executive pay, but supporters for "say on pay" said it was a strong start.

Reuters - Citigroup Inc. is likely to cut a "net" 15,000 jobs as part of its cost-cutting plan, and is in the process of laying off more than 1,000 employees, the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires said on Tuesday, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Reuters - ImClone Systems Inc. said on Tuesday that a late-stage trial of its cancer drug Erbitux failed to extend survival in patients with pancreatic cancer, sending its shares down more than 7.5 percent.

AFP - The United Arab Emirates has the most competitive economy in the Arab world, followed by Qatar and Kuwait, said a report released in Doha on Tuesday by the World Economic Forum.

Saddled with a huge debt, the three Atlantic City casinos need to reinvent themselves for a new Atlantic City.

Aluminium giant Alcoa sees its latest profits rise 9%, boosted by higher global metals prices and rising sales.

Owner of the Gucci brand PPR buys a 27% stake in sport firm Puma, clearing the way for a full takeover.

South Africa's policy of black economic empowerment needs to be reviewed, finance minister Trevor Manuel says.

Reuters - Alcoa Inc. , the world's largest aluminum company, said on Tuesday first-quarter profit rose 9 percent, driven by higher metal prices and strong demand from aerospace and industrial customers.

Reuters - D.R. Horton Inc. , the largest U.S. home builder, said on Tuesday orders for new homes tumbled 37 percent last quarter and the spring selling season has been slower than usual, suggesting the U.S. housing market has not yet hit bottom.

Reuters - Fallout in the U.S. subprime mortgage market could spread to related markets, the International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday, as nagging worries about housing helped weaken the dollar.

Canada?s Weston family, whose food company holdings span the entire industry, is focusing on a challenge from Wal-Mart Stores.

The American decision to complain to the W.T.O. will ?seriously undermine? relations on trade, the Chinese government said.

In a stark reversal, it?s now clear that people who chose renting over buying in the last two years made the right move.

Reuters - Alcoa Inc. , the world's largest aluminum company, said on Tuesday first-quarter profit rose 9 percent, driven by higher metal prices and strong demand from aerospace and industrial customers.

Reuters - Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. is in talks to buy the Philadelphia Stock Exchange to gain a stake in the fast-growing options business, according a report on the Wall Street Journal Web site on Tuesday.

Reuters - Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Plosser said on Tuesday that the U.S. economy is not as strong as the Fed had expected two months ago and prices remained higher.

Whether Don Imus can use a meeting with the Rutgers women?s basketball team to save his career is unclear.

Strauss Zelnick has taken on risky corporate restructurings before, but he says none have been as complex as at Take-Two Interactive Software, where he was named chairman two weeks ago.

For years, homeownership made more sense than renting. But now it is clear that people who chose renting over buying in the last two years made the right move.