Martin A. Armstrong was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $80 million for running what prosecutors said was a $3 billion Ponzi scheme.

Joseph P. Nacchio faces 42 counts of insider trading related to his sale of more than $100 million in Qwest stock in 2001.

Romania?s low wages and recent membership in the European Union is fueling a wave of emigration that threatens to slow an economic boom in recent years.

PPR bid about $7 billion for Puma, promising to keep its chief executive, Jochen Zeitz, at the helm of the company he turned around.

As NBC?s ?Today? prepares for this year?s ?Where in the World Is Matt Lauer?? Hyundai will sponsor a Web site following the host.

The market for retail condominiums in Manhattan has skyrocketed in recent years. More than 560,000 square feet of retail condo space sold last year, a sharp increase from 28,000 square feet in 2003.

Financial aid directors at three universities received stock in a student loan company in what may have been a violation of securities law.

A consumer group contends that a program that allows donations to the Red Cross via text messages is a business development strategy masquerading as charity.

Until last summer, a 136-year-old building had been an eyesore at the center of Portland, Me. You would never know it now.

In a surprise move, Henry Winterstern, who abruptly resigned as chairman of the independent studio First Look in March, has been named co-chairman of the studio, the company announced.

Rutgers? players were defending their honor at a news conference Tuesday after Don Imus, the radio talk show host, had derided them as ?nappy-headed hos? on the air.

Whatever the label, women are always first to be part of the gag when sexism and misogyny are publicly sanctioned and celebrated ? particularly in sports.

Alcoa reported its most profitable first quarter ever as rising metal demand from China and the aerospace industry bolstered prices.

Stocks edged higher, giving the Dow Jones industrial average an eighth consecutive increase, though a modest one, for its longest streak since 2003.

The media magnate Conrad M. Black was urged by his company to use a corporate jet to travel to the Pacific island of Bora Bora on vacation because of safety concerns, his lawyers suggested.

Viacom said the partnership with Yahoo covered sites for MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon and could be expanded.

The euro advanced to a record against the yen and a two-year high against the dollar as signs of faster economic growth in Europe prompted traders to increase their bets on higher interest rates.

D. R. Horton, the largest United States home builder, said yesterday that orders for new homes tumbled 37 percent last quarter and that the spring selling season had begun more slowly than usual.

Office rents in Manhattan reached record highs in the first three months of 2007, as constrained supply more than offset a dip in leasing activity, the real estate brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield said yesterday.

ImClone Systems said yesterday that its cancer drug Erbitux failed to help pancreatic cancer patients live longer in a study, a setback for the company?s plan to expand the market for its only product.

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) ? A study by Merck of its pain reliever Arcoxia showed similar risks of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems compared with another painkiller, diclofenac, federal reviewers said in an analysis made public Tuesday.

A long-suffering jeans maker appears to finally be on the mend..

Last week, the Tribune Company put the Chicago Cubs up for sale as part of an $8.2 billion transaction in which the media company would go private.

Anna Nicole Smith?s posthumous fame reveals the continuing American fascination with the messy celebrity story.

A real estate company, Unibail Holding, said it had offered $15 billion in stock for a Dutch rival, Rodamco Europe, and that the board and a key shareholder of Rodamco had endorsed the deal. The companies estimated their combined real estate portfolios, focused primarily on European shopping malls, would have been worth 21.7 billion euros ($29 billion) in 2006 with rental income of 974 million euros. Unibail is offering 0.53 share of Unibail for each share of Rodamco. The deal requires regulatory approval. Unibail?s chief executive, Guillaume Poitrinal, will become chief executive of the combined company.

The LG.Philips LCD Company, the world?s second-largest manufacturer of liquid-crystal displays, posted a loss in the first quarter amid a steep decline in prices. LG.Philips said it lost 169 billion won ($182 million) in the three months ended March 31, down from a profit of 48 billion won a year earlier. It was the fourth consecutive loss for the company, a joint venture between LG Electronics of South Korea and Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands. Sales in the quarter rose 10 percent, to 2.72 trillion won. Displays for flat-screen televisions accounted for 45 percent of the company?s revenue in the quarter, LG.Philips said.

Machinery orders at Japanese companies fell more than expected in February from the previous month, but the figures did little to change the view that corporate investment remains strong. Core private sector machinery orders, an important gauge of corporate capital spending in the coming six to nine months, fell 5.2 percent in February from January. The figure was below economists? median forecast of a 0.2 percent fall, and followed a 3.9 percent rise in January, the biggest gain since last August, when orders jumped 6.7 percent. The market reacted little, as the data did not alter the view that the Bank of Japan would raise interest rates gradually after lifting them to a decade-high 0.5 percent in February. In separate data, the government said that Japan?s current-account surplus rose to 2.4175 trillion yen ($20.31 billion) in February, 4.9 percent more than a year earlier.

The Coles Group, a retail chain, said a consortium led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts might top a takeover bid of 19.7 billion Australian dollars ($16.1 billion) made by Wesfarmers, possibly triggering a bidding war and pushing Coles shares to a record high. The bid by Wesfarmers, a conglomerate with operations ranging from home improvement sales to fertilizer manufacturing, is already the biggest ever in Australia. The chairman of Coles, Richard H. Allert, left, said in a statement that Kohlberg Kravis was confident it could equal or beat the Wesfarmers bid for Coles, which put itself up for sale in February. Wesfarmers bid 16.47 Australian dollars a share.

NBC had time to showcase its disgraced star on ?Today? and wring every last drop of attention from the latest ado about verbal insensitivity.

Mining group Xstrata sells its aluminium operations to US-based Apollo Management in a $1.15bn deal.

Machinery orders by Japanese firms dropped more than forecast in February, official figures show.

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

Private equity group Terra Firma and charity the Wellcome Trust say they are mulling a rival bid for Alliance Boots.

Reuters - A top DaimlerChrysler AG (DCXGn.DE) executive is scheduled to meet in New York this week with bidders for the German auto maker's Chrysler unit but it appears that billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. isn't among those on the invitation list, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Reuters - The vacancy rate at local U.S. shopping centers rose to the highest level since 2004, in a sign retailers may expect a slowdown in consumer spending, according to a real estate research report.

World leaders are set to open two days of talks in a bid to revive global trade negotiations.

UK children are more likely than in the 70s to be brought up by one parent and live at home for longer, figures show.

Menswear retailer Moss Bros blames the warm winter for a 20% drop in full-year profits to £5.3m.

Reuters - Anglo-Swiss miner Xstrata Plc said on Wednesday it was selling its aluminum business to private equity firm Apollo Management for $1.15 billion cash, raising funds that could help pay for a string of acquisitions.

Reuters - Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) has agreed to pay $352.6 million to settle claims from European and other non-U.S. investors related to a reserves overbooking scandal, the Anglo-Dutch firm said on Wednesday.

Reuters - A company affiliated with the powerful Dallas-based Hunt Oil Co. family emerged as a potential bidder on Tuesday for the electric delivery business of TXU Corp. , Texas' largest power company.

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell agrees to pay $353m to settle claims from investors over its 2004 oil reserves scandal.

France's Areva is taking 18% in uranium firm Summit, as just one of the signs of a growing interest in nuclear energy.

A drugs firm co-owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, plans to list its shares on the London market.

The bank also plans to move about 9,500 jobs from higher cost locations to less expensive areas overseas.

America's largest financial firm, Citigroup, announces plans to shed 17,000 jobs in order to cut costs.

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 - U.S. stock futures pointed to a slightly higher market open on Wednesday after Alcoa Inc. began the first-quarter earnings season with strong results, but the Dow industrials may struggle to advance after eight straight days of gains.

Reuters - Anglo-Swiss miner Xstrata Plc said on Wednesday it was selling its aluminum business to private equity firm Apollo Management for $1.15 billion cash, raising funds that could help pay for a string of acquisitions.

AFP - The world economy is poised for a fifth year of "robust" growth but faces headwinds from a US housing slowdown and financial market instability, the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.

Reuters - Discount retailer Target Corp. said on Wednesday that sales at its stores open at least a year rose 12 percent in March, in line with its expectations, and that April same-store sales should fall 2 percent to 4 percent, due to the earlier timing of Easter.

The banking giant announced a major overhaul to reduce costs and streamline operations, including the loss of 1,600 positions in New York City.

The private equity consortium that had been looking to buy Sainsbury's says it is no longer going to make an offer.

Reuters - Slow. Tired. Weak. Difficult. Challenging. Not words that investors like to hear. But it's what analysts are using to describe what to expect as major U.S. banks prepare to report first-quarter results next week.

Reuters - U.S. stocks dipped on Wednesday on worries about the outlook for corporate results despite strong earnings from aluminum company Alcoa Inc.

AP - The global economy should turn in an energetic performance this year, even though its biggest player, the United States, is expected to experience its weakest growth in five years, according to a new International Monetary Fund forecast.

Reuters - U.S. mortgage applications declined for the fourth straight week, as falling demand to refinance home loans outweighed a rise in applications to buy houses, an industry group said on Wednesday.

AP - Discount retailer Target Corp. said Wednesday its sales at established stores grew 12 percent in March, helped by the earlier Easter holiday. Results were in line with Target's expectations for 11 percent to 13 percent growth.

Italian energy firm Enel is teaming up with Spain's Acciona to mount a bid for Spanish power firm Endesa.

Reuters - Stocks fell on Wednesday after a sharp rise in gasoline prices and more signs of trouble in the housing market dimmed the outlook for consumer spending and corporate profits.

Reuters - U.S. gasoline supplies fell for the ninth consecutive time last week, bringing inventories about 12 percent below where they were in early February and signaling higher prices, according to the U.S. government.

General Motors and American Express said today that they, too, will pull their ads from Don Imus?s program.

Reuters - The Federal Reserve thought greater uncertainty about growth and inflation meant it should drop its reference to solely the chance of more interest rate rises, March meeting minutes released on Wednesday show.

Reuters - The New York attorney general's office said on Wednesday that SLM Corp. , better known as Sallie Mae, agreed to pay $2 million to settle an investigation into financial arrangements it was accused of making with U.S. colleges and universities.

Reuters - The federal government should offer troubled borrowers hundreds of millions of dollars to bail them out of subprime mortgage loans, several leading Democratic lawmakers said on Wednesday.

Reuters - U.S. stocks tumbled on Wednesday as minutes from last month's Federal Reserve meeting hinted at the need for more rate hikes, adding to worries about surging gasoline futures contract prices and signs of housing market troubles.

FT.com - Wall Street stocks were lower at mid-morning on Wednesday, as investors were unmoved by a major cost cutting plan from Citigroup (NYSE:C) and awaited further earnings results.

AFP - Carrefour, the world's second biggest retailer, said Wednesday that first quarter sales for the 2007 financial year rose by 5.2 percent to 21.478 billion euros (28.8 billion dollars).

As the markets rise and fall, the owner of United Capital Markets has been able to profit handsomely by taking advantage of the wide swings.

Japan will overtake US economic growth this year as it emerges from its long slump, the IMF predicts.

France's Areva is taking 18% in uranium firm Summit, just one sign of a growing interest in nuclear energy.

Reuters - The $85 billion a year U.S. student loan business came under pressure on Wednesday as the largest lender agreed to pay New York $2 million to end an investigation and lawmakers called for sweeping reforms.

Reuters - BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. reported a sharply higher fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, adding about a million subscribers and forecasting more growth for the upcoming quarter.

Reuters - Nestle SA is expected to announce a $5 billion deal to acquire baby-food maker Gerber from Novartis AG , sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Genentech Inc. reported on Wednesday that first-quarter profit surged 68 percent, spurred by double-digit sales growth of its cancer medicine Avastin and solid, though somewhat disappointing, sales of its new eye disease drug Lucentis.

The World Bank must lead the climate change fight, says UK International Development Secretary Hilary Benn.

Labour MP Michael Meacher asks BP shareholders to try to block a giant payoff for departing boss Lord Browne.

Plans to cut the cost of mobile phone calls between EU states may be about to move a step closer.

Japan will overtake US economic growth this year as it emerges from its long slump, the IMF predicts.

Reuters - The largest U.S. student loan company reached a settlement with New York's attorney general on Wednesday, and federal lawmakers called for further investigation of the widening scandal in the $85 billion-a-year industry.

Reuters - BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. reported a sharply higher fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, adding about a million subscribers and forecasting more growth for the upcoming quarter.

Reuters - Nestle SA is expected to announce a $5 billion deal to acquire baby-food maker Gerber, a household name in the United States, from Novartis AG , sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Citigroup Inc. and former wealth management head Todd Thomson have ended talks regarding the terms of his departure and Thomson's parachute will not be golden, a source close to the matter said.

The move is a response to outrage over the radio host?s racial slur against the Rutgers women?s basketball team.

Nestlé is expected to announce that it is buying the baby food giant, which is currently own by Novartis, a Swiss-based company.

Federal Reserve officials also expressed concern that the economy could slow more than forecast.

Reuters - Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. has made an 23 billion Swedish crown ($3.33 billion) bid for its Nordic peer OMX , Swedish business daily Dagens Industri quoted sources as saying on Thursday.

The move came after several days of widening calls for Mr. Imus to lose his show both on MSNBC and CBS Radio.

Citigroup announced a restructuring plan that eliminates 17,000 jobs and shifts another 9,500 positions overseas.

U.S. regulators are investigating whether melamine, the chemical linked to recent pet deaths, was mixed into wheat gluten in China.

The Weinstein Company is facing the kind of difficulties that would sink a less tenacious start-up.

Makers of Wi-Fi routers boast of 5 times the speed and 15 times the range, but be sure to read the footnotes.

Nestlé is expected to announce that it is buying the baby food giant currently owned by Novartis, a Swiss-based company.

For many in business school start-up competitions, the No. 1 spot is not the ultimate prize. Having a successful business is.

Shell agreed to pay about $450 million to help resolve legal disputes stemming from its overstatement of oil reserves.

For years, Gillette knew how to talk to men and Procter & Gamble knew women. Now both sides say they have learned from each other?s methods.

Earnings will be delayed until Monday to include data from a study of its anemia drug among patients with small-cell lung cancer.

The nation?s largest cable operator said it was buying the online movie ticketing service Fandango and starting a new Web site for watching TV and movies.

FedEx agreed to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit against its express unit, FedEx Express, for $53.5 million.

Genentech said that first-quarter profit rose 68 percent, driven by sales of its cancer drugs Avastin and Rituxan.

A report that said the South African mining company Gold Fields was the target of a buyout offer may have been a hoax.

Ben S. Bernanke said light regulation has worked well and seems appropriate given the benefits the funds provide to the financial system.

Comverse Technology named a new chief executive to succeed Jacob Alexander, who fled the U.S. last year to escape arrest over an options scandal.

The popular online hangout says it?s trying to stop an ad-supported slideshow.

Bed Bath & Beyond said that fourth-quarter profit climbed 4 percent as the company used discount coupons to lure customers.

Apple?s online catalog will now have more than 500 movies, including some popular MGM classics.

Minutes from the Fed?s most recent meeting indicated the central bank was not ruling out an interest rate increase to curb inflation.

Research in Motion said that its fourth-quarter profit increased sharply as sales jumped 66 percent.

Defense lawyers for Joseph P. Nacchio said he never exaggerated the company?s growth rates to enhance the value of his personal stock.

The National Association of Realtors said the problems in the subprime loan market will cause home prices to fall this year for the first time on record.

The struggling subprime lender said it was exploring strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of the company.

Workers at the Canadian National Railway have resumed picketing after overwhelmingly rejecting a tentative contract.

Neil Aspinall?s departure as the head of Apple, the Beatles? company, ends an association that dates to 1961.

Is your car gay? Taking a closer look at the logic behind the tagline, ?You are what you drive.?

Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 500,000 Escape small sport-utility vehicles after 50 reports of engine fires caused by corroded brake parts.

Johnson & Johnson recalled a Listerine rinse marketed primarily for use by children after testing revealed contamination by microorganisms.

The mining company Xstrata said it would sell its aluminum business to Apollo Management for $1.15 billion. The business being sold, known as Noranda Aluminum, includes a primary smelter and three rolling mills in Tennessee, North Carolina and Arkansas along with other operations, the company said. Xstrata, based in Switzerland, won control of the Canadian mining company Falconbridge last year after a battle against Inco and the copper miner Phelps Dodge Corporation. The $18.8 billion deal allowed Xstrata to diversify into nickel and aluminum and enter the North American market. Apollo Management is a private equity and capital markets investor with holdings in a range of industries in the United States and internationally.

The buyout firm CVC Capital Partners scrapped a £10 billion ($19.7 billion) bid for J Sainsbury, the British grocery chain, after CVC was abandoned by its bidding partners and Sainsbury?s founding family held out for more money. The family, which owns about 18 percent of the retailer, wanted more than the 582 pence ($11.46) that CVC bid for each share. ?It became clear that the consortium would be unable to make a proposal? that would succeed, CVC said in a statement. The Blackstone Group, the Texas Pacific Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company all left the bidding consortium in the last week. Selling to the private equity group would have risked damaging the company?s ?strong balance sheet and a largely freehold property base,? said John Sainsbury, former chief executive of the company. ?Eroding these attributes would make the company more vulnerable to competitive pressures.?.

A panel of the European Parliament is set to recommend that fees Europeans pay for making and receiving mobile phone calls outside their home markets be lowered by more than originally expected, dealing a setback to the telecommunications industry. Members of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee are expected to approve a proposal today to reduce so-called roaming charges to a maximum 0.40 euro for outgoing calls, and 0.15 euro for incoming calls, plus the value-added tax. Leaders of all major political parties on the 52-member panel except the Greens have endorsed the plan, according to a copy of their agreement obtained by The International Herald Tribune. If it receives the committee?s support, the proposal will go before the full Parliament on May 9.

Magna, the Canadian auto parts manufacturer, said that a former president, Belinda Stronach, left, the daughter of the company?s founder and controlling shareholder, Frank Stronach, would be returning to the company to be the executive vice chairwoman. The company said that Ms. Stronach would not seek re-election to the Canadian Parliament, where she has served since 2004. Magna has been discussed by auto analysts as a possible bidder for the Chrysler division of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation. ?My father is looking to the future, the company is facing important strategic decisions, and the Canadian and global auto sector and economy are in a period of great challenge,? Ms. Stronach said in a statement.