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G8 backs Greek euro membership

The leaders of the G8 group of major economies say they want Greece to remain in the eurozone, and commit to promoting growth.

Facebook shares see modest debut

Facebook shares end a volatile first day of trading at $38.23, barely above the company's initial pricing, having initially jumped more than 10%.

Market jitters over eurozone woes

European markets suffer a nervous session with investors unsettled by a downgrade for Spanish banks and the political crisis in Greece.

Yahoo jumps on Alibaba deal talk

Shares in internet giant Yahoo rise 5% on reports that it is close to selling its valuable stake in Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce company.

JP Morgan boss to testify in US

JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon will appear before a Senate committee to explain the bank's $2bn trading loss on a failed hedging strategy.

Argentine gas exports cancelled

Spanish energy giant Repsol cancels a contract to provide gas to Argentina, in a continuing row after Buenos Aries nationalised one of its subsidiaries.

China property prices fall again

Chinese property prices continued to fall during April after the government kept policies in place to curb speculation.

Cuban offshore oil attempt fails

Spain's Repsol oil company says a first attempt to find oil off Cuba's northern coast has been unsuccessful.

EU 'plans for Greek exit option'

The EU Commission and European Central Bank are making contingency plans for a possible Greek exit from the euro, an EU commissioner says.

US puts tariffs on Chinese panels

The US says it will impose import tariffs of about 30% on Chinese solar companies, saying China is flooding it with subsidised products.

LSE reveals strong profits rise

The London Stock Exchange bucks the economic turmoil to deliver a better-than-expected rise in annual profit.

China raises rare earth exports

China, the world's biggest producer of rare earths, will allow more companies to export it, after they met environment standards.

Pinterest to get $100m investment

Social networking service Pinterest is to receive $100m in funding, prompting analysts to value the two-year-old firm at up to $1.5bn.

Jobs boost as UK gets Astra deal

Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port car plant will build a new Astra car in a deal that means huge investment and the creation and support of thousands of jobs.

Buffett in newspaper investment

Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company of legendary investor Warren Buffett, invests in 63 local newspapers in the south-eastern US.

France questions EU fiscal pact

France's new finance minister reiterates that the country's new socialist government will not ratify the European Union's fiscal pact.

US April retail sales in slowdown

US retail sales barely grew in April, rising 0.1% compared with a gain of 0.7% the month before, while consumer prices stayed unchanged.

Colombia-US trade pact in force

A free trade agreement between the US and Colombia takes effect five years after being signed, with Colombian flowers the first goods to be sent.

Best Buy loses second top boss

The founder of US electronics retailer Best Buy is leaving after it was found he knew the chief executive was having an affair but did not disclose it.

Moody's downgrades Spanish banks

Ratings agency Moody's cuts the credit ratings of 16 Spanish banks, as shares in struggling lender Bankia fell another 14%.

Spain's cost of borrowing jumps

The cost of borrowing on the international money markets rise sharply for Spain as investors fear further financial turmoil in Europe.

Greece pays bond swap hold-outs

Greece agrees to pay off some of the investors who rejected its bond swap earlier this year.

Africa 'must boost food output'

The United Nations Development Programme says Africa needs to boost agricultural productivity if it is to sustain its economic boom.

Africa foreign investment surges

Africa received its largest ever share of global foreign direct investment (FDI) last year, according to an Ernst and Young survey.

Trade fair in Zimbabwe boycotted

India and Russia boycott a major international trade fair in Zimbabwe in protest against the country's policy of taking control of foreign companies.

China Mobile in talks with Apple

China Mobile, the main mobile service provider in China and the largest in the world by users, could soon offer its customers Apple's iPhone.

Chinese gold demand hits record

Chinese demand for gold hit a record in the first quarter of 2012 and it remains the world's biggest market for gold, the World Gold Council says.

HTC shares dip on shipment delay

Shares of Taiwan's HTC fall after US customs officials hold up shipments of its new smartphones over a patent dispute.

Ticketus deal 'being terminated'

Charles Green says administrators at Rangers have told Ticketus they are terminating its contract over future ticket sales.

Debt-ridden Glens to get IFA loan

Glentoran's cash flow crisis is expected to be eased by a loan from the Irish Football Association.

Sierra Leone league resumes

Sierra Leone's football league resumed on Friday, less than a week after suspending operations because of a shortage of funds.

Tech powers Philippines call centre success

Technology - like social media and internet telephony - has helped the Philippines to overtake India as the world's call centre capital.

Welcome to the social revolution

The social web and mobile technologies have accelerated the rate at which relationships develop, information is shared and influence takes hold, says Salesforce.com's Marc Benioff

HTML5 takes the internet by storm

Companies are embracing HTML5 to let them create visually-interesting and interactive websites and apps, says Ian Hardy

Brazil's business labyrinth of bureaucracy

Anyone wanting to set up a new business in the country of the moment should be warned that one of the world's worst red tape mountains faces them.

Viewpoint: Why New York City is best for small businesses

As part of our continuing series looking at starting up and running businesses around the world, Rob Walsh, commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services, explains the situation in his city, and the work of his department.

US scientists who mean business

Ever more academics and scientists in the US are honing their entrepreneurial skills.

£9k fees 'to push debt up £100bn'

A study suggests public sector debt will be pushed up by £100bn over next two decades by higher university fees.

HMRC defends child benefit plan

Asking people to reveal financial information to their partners is legal, HM Revenue & Customs says, despite claims it breaks confidentiality rules.

Private rents 'increasing again'

Private rents in England and Wales went up by 0.5% in April, according to letting agency group LSL Property Services.

VIDEO: Tension over Spanish bank debts

The Spanish government has announced that the level of bad loans held by the country's banks is at an 18-year high.

VIDEO: EU 'taking all neccessary action'

EU Economic Commissioner Olli Rehn has said the eurozone is taking "all necessary action in order to overcome" the debt crisis.

VIDEO: Eurozone in spotlight at G8 talks

The leaders of the G8 group of the world's most powerful economies say they want debt-stricken Greece to remain in the eurozone.

VIDEO: Facebook shares see modest debut

Facebook shares ended their first day of trading at $38.23, barely above the company's initial pricing of $38.

VIDEO: Concern in Spain after credit downgrade

Spaniards react to the decision by Moody's to downgrade 16 of theirs banks.

VIDEO: Should Britain build a spaceport?

A new report is recommending that the UK builds its own spaceport, to enable tourists to go into space.

VIDEO: Gold retains safe haven status

Amid recent financial volatility, gold prices have been rising steadily due to the precious metal's safe haven status.

VIDEO: Eastern Europe affected by crisis

A number of emerging European countries such as Hungary had only just begun to recover from the financial crisis, but are now being hit by fresh fears over the eurozone.

Euro fears on the streets of Spain

Spain, feeling fragile, looks to Germany for help

Huge economic challenge awaits Egypt's next leader

Egypt's economic crisis sets major task for country's next leader

The entrepreneurs aiming to rebuild Greece

The young entrepreneurs aiming to rebuild Greece

Asian trading heads for online

The social networks breaking Asia's stock market traditions

Can Facebook crack China?

Can Facebook crack the Chinese market?

Swiss Army knife adapts to remain a cutting-edge tool

The Swiss Army knife had to adapt after the events of 9/11

China's ageing economic time bomb

How an ageing population threatens China's economy

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