PR-inside.com) TOKYO (AP) - Japan's Cabinet approved a budget proposal Wednesday that, if passed by lawmakers, will push spending to record levels as the country battles a rapidly worsening recession.The Finance Ministry's draft budget consists of a spending increase of

PR-inside.com) HONG KONG (AP) - Asian stocks stumbled Wednesday after downbeat data about the U.S. economy showed the recession there was deepening.Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average dropped 234.83 points, or 2.7 percent, to 8,488.95.Shares in Toyota Motor Corp. tumbled 4

PR-inside.com) TOKYO (AP) - In more bad news for Toyota, Japan's No. 1 automaker said Wednesday its global vehicle sales plunged 21.8 percent in November, its biggest drop in eight years.The news comes just days after the company predicted that

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - The founder of an investment fund that lost millions with Bernard Madoff was found dead Tuesday at his Madison Avenue office of a possible suicide, authorities said.Authorities found Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet at 7:50

PR-inside.com) LONDON (AP) - Whittard, a venerable British tea and coffee merchant, was sold to a private equity company Tuesday by administrators appointed under bankruptcy laws.The administrators, from accountancy firm Ernst and Young, said Whittard was sold to private equity

PR-inside.com) PHOENIX, Arizona (AP) - Oil prices dipped below $38 a barrel Tuesday on fresh evidence of weakness in the U.S. housing market and a shrinking gross domestic product that suggests the recession may be worsening.A report by the Commerce

PR-inside.com) STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden will give credits to Latvia of up to 1.8 billion ($2.5 billion), the finance ministers of the four countries said in a joint statement Tuesday.The announcement followed a decision by

PR-inside.com) ROME (AP) - Alitalia has canceled about 140 flights at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci in the last two days because of a wildcat strike that left holiday travelers stranded, news reports said Tuesday.The baggage handlers and maintenance staff walked

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - A former securities broker was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud Tuesday, the second arrest in a fraud case against a prominent U.S. lawyer accused of duping hedge funds into making bogus investments.Kosta Kovachev,

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - After a year of devastating losses, the stock market has the makings of a recovery in 2009: Nearly $9 trillion in cash on the sidelines, waiting to be invested.But before investors can feel comfortable diving

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - Existing home sales in the U.S. Northeast dropped nearly 24 percent in November from last year, while the median sales price in the region held steady at $257,700 the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday.Sales

PR-inside.com) BENTONVILLE, Arkansas (AP) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it has settled 63 wage and hour abuse lawsuits against the company.The discount retailer said Tuesday that the total amount to be paid depends on the amount of claims submitted by

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street pulled back again Tuesday in muted trading ahead of the holiday, as another round of reports showed further deterioration in the housing market and broader economy.The Dow Jones industrial average finished lower for

PR-inside.com) LAS VEGAS (AP) - Las Vegas Sands Corp. says it has cut 500 casino workers at its Venetian Macao casino in China and wants to trim 1,000 others' schedules.The Las Vegas-based casino operator said Tuesday that none of the

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - The founder of an investment fund that lost $1.4 billion with Bernard Madoff was discovered dead Tuesday after committing suicide at his Madison Avenue office, marking a grim turn in a scandal that has left

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - Gold prices gave back most of the previous day's gains Tuesday amid further evidence of a struggling economy. Energy prices faltered, while agriculture futures rose.In recent months, economic concerns have made investors reluctant to buy

PR-inside.com) NEW YORK (AP) - The Treasury Department auctioned off more debt at record -low yields Tuesday, proving that investors remain hungry for Treasurys as the year draws to a close.A $22 billion auction of four-week Treasury bills drew a