US companies restocked at slower pace in December

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies restocked their store shelves and warehouses at a slower pace in December, a sign of caution as sales weakened.

Petrobras posts first loss in 13 years; results shock

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil's state-led oil giant Petrobras on Friday posted its first quarterly loss in more than 13 years, fanning concerns that the company, hampered by government intervention and soaring costs, will fail to meet its goal of becoming one of the three biggest crude producers by the end of the decade.

Chinese companies operating with alarming levels of debt: Study

BEIJING: Chinese companies are operating with "alarming levels" of corporate debt, even though the country's gross debt remains relatively low, according to a study by an official Chinese think tank.

Spark in Sales of Cars and Trucks Drives U.S. Economy

Car sales that are running at the fastest pace in four years are poised to reverberate through the world’s largest economy as a spillover into production, profits and jobs for Americans may be starting.

Online payments firm PayPal expanding in Ireland

DUBLIN: Online payments company PayPal announced on Tuesday it is expanding its operations in jobs-hungry Ireland in a government-sponsored deal praised by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.