Global News and Markets

In Germany, a Limp Domestic Economy Stifled by Regulation

Alongside Germany’s export success is another, creakier economy that suffers from overregulation and holds back not only the country but the rest of Europe, some economists say.

DealBook: S.E.C. Charges 2 Chinese Executives With Fraud

American regulators charged two Chinese executives with defrauding investors of hundreds of millions of dollars by secretly stealing and selling the assets of Puda Coal.

G.M. in Partnership Talks With French Automaker

A French minister confirmed Peugeot Citroën was discussing a “strategic” tie-up with General Motors, both of which are struggling in a tough European market.

DealBook: Iceland Indicts 2 Former Executives of Failed Bank

The former chief executive and the chairman of the failed Icelandic lender Kaupthing Bank were charged with fraud and market manipulation.

Bits Blog: Amazon Pulls Thousands of E-Books in Dispute

Amazon pulled more than 4,000 e-books distributed by the Independent Publishers Group off its site this week after it failed to exact better terms from the distributor.

Microsoft Files Complaint Against Motorola in Europe

The software maker ratcheted up its battle with Google, which acquired Motorola Mobility last year, by accusing the cellphone maker of charging too much for use of its patents.

DealBook: Amid Takeover Talks, London Metal Exchange Eyes Expansion

As the board of the world's largest metal futures exchange prepares to meet on Thursday about eight offers, the chief executive, Martin Abbott, continues to plot the company's international expansion.

T-Mobile Files Request to Block Verizon’s Planned Spectrum Deal

In its filing, T-Mobile, the No. 4 cellphone carrier, told the F.C.C. that Verizon’s acquisition from cable companies would place an “excessive concentration” of wireless spectrum in Verizon’s hands.

DealBook: Shell to Buy Cove Energy for $1.6 Billion

Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to buy the oil exploration company Cove Energy for £992 million as it looks to expand into East Africa in search of new energy reserves.

Apple Defends Rights to iPad Name in Shanghai Court

A Chinese firm’s legal challenge threatened to prevent Apple from selling one of its most popular products in one of its fastest growing markets.

Nations Unite Against European Airline Emissions Law

More than 20 nations agreed on Wednesday to coordinate retaliatory measures to protest a European Union law requiring airlines to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.

H.P. Reports Lower First-Quarter Revenue and Profit

The decline, in Meg Whitman’s first full quarter in charge, cut across all divisions. Dell Computer also reported lower net income.

DealBook: Greek Crisis Raises New Fears Over Credit-Default Swaps

The $172 billion bailout of Greece may set off the credit-default swaps on that country's debt, even though Europe is trying to avoid activating them.

Flawed DePuy Hip Implant Had Early F.D.A. Notice

Before recalling an all-metal artificial hip, Johnson & Johnson insisted it was safe and maintained that company-sponsored studies refuted complaints that the device was flawed.

J.& J. Chief to Resign One Role

William C. Weldon will step down as chief executive of Johnson & Johnson, which has struggled to emerge from a swarm of product recalls and manufacturing lapses.

An E-Mail App Arrives for the BlackBerry Tablet

Research in Motion on Tuesday finally brought e-mail to its tablet computer, the BlackBerry PlayBook, which initially could send or receive e-mails only by being connected to a BlackBerry phone.

Dell Earnings and Forecast Fall Short of Wall St. Views

The company’s results disappointed investors and raised concerns that the P.C. industry remained in a slump.

Top Retailers Report Strong Profit, but Walmart Shoppers Struggle

Walmart, Macy’s, Home Depot and Saks Fifth Avenue all reported sales increases for their fourth quarters ending in January. But Walmart had to lower prices aggressively, hurting its profit.

DealBook: Alibaba Offers to Take Subsidiary Private

Alibaba offered on Tuesday to buy the remaining shares of Alibaba.com for 13.50 Hong Kong dollars a share, roughly the same price at which the unit went public in 2007.

Kingfisher Cuts Flights as Financial Problems Multiply

The Indian carrier cut the number of flights it was operating by more than half Tuesday as it struggled to repay debts, including unpaid taxes and employee wages.

State of the Art: OnLive Desktop Plus Puts Windows 7 on the iPad in Blazing Speed - State of the Art

The fastest high-speed Internet service is courtesy of OnLive Desktop Plus. The “plus” is a 1-gigabit-a-second Net connection with the ability to view Flash videos on your iPad.

The Trade: The Volcker Rule, Made Bloated and Weak

Bank lobbyists could not kill the Volcker Rule, so they got Congress and regulators to render it hopelessly vague and complex.

Green Column: Trade Battles Buffet Europe’s Green Efforts

Already reeling from economic crises, environmental measures in the European Union are prompting disputes over fuel sources, airliners’ emissions and solar subsidies.

Itineraries: With Lounges, Airlines Compete to Attract Top-Paying Travelers

Many carriers have begun investing millions in their lounges, hoping to build their brands and attract more first- and business-class customers.

The Way Greeks Live Now

All the talk is about the economy but everyday life rumbles on, in a collective trance.

BUSINESS: Young and Unemployed

Landon Thomas Jr., a New York Times reporter, looks at the growing problem of long-term unemployment for British youth.

Stocks struggle amid lacklustre economic data

Risk appetite has been blunted by economic activity data from the eurozone and China, and doubts over Athens’ ability to enact reforms

Greek debt swap pay-out prospect weighed

Credit event ruling could lead market to worry that other peripherals are heading the same way

Japan’s policy will spur high debt economies

Artificial reduction of the supply of risk-free assets ignites demand for risky assets. The implications are likely to be profound

US prime money funds raise eurozone exposure

A key source of funding for the financial system remains vigilant about bank risk according to a new report by Fitch Ratings

NY Fed plans auction of Maiden Lane II portfolio

The auction is likely to be held next week and involve the remaining $6bn in face value of securities acquired as part of the crisis-era bail-out of AIG

Record sterling oil price sparks fears

The rally in the price of crude oil denominated in European-currencies is likely to have a negative impact on the continent’s economic growth

Iceland bank establishes covered bond plan

Arion, the bank created from the assets of failed Kaupthing, has established a €1bn international covered bond programme

Tech stocks fall on Dell disappointment

Poor fourth-quarter earnings from Dell forced some technology stocks lower on Wednesday

Pound hits 10-week low against euro

Sterling sinks to its lowest mark against the euro in 10 weeks after strong support for QE is shown in the latest Bank minutes

Tesco slides amid worries over turnround

Analyst warns defending profit in recent years has cost the Tesco brand its trust and relevance