Business

By Agencies

Spain's unemployment rate has hit a record high, the 4.6 million jobless figure being a rise of four per cent from December.

Read more: Unemployment hits record high in Spain

By Agencies

The United States unemployment rate fell to 8.3 per cent in January, its lowest level in nearly three years, due to an unexpected surge in hiring, according to published government data.

Read more: US jobless rate sinks to three-year low

By Agencies

Sony, Japan's ailing electronics company, has said it is heading for a bigger-than-expected 220bn yen ($2.9bn) annual loss, presenting a daunting task for incoming CEO Kazuo Hirai, who vowed to move quickly to turn things around.

Read more: Sony gives $2.9bn loss warning

By Agencies

The world's largest social network has filed to raise $5bn in a much anticipated stock market flotation that would be Silicon Valley's largest-ever initial public offering, though much less than some analysts had predicted.

Read more: Facebook plans $5bn stock market debut

By Agencies

The parent company of American Airlines says it needs to eliminate about 13,000 jobs, as one of the largest US airlines remakes itself under bankruptcy protection.

Read more: American Airlines to cut 13,000 jobs

By Agencies

Unemployment in the eurozone has risen to the highest level since June 1998, before the euro was introduced, according to recent data.

Read more: Eurozone unemployment hits record high

By Agencies

All European Union countries, except Britain and the Czech Republic, have agreed to sign up to a new treaty designed to stop overspending in the eurozone and put an end to the bloc's crippling debt crisis, while also pledging to stimulate growth across the region.

Read more: EU nations agree pact to tackle debt crisis

By Agencies

Trains and public transport are paralyzed across Belgium during a day of nationwide strikes to protest austerity measures that have in part been imposed through European Union pressure.

Read more: Strike brings Belgium to a halt

By Agencies

The former UBS trader accused of unauthorised deals that cost the Swiss bank $2.3bn pleaded not guilty to four fraud and false accounting charges in a London court.

Read more: Trader pleads not guilty in UBS fraud case

By Agencies

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has laid out plans to rejuvenate his country's flagging economy and boost employment in the run-up to elections in April in which he is expected to seek a second term.

Read more: Sarkozy sets out plan to boost French economy