Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) on Thursday said traffic to its Americas-region stores perked up during the holiday quarter, easing investor jitters about slower growth and boosting shares over 4 percent in after-hours trading.

New world trade talks had to level the playing field between developed and developing economies on farm support and avoid being held hostage by countries unwilling to open markets, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said in an opinion piece to be published on Thursday.

Bold and beautiful : President Obama delivered his speech in his State of the Union. The President laid out impeccable plans to the American people.

The Swiss currency shock has raised an awkward question many investors have been fearful of asking - what if central banks become as unpredictable and fallible as they are powerful?

Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) has launched a service allowing customers to pick up tax refunds in cash at stores across the United States.

Shares rose on Tuesday and the dollar gained 1 percent against the yen after China said its economy had not slowed as much as many in markets had feared.

Morgan Stanley's adjusted quarterly earnings fell short of market estimates as unexpected market swings in December hit its division that trades bonds, currencies and commodities and the Wall Street bank deferred fewer bonus payments.

World leaders meeting in Davos this week are likely to agree that inequality is a problem but unlikely to do anything about it, the head of the International Labour Organization said.

For China's shipyards, the oil rig market that was supposed to be a blessing is in danger of becoming a curse. As crude prices slide, oil producers are slashing new project spending.

U.S. consumer prices recorded their biggest drop in six years in December and a gauge of underlying inflation was flat, which could make the Federal Reserve more cautious about raising interest rates.