French cosmetic firm L'Oreal said it could afford to buy back the EUR 23 billion stake that Nestle holds in the firm.

Finland rolled out a EUR 9 billion plan enough to pay for welfare expenses of its aging population. The government of Finland agreed on a plan to ensure that it would have money to pay welfare costs for its fast-growing elderly population.

According to a Bloomberg report, shareholder pressure would most likely influence the incoming CEO of Microsoft to take drastic measures to increase shareholder value and possibly spin off the XBox video game division.

The new agreement between US and Swiss governments would allow payment of fines or deferment of prosecution from tax evasion committed by US clients.

The government of Germany said it was still open to talk with Airbus about its development loan. The German government said it is still willing to discuss the development loan with Airbus.

The foundation of Royal KPN exercised its option to purchase preferred shares of the company to block America Movil's bid for majority ownership.

Malaysian palm oil producer Sime Darby said the sale of its healthcare unit boosted fourth quarter profits.

German car manufacturer Daimler Mercedes-Benz planned to increase the number of its dealer outlets in China to get a bigger share of the world's largest auto market.

Sources told a Belgian business daily that the government could sell a small portion of its stake in the Belgacom Group.

AT&T would be looking into Vodafone group's remaining assets in the midst of the British mobile carrier's exit from the US wireless business with the buyout from Verizon Communications.