As Ebola persists in West Africa, shipping lines and traders are tweaking their contracts to protect themselves if the disease puts crews at risk of infection or prevents vessels calling at affected ports.

For good stock market bets, some top investors can't be too bothered by details like corporate profits: instead, they pick companies run by their founders.

The euro zone will need another year to reach even a modest level of economic growth, the European Commission said on Tuesday, calling on Germany to help as Chancellor Angela Merkel again rejected a spending spree.

Pacific Investment Management Co suffered a record $27.5 billion in withdrawals from its flagship Pimco Total Return Fund in October, extending large net outflows following Bill Gross' surprise resignation from the firm.

A group of cybersecurity firms funded by big banks plan to launch a platform that will allow financial companies to communicate faster about potential cyber breaches, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Insurer American International Group (AIG.N) on Monday reported better-than-expected third quarter earnings, bolstered in part by improved performance at core insurance operations.

Asian stocks dipped on Tuesday with latest signs of slower growth in China and the euro zone dampening the mood, although Japan bucked the trend and rose to new seven-year highs on follow-through momentum generated by the Bank of Japan's surprise stimulus move last week.

Walt Disney Co said its cloud-based movie service will expand to include purchases made through the Google Play online store, the latest in a string of moves by Hollywood studios to encourage digital ownership.

UK lender Virgin Money is seeking to go ahead with its postponed London stock market listing amid firmer market conditions by the end of next week, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.

Indonesian telecommunication operators PT Bakrie Telecom Tbk and PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk will merge their network operations in a deal that will make Bakrie Telecom one of Smartfren's shareholders.

Bankrupt power company Energy Future Holdings Corp received conditional court approval to accept bids for its majority stake in Oncor, a power transmission company in Texas worth billions of dollars.

Botox maker Allergan Inc (AGN.N), fighting a hostile takeover bid by Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc (VRX.TO), said on Monday it was approached about a potential transaction by another party, identified as Actavis Plc (ACT.N) by a source familiar with the situation.

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc (HLT.N), the world's largest hotel operator, said Blackstone Group LP (BX.N) would reduce its stake in the company by 14 percent to about 57 percent.

The Dallas Zoo has sold the naming rights for a recently born giraffe for $50,000 to a bidder who asked to remain nameless, a zoo official said on Monday.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Monday a 15 percent increase in the minimum wage starting in December to protect workers from inflation of more than 60 percent.

No American city has passed a ballot measure raising taxes on sugary drinks, and ahead of votes Tuesday in Berkeley and San Francisco, the U.S. soda industry has been working hard to keep it that way.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi is making his first visits in years to fellow exporters Venezuela and Mexico, although tumbling oil prices are not the stated purpose of the trip, according to officials and sources.

China has issued further guidance to support and modernize its shipping industry, saying it would encourage mergers and private investment as well as develop its cruise industry.

Bank of Yokohama Ltd (8332.T), Japan's second-largest regional lender, said on Tuesday it is considering a merger with smaller rival Higashi-Nippon Bank Ltd (8536.T), a major move in an industry urged by regulators to consolidate amid bleak growth prospects.

Brazilian telecommunications provider Oi SA (OIBR4.SA) said on Monday it has not entered into any agreement to join a group of rivals to buy Telecom Italia SpA's (TLIT.MI) stake in Brazilian phone company TIM Participacoes SA TIMP4.SA.

Verizon Communications and AT&T Inc expect to be able to transmit wireless voice calls between the two carriers over high-speed data networks by 2015, the companies said on Monday.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has pledged to correct a glitch in software used to analyze data from clinical drug trials within "four to eight weeks", after independent experts highlighted a potential for errors.

Intel Corp on Monday awarded $500,000 to a group of do-it-yourselfers who developed a wristband that converts to a camera-equipped drone to win a contest the chipmaker hopes will help guarantee it a leading position in the emerging market for wearable computing devices.

The ECB will not improve the terms of its ultra-cheap long-term loans for now, though this may change if it becomes clear that the euro zone economy is taking another turn for the worse, several sources familiar with the discussion told Reuters.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCHA.MI)(FCAU.N) U.S. October sales rose 22 percent on strong pickup truck demand, the company said on Monday.

European broadcasting group RTL Group said on Monday it had taken control of StyleHaul, a YouTube fashion platform, as it beefs up its online presence to keep younger viewers, whom it may lose at its traditional TV channels.

A fully operational Apple computer that company co-founder Steve Jobs sold out of his parents' garage in 1976 for $600 will hit the auction block in December, where it is expected to fetch more than half a million dollars, Christie's said on Monday.

Factories across Asia and the euro zone reported a general loss of momentum last month that speaks volumes about the need for more policy stimulus on top of Japan's latest efforts to ignite growth.

Young Americans with big college debts are often portrayed as struggling to pay their bills. The reality is somewhat different - those owing super-sized student loans tend to be higher paid.

U.S. stock index futures ticked lower on Monday, with investors taking a pause following a sharp rally on Friday that took the Dow and S&P 500 to record levels.