Rome's opera house has sacked nearly 200 members of its permanent orchestra and chorus as Italy's worst economic crisis for decades chokes state spending on the arts.

Japan's August core machinery orders due next week are expected to rise modestly for a third straight month, a Reuters poll found - doing little to ease fears that the government's growth-promotion policies aren't working fast enough.

Boeing Co (BA.N) on Thursday announced plans to raise output of 737 jetliners beyond its already blistering production pace, saying global demand for new aircraft justifies it.

Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) board extended Chairman and Chief Executive Bob Iger's contract through June 2018, keeping him at the helm of the media and theme park company two years longer than he previously planned.

Softbank Corp’s investment in a Hollywood movie studio represents the coming out party for two new players in the U.S. entertainment industry -- the Japanese telecommunications company and Nikesh Arora, the former Google Inc executive running a new media and internet company.

Facebook (FB.O), the world's most popular social network, gained European Union clearance on Friday for its proposed $19 billion takeover of mobile messaging startup WhatsApp in a deal setting it against the telecoms industry.

Euro zone business grew at the slowest rate this year in September, reflecting falling demand in the region where new orders were the weakest in almost a year, surveys showed on Friday.

U.S. employers likely stepped up hiring in September and the jobless rate probably held at a six-year low, which could bolster bets on a Federal Reserve rate hike in mid-2015.

Software giant Google Inc plans to launch a mobile messaging app it is likely to test in India and other emerging markets, the Economic Times newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources.

Japan's Tokio Marine Holdings Inc sees many attractive acquisition opportunities in North America, its chief executive said, even after spending more than $7 billion to buy insurance companies there in the last six years.

Cash-strapped electronics retailer RadioShack Corp has reached an agreement with a consortium led by its largest shareholder Standard General LP to refinance about $590 million of loans to re-stock ahead of the holiday season, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc said on Thursday it would buy the Van Tuyl Group auto dealership, in what the billionaire hinted could be the first of many such purchases as his company extends its longtime bullish view on the U.S. economy.

EU antitrust regulators will open an extensive probe into Zimmer's (ZMH.N) $13.4 billion bid for Biomet, concerned that the creation of the world's second-largest orthopedic products group may hurt competition, three people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

General Motors Co (GM.N) on Thursday said it is recalling 117,651 newer vehicles in North America because a possible manufacturing defect could cause an electrical short and increase the risk of a crash.

Struggling Sears Holdings Corp (SHLD.O) said it would raise up to $380 million by selling most of its stake in Sears Canada Inc (SCC.TO) through a rights issue, generating much-needed cash ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season.

Cereal maker Kellogg Co's (K.N) chief executive officer is planning to meet with cookies and snacks maker United Biscuits Ltd (IPO-UNI.L) to discuss a possible 2 billion pound ($3.23 billion) offer for the British company, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Charles Schwab Corp (SCHW.N) has dropped the Pimco Total Return Fund from its 10 target date funds and collective trusts, a company spokeswoman told Reuters on Thursday.

U.S. stocks ended flat in a volatile session on Thursday as energy stocks rebounded and investors bought beaten-down shares, especially small caps.

Carmakers are betting on style and recycling in the battle for Europe's burgeoning small car market, adding hi-tech safety and entertainment features while often using older vehicle underpinnings as a way to keep prices down.

Wearable brain scanners and lasers that can turn hundreds of cells on and off were among 58 projects awarded $46 million in federal grants as part of President Obama's $100 million initiative to unlock the secrets of the human brain.

The president of Emirates airlines [EMIRA.UL] said on Thursday that demand for flights to Africa from Asia has fallen due to concerns over the Ebola virus.

The European Central Bank will present details on Thursday of a new asset-buying plan with which it hopes to revive the flagging euro zone economy and see off the specter of deflation.

Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) was one of the biggest movers of Thursday's premarket session, after the company's chief executive hinted at a new product that would be unveiled next week.

Online retailer Amazon.com Inc plans to sell packaged food and beverages in India from mid-October, the Economic Times reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Rocket Internet (RKET.DE), the global e-commerce investor, is selling its shares at 42.50 euros apiece, or the top of the price range, as investors flock to tap into a new wave of Internet start-up listings.

The U.S. State Department has approved a $1.75 billion sale to Saudi Arabia to upgrade its Patriot air defense system with PAC-3 missiles, a deal that would benefit Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Raytheon Co (RTN.N), the Pentagon said Wednesday.

Australia's antitrust regulator on Thursday cleared online travel giant Expedia Inc to buy local rival Wotif.com Holdings Ltd, saying it did not expect the A$699 million ($610 million) deal to substantially lessen competition.

Prominent investor shareholder advisory firm ISS called on Allergan Inc to give its shareholders a chance to vote on any large, buyout-blocking acquisitions and said the company's board faced a credibility problem, according to a report seen by Reuters.

Coca-Cola Co, facing criticism from Warren Buffett and other investors for its outsized employee share rewards, said it had adopted new guidelines that would limit its stock compensation plan and improve transparency.

DirecTV (DTV.O) extended its exclusive contract to sell the Sunday Ticket package of National Football League games, and sources said the company will pay $1.5 billion a year to keep the popular offering that has helped attract subscribers.