Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Wednesday he believed euro zone finance ministers would approve an Athens government proposal on extending the country's loan agreement later this week.

Internet and network security provider Check Point Software Technologies has bought Israeli start-up Hyperwise, saying it will help it compete in the fast growing cyber security market.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said it would buy mobile wallet provider LoopPay as it tries to gain a share in the mobile payments market, which its archrival Apple Inc recently entered with Apple Pay.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded the authorized use of Celgene Corp's cancer drug Revlimid to include newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma, the company said on Wednesday.

Federal Reserve policymakers expressed concern last month that raising interest rates too soon could pour cold water on the U.S. economic recovery, and fretted over the impact of dropping "patient" from the central bank's rate guidance.

The Dow and S&P 500 ended barely lower on Wednesday after a drop in energy shares but declines were limited by minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting, which showed policymakers are concerned about raising interest rates too soon.

U.S. producer prices recorded their biggest drop in more than five years in January as the cost of energy and a range of other goods tumbled, hinting at a disinflationary trend that could argue against the Federal Reserve raising interest rates.

Greece is expected to ask on Thursday for an extension to its "loan agreement" with the euro zone as it faces running out of cash within weeks, but it must overcome resistance from skeptical partners led by Germany.

Mobile messaging apps Line and Kakao Talk are busy trying to conquer overseas markets such as Southeast Asia and India. But they may do well to keep a close eye on their home turf of Japan and South Korea as China's WeChat amasses more users.

South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co plans to spend around $1.8 billion by 2020 on a major offensive in commercial vehicles, including entering the race in the United States, to catch up with rivals in a rapidly growing global market.

Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) cut Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Moynihan's pay by 7 percent in 2014, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, as its full-year profit fell 58 percent on higher legal settlements.

The British government said on Tuesday it had awarded Boeing (BA.N) a five-year contract worth 420 million pounds ($644.91 million) to provide in-service support to its fleet of Chinook military helicopters.

JPMorgan Chase & Co bears the highest potential hazard to the financial system if it were to fail, a staff study released by a U.S. government research agency showed, providing a first-of-its-kind numerical risk ranking of U.S. banks.

Billionaire Patrick Drahi is aiming to buy Vivendi's 20 percent stake in Numericable-SFR (NUME.PA) to strengthen his grip on France's No.2 telecoms group and prepare for a possible next round of industry consolidation.

Israel's defense minister arrived in India on Wednesday to help sell his country's arms industry to the world's largest defense importer and promote deepening military ties between the two nations.

French pharmaceutical group Sanofi said on Tuesday a trial treatment with its Cerdelga drug for patients with type 1 Gaucher disease, a rare genetic disorder, showed promise.

Oil dropped below $62 a barrel on Wednesday, failing to build on gains of more than 1 percent in the previous session as analysts said a recent rally in prices was overblown.

Financial giant Japan Post Holdings Co Ltd launched its global expansion strategy with its largest ever deal on Wednesday, agreeing a A$6.5 billion ($5.1 billion) takeover of Australian freight and logistics firm Toll Holdings Ltd.

Sony Corp aims to boost its operating profit 25-fold within three years by focusing on its more profitable image sensors, videogame and entertainment businesses, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Top U.S. hedge fund management firms, including David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital and Philippe Laffont's Coatue Management, reduced their stakes in Apple Inc during the fourth quarter, ahead of the iPhone maker's strong rally in 2015, according to regulatory filings.

The European Central Bank faces resistance from Germany to allowing any extra emergency lending for Greek banks, people familiar with the matter said, increasing pressure on Athens to sign up to an extended aid-for-reform program.

The euro held steady on Wednesday, finding some support as investors held on to hopes that Greece will find enough common ground with its euro zone partners and avoid a chaotic exit from the currency union.

Several of the biggest hedge fund managers slashed or dissolved their stake in China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd at the end of last year, taking a prescient bet ahead of the company's surprise revenue miss last quarter that sent shares plunging in late January.

The Bank of Japan maintained its massive asset buying stimulus spree on Wednesday and revised up its view on exports and output, even as data showing only a feeble recovery from recession tempers its optimism.

Asian equities tracked a mild bounce on Wall Street, edging higher on Wednesday as pessimism about the Greek debt saga receded somewhat, while the dollar strengthened against the yen thanks to higher U.S. debt yields.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has asked its Asian suppliers to make 5-6 million units of its three Apple Watch models for the first-quarter, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The S&P 500 ended above 2,100 at another record high on Tuesday as optimism grew that a debt deal would be reached with Greece and as bond prices sold off.

Francois Hollande faces a major test on Tuesday when his flagship economic reform bill is put to parliament, 10 days before the European Commission rules on whether France's reforms go far enough to avoid sanctions for its budget slippages.

Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) said on Monday it had recognized a new group called the American Council of Employees to represent workers at its auto assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in addition to the United Auto Workers.

Ford Motor Co (F.N) wants Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) to tailor its popular chatting app for the firm's cars in China, as automakers in the world's largest market vie for drivers that care about high-tech features as much as engine size.