Predictions 2010: Technology

8 Stocks to Gain on Obama's Afghan Plan: Analysts

Look Ahead: Markets Count Down to US Jobs Report

Shares of Geely Auto rose 9.3 percent to an all-time high on Wednesday, boosted by a report that its parent was a step closer to completing its acquisition of Ford Motors's Volvo unit

Gold hit a record high for the second straight day on Wednesday as the dollar remained weak and economic uncertainty, underscored by Dubai's debt woes, continued to support gold as a safe-haven asset.

Spot gold hit a record high for a second straight day on Wednesday, touching $1,210.15 a troy ounce in Asian trade.

Japan's Asahi Breweries said it could spend up to 400 billion yen ($4.6 billion) on acquisitions to avoid getting left behind amid a rush towards consolidation in the global food and beverage industry.

As foreclosures rise and home prices fall, the Federal Housing Administration is proposing new rules to crack down on lenders in an effort to reduce risk to its $685 billion mortgage portfolio.

Asian stock markets tracked a strong session on Wall Street, which saw the Dow climbing more than one percent to end at its highest level so far this year.

Most world leaders plan to attend a climate summit in Copenhagen this month, boosting chances that a new U.N. deal to fight climate change will be reached.

Most Asian Markets Rise as Dow Hits New 2009 High

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. is among the bidders for Morgan Stanley's stake in Chinese investment bank CICC.

Australia's parliament rejected laws to set up a sweeping carbon emissions trade scheme on Wednesday, scuttling a key policy of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and setting a trigger for an early election.

U.S. crude futures pared gains on Wednesday to trade almost half a percent lower after industry data showed that U.S. crude stocks rose much more than expected, more than offsetting weakness in the dollar.

Toyota was the top-selling automaker in Canada for the first time ever in November, though it took the crown in a weak month overall, with industry-wide sales down compared with a soft month last year.

China's leading online video sharing website Tudou is outdoing Google 's YouTube in magnetizing video views and will break even next year as it preps for a Nasdaq listing within the next three years.

President Barack Obama said  he is sending 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan by next summer to speed the battle against the Taliban and plans to start bringing some home in 18 months.

The U.S. dollar was on the defensive broadly on Wednesday while the euro and higher-yielding currencies extended impressive gains as investor risk appetite showed little sign of waning ahead of the year end.

China's top online video sharing website Tudou aims to break even in 2010 and list on the Nasdaq within 3 years, the firm's chief executive Gary Wang said.

There's a change at the top for General Motors as the U.S. government (and the Board) flexes its muscles and dictates company policy. As we have said on many occasions, assistance from the U.S. government comes with a high price and lack of independence is at the top of the list. So Fritz is out.