msnbc.com: World business
Msnbc.com is a leader in breaking news and original journalism.
Irishman makes 'billion-euro home' from old notes
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:57:43 GMT
An unemployed Irish artist has built a home from the shredded remains of 1.4 billion euros ($1.82 billion), a monument to the economic "madness" he says has been wrought on Ireland.
Fitch cuts Italy, Spain, other euro zone ratings
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:39:38 GMT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fitch Ratings on Friday downgraded the sovereign credit ratings for Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Belgium and Cyprus indicating there is a 1-in-2 chance of further downgrades in the next two years.
European bank boss leaves huge bonus on table
Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:46:21 GMT
Royal Bank of Scotland says chief executive Stephen Hester will not be accepting a 1 million pound bonus that drew criticism from British politicians.
Sony sees $2.9 billion loss, new CEO warns of pain
Thu, 2 Feb 2012 14:58:37 GMT
Ailing Japanese electronics giant Sony Corp warned it was heading for a bigger-than-expected $2.9 billion annual loss, presenting a daunting task for incoming CEO Kazuo Hirai.
Ex UBS trader Adoboli denies fraud, faces trial
Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:20:04 GMT
Former UBS trader Kweku Adoboli will stand trial in September after pleading not guilty on Monday to charges related to the loss of more than $2 billion on trades.
S&P says likely to declare Greece in default
Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:02:42 GMT
Standard & Poor's will likely downgrade Greece's ratings to "selective default" when the country concludes its debt restructuring, but that will not necessarily destroy the credibility of the European Union, an official with the ratings agency said on Tuesday.
5th person arrested in Megaupload case
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:51:32 GMT
A fifth person has been arrested in the Megaupload file-sharing case, a U.S. official confirms.
Confidence falls as CEOs prepare for shocks
Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:07:37 GMT
Corporate executives are struggling to find paths to growth as the euro zone crisis stokes fears of a return to recession and developing economies lose momentum.
China goes on gold binge; world wonders why
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:58:08 GMT
Analysts believe China bought as much as 490 tons of gold in 2011, double the estimated 245 tons in 2010. â??The thing thatâ??s caught peopleâ??s minds is the massive increase," one broker says.
Private investors near deal on Greek debt
Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:23:58 GMT
A disorderly and potentially devastating Greek debt default is looking much less likely.
IMF: Euro zone crisis impeding global economy
Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:47:25 GMT
The euro zone debt crisis is escalating and dragging down the world economy, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday as it sharply cut its outlook for global growth.
EU leaders struggle to reconcile austerity, growth
Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:41:35 GMT
European leaders struggled to reconcile austerity with growth on Monday at a summit due to approve a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone.
Sony names Hirai to replace Stringer as CEO
Wed, 1 Feb 2012 20:40:33 GMT
Sony Corp named Kazuo Hirai as chief executive, succeeding Howard Stringer at the helm of the iconic gadget maker as it struggles with persistent losses and stalled efforts to re-energize its once-dominant brand.
Expert who foresaw '08 crash warns of tough decade
Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:43:51 GMT
Economist Nouriel Roubini, nicknamed "Dr. Doom" for his gloomy predictions ahead of the 2008 financial meltdown, says a conflict with Iran could cause a global recession.
Greece plays game of chicken over bailout
Mon, 6 Feb 2012 13:34:43 GMT
Greece let yet another deadline slip on Monday for responding to painful terms for a new EU/IMF bailout as patience in Brussels wore thin over drawn-out negotiations among its feuding political leaders.
Starbucks to open 50 stores in India this year
Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:48:46 GMT
Starbucks aims to open 50 outlets in India by year's end, through a 50-50 joint venture with Tata Global Beverages, the companies said Monday.
Almost half of young Spaniards unemployed
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:27:25 GMT
There's no doubt that the U.S. unemployment rate of 8.5 percent (as of December) is painful for Americans. But pain can be relative.
Sponsored By:
Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:47:40 GMT
8 industries China leads where the US used to
Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:47:40 GMT
Americans are used to the U.S. being the leader, or a top-ranked nation, in many areas. But in a number of industries and businesses, the U.S. has lost that first place, usually to China.
Dow stirs some bad publicity in London Olympics
Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:28:28 GMT
A member of the body that oversees sustainability issues at the London Olympics has resigned in protest of Dow Chemical's sponsorship.