Reuters - In a blow to Citigroup Inc Chief Executive Vikram Pandit, the bank plans to close a hedge fund he co-founded and will buy what is left of its assets, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Reuters - Starbucks Corp is boosting its European presence with plans to license 150 new locations in Britain, France and Germany over the next three years in a deal with UK group SSP, Starbucks said on Thursday.

Reuters - Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt on Wednesday detailed his theory of competition in the Web industry while saying Google's famous mantra of "Don't be evil" is often misunderstood.

Reuters - Shareholders of American International Group Inc are demanding changes to the management and board of the world's largest insurer, which has been struggling with the fallout of the subprime mortgage mess.

Reuters - InBev NV has launched a $46.3 billion bid to buy Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc as it seeks to create the world's largest brewer with the biggest ever takeover of an alcoholic drinks company.

AFP - Shares in British bank HBOS, the nation's biggest home loan provider, plunged by more than 11 percent on Wednesday after it attempted to reassure investors about its planned rights issue and trading.

AP - The economy remained "generally weak" heading into summer as rising costs for energy and food pounded consumers and forced some companies to push their own prices higher.

Reuters - A steady rise in energy prices has fueled an inflationary psychology in the United States and could be a problem if it does not reverse, Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Donald Kohn said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Stocks were solidly lower on Wednesday as the Federal Reserve's Beige Book said economic activity was generally weak in late April and early June 2, adding to concerns about a surge in oil prices and further financial sector losses.

Reuters - Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis said Wednesday he remains committed to buying Countrywide Financial Corp , the giant money-losing mortgage lender, but acknowledged that the nearly year-long global credit crisis still has "a ways to go."

Reuters - U.S. businesses were able to raise prices for consumers in some areas even as the economy weakened, the Federal Reserve said in a report on Wednesday showing higher energy and commodity prices are causing inflation pressures.

Reuters - Toymakers, manufacturers and retailers shrugged off soaring temperatures and flocked to the 2008 Licensing International Expo, some showing off hit brands, and others vying for rights to use them.