AFP - Chinese share prices surged 5.89 percent by midday Wednesday amid speculation that the authorities will soon launch new measures to boost the ailing stock market, dealers said.

Reuters - Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, two of the world's richest men, toured Canadian Natural Resources Ltd's Horizon oil sands project near Fort McMurray, Alberta, this week.

Reuters - Lehman Brothers Chief Executive Dick Fuld nearly struck a deal to raise almost $5 billion from South Korean wealth funds and institutions but the pact disintegrated, the New York Post said citing sources familiar with the matter.

Reuters - Stocks were slightly higher in choppy trade on Wednesday as strong results from Hewlett-Packard triggered a rally in the technology sector that offset a slump in shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to more than 17-year lows.

Reuters - Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac dove to their lowest levels in more than 18 years on mounting fears of a government bailout that would wipe out shareholders of the two U.S. housing finance giants.

AP - From affluent shoppers at Saks to bargain-hunters at Target, from Home Depot to office supplier Staples, consumers are pulling back and that's hurting retailers and raising more concerns about how they'll do the rest of the year.

AFP - Investments in the bonds of struggling US home-loan financers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have earned Russia more than a billion dollars in the past six months, press reports said Tuesday.

Reuters - World stocks edged higher on Wednesday after the previous day's tumble to their lowest level in almost two years attracted some buyers, while rebounding commodity prices helped resource shares.

Reuters - Hewlett-Packard Co results beat Wall Street targets as net profit rose 14 percent, subduing fears that slowing economies and a stronger dollar would weaken the world's biggest computer and printer maker and its rivals.

Reuters - EBay Inc is cutting the fees U.S. sellers on its site pay for fixed-price items, in one of the company's boldest moves this year to boost merchandise for sale, lure new buyers and take on competitors.

Reuters - A joint venture created by LandCap Partners is buying $40 million of troubled land and construction loans from Wachovia Corp The Wall Street Journal said.

Reuters - Airports operator BAA, owned by Spain's Ferrovial , received a tougher-than-expected ruling from Britain's competition regulator on Wednesday, which said it should sell two of its three London airports because of problems created by its near monopoly.