Obama pitches economic message in swing states

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama embarks Wednesday on a three-day tour of politically crucial states in a post-State of the Union journey to sell his 2012 economic policy goals while pitching his presidency to a divided public.

IMF predicts European recession will slow global economy

A recession in Europe will slow the global economy this year, the International Monetary Fund predicted Tuesday, while urging world leaders to focus on growth more than budget cuts.The IMF forecasts global growth of 3.25 percent this year, slower than the 4 percent pace it projected in September.

Fukushima nuclear crisis and the legacy of the Amakudari system

The ongoing crisis within the nuclear sector in Japan can be pinned on the relationship between the political bureaucracy and its love-in relationship with electricity suppliers.

Oil falls on economic, demand concerns

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Friday, pressured by economic uncertainty ahead of a possible debt deal in Greece, concerns about China's sluggish manufacturing sector and weak U.S. petroleum demand.

Suspicion grows China behind hacking of US commission emails

WASHINGTON/BEIJING: Suspicion is growing that operatives in China, rather than India, were behind the hacking of emails of an official US commission that monitors relations between the United States and China, US officials said.

China has multiple choices to avoid hard landing risk

BEIJING: China faces what could be its worst year of growth in a decade with policy firepower that developed nations can only dream of.

Lazard gets five weeks to find Royal Bank of Scotland's buyers

LONDON: Lazard, the largest non-bank merger advisor, has been given five weeks to find a buyer for all or parts of Royal Bank of Scotland Group's (RBS) equities and advisory operations before managers start firing employees, according to three executives at the bank.