Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor who has highlighted his record of beating the market when stocks languish, oversaw a decline last year as the Standard &amp; Poor's 500 Index ended unchanged.

Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc failed to beat S&P 500 in 2011

Business Standard

Yahoo! Inc Chief Executive Officer Scott Thompson may receive compensation of as much as $27 million, including salary, potential bonus, restricted shares and other forms of pay.

Yahoo!'s new CEO may get $27-mn pay

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney pushed back against critics who call him beholden to big business as he sought to solidify support in New Hampshire's January 10 primary.

I am independent of Wall Street: Mitt Romney

FedEx Corp, the delivery company that is both a partner and rival to the US Postal Service, may see a federal mail-flying contract drop by more than 27 per cent in 2013 as the agency restructures.

FedEx seen losing $400 mn in postal contract

Britain&rsquo;s Prime Minister David Cameron said he would set out plans in the coming days to restrain pay at the top of British companies and in banks, saying rewards are &ldquo;completely out of whack&rdquo; with performance.

UK to have a say in execs' pay 

European confidence in the economic outlook fell to the lowest in more than two years and unemployment remained at a 13-year high as the euro area&rsquo;s leaders struggled to contain a worsening fiscal crisis.

Euro area economic confidence at 2-yr low 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will probably cut its forecast for global economic growth as the European debt crisis worsens, Managing Director Christine Lagarde said.

IMF to cut global growth forecasts on euro crisis

Refiners in Asia, the destination for 65 per cent of Iran&rsquo;s oil exports, are seeking alternative sources of crude in the event of a supply disruption from the world&rsquo;s fourth-largest producer.

Asian refiners seek Iran oil alternatives 

Yamaha Motor is joining other Japanese competitors to add motorcycle capacity in Asia&rsquo;s second-fastest growing major economy, betting demand from Indians seeking personal transportation will sustain.

Japanese bike makers add capacity in India

German lawmakers will probably resist increasing funds for European bailouts to ease the debt crisis, two allies of Chancellor Angela Merkel said, signaling opposition to a bigger firewall.

Germany won't support higher bailout ceiling, say Merkel allies  

Greek&rsquo;s Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told the country that cuts in income were the only way to stay in the euro and get more financing from international creditors to avert an economic collapse that may otherwise come as soon as March.

Deeper cuts needed to save Greece: Papademos

Oil traded near the highest in almost eight months as speculation that sanctions against Iran will curb crude supplies countered concern that Europe&rsquo;s debt crisis will worsen and slow demand.

Oil trades at near 8-month high 

Ex-Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) director Rajat Gupta is trying to bolster his defense to federal insider- trading charges by using prosecutors&rsquo; own words calling accused accomplice Raj Rajaratnam a liar.

Rajat Gupta says Rajaratnam lies

France plans to sell as much as euro 8 billion ($10.4 billion) of debt today in the country&rsquo;s first test this year of investor appetite for its bonds as credit companies threaten to cut the nation&rsquo;s AAA rating.

France seeks lower yield at bond sale

Hewlett-Packard Co (HP), the world's biggest maker of personal computers, plans to release a pair of desktop PCs, aiming to stand out from a flood of portable technology at next week's Consumer Electronics Show.

HP to launch two PCs to beat mobile technology 

Reliance Industries (RIL) and Apollo Global Management LLC are among companies in talks to buy El Paso Corp (EP)&rsquo;s oil and gas exploration and production unit, said people with knowledge of the matter.

RIL, Apollo in talks to buy El Paso's oil & gas division

A euro area composite index based on a survey of purchasing managers in both industries rose to 48.3 from 47 in November. A reading below 50 indicates contraction.

Europe manufacturing, services contract less than estimated

President Barack Obama kicked off an effort to encourage businesses to keep jobs at home instead of outsourcing them overseas, as he rolled out a new election-year theme on Saturday aimed at courting middle-class voters.

Barack Obama tells businesses to bring jobs home

The 1.5-mn bpd link would ensure the UAE can export crude without risking a blockade at Hormuz.

Alternative oil pipeline delayed as Iranian tensions rise

The Philippines protested a new &ldquo;intrusion&rdquo; by China in waters it claims to be Philippine territory, a move that may revive tensions over areas of the South China Sea that may contain energy reserves.

Philippines protests China 'intrusion' in disputed waters

The US economy is beginning 2012 on a brighter note in a sign investors may be too pessimistic.

Bloomberg