stock picks

[AP] – Oil prices rose to near $75 a barrel Thursday after a report showed U.S. crude inventories fell more than expected, suggesting demand may be improving.

[AP] – The U.S. has slipped down the ranks of competitive economies, falling behind Sweden and Singapore due to huge deficits and pessimism about government, a global economic group said Thursday.

[AP] – Japan said Thursday it plans to sign a free trade pact with India that will scrap tariffs on 94 percent of traded goods over 10 years.

[AP] – Global stock markets mostly rose Thursday as the latest bout of jitters over Europe’s debt woes eased, though Chinese shares fell on fears that authorities might do more to cool the property sector.

[AP] – Global stock markets mostly rose Thursday as the latest bout of jitters over Europe’s debt woes eased, though Chinese shares fell on fears that authorities might do more to cool the property sector.

[AP] – Britain’s financial regulator hit Goldman Sachs International with a 17.5 million pounds fine on Thursday for failing to notify U.K. authorities about an investigation in the United States.

[AP] – Britain’s financial regulator hit Goldman Sachs International with a 17.5 million pounds fine on Thursday for failing to notify U.K. authorities about an investigation in the United States.

[AP] – Chinese shares fell Thursday on fears of possible new government curbs on real estate as investors waited for monthly economic data.

[AP] – South Korea’s central bank left its key interest rate near a record low Thursday for a second straight month as the risk of slowing global growth outweighed a buoyant outlook for the local economy.

[AP] – Korea National Oil Corp. says it won’t raise its hostile takeover bid for Britain’s Dana Petroleum. The statement released Thursday follows Dana’s publication of a defense document which argued that the company was worth significantly more than KNOC’s offer of 1.87 billion pounds , or 1,800 pence per share.