`PRINTING MONEY': Skyrocketing prices could result in a backlash from disgruntled consumers against the oil industry because of its `Caligula-like' profits, one analyst said
Pumped up by persistently high energy prices, the oil industry maintained its streak of massive -- and growing -- quarterly profits this week, aggravating motorists and amazing financial analysts.

[ FULL STORY ]

World oil futures slid on Friday, closing below US$50 a barrel for the first time in more than two months in New York, as markets reacted to slower US economic growth amid rising oil inventories.

[ FULL STORY ]

DEMAND: Weaker-than-expected US first-quarter growth data triggered fresh concern among regional exporters over the outlook for the American economy
Asian stocks closed flat to lower on Friday after disappointing US first-quarter growth figures muddied the outlook even further for investors hoping that the data would have provided a clear lead, dealers said.

[ FULL STORY ]

European stocks advanced, paced by automakers and mining companies, two of the region's worst-performing industry groups in April. Volkswagen AG and BHP Billiton climbed.

[ FULL STORY ]

Wall Street ended a volatile week with a big advance on Friday as oil prices tumbled below US$50 per barrel and jittery investors took solace in a pair of economic reports that eased their inflation concerns. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 122 points for the session, but the major indexes finished the week mixed.

[ FULL STORY ]

REVALUATION RUMORS: A brief drop in the US dollar against the Chinese yuan sparked a wave of speculation, giving Asian currencies a boost against the greenback and euro
The yen chalked up heavy gains on Friday across the board, extending a week of gains on the back of heightened speculation about a possible revaluation of the Chinese yuan.

[ FULL STORY ]

GROWING PROBLEM: Despite Beijing proclaiming to have clamped down severely on piracy of music, movies and software, producers are claiming more infringements
The US said China has failed to crack down on counterfeiters and pirates of copyrighted movies, and laid out improvements Chinese authorities must take to avoid a dispute over the issue at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

[ FULL STORY ]

By Jackie Lin
Despite a year-long anti-piracy drive by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan remains on the "Watch List" of intellectual-property-right (IPR) violators under the US' Special 301 Law.

[ FULL STORY ]

Shares of computer hardware and software maker Sun Microsystems Inc climbed on Friday on a report the company is gearing up to go private.

[ FULL STORY ]

Britain's retail competition watchdog on Friday upheld massive fines imposed on two of Britain's biggest stores for fixing the prices of toys, reducing the penalties only slightly.

[ FULL STORY ]

LOOKING GOOD: The world's biggest maker of computer motherboards' shares were upgraded to `sell' from `hold' after a rise in sales and profit last year
Asustek Computer Inc, the world's biggest maker of motherboards, said first-quarter profits rose 9.3 percent, helped by increasing demand.

[ FULL STORY ]

■ Macroeconomics
US trade rep sworn in
[ FULL STORY ]