Business and Finance news

Apple Inc.’s iPad tablet computer hits U.S. shelves on Saturday, but fans who want the new touch-screen gadget shipped directly to them must wait a week.
The company began taking preorders for the iPad on March 12, promising to get the device to eager buyers by its store launch date of April 3rd. […]

After months of negotiations, Ted Leonsis and the estate of Abe Pollin have agreed on a price for Leonsis to buy the majority stake in the Washington Wizards and Verizon Center, The Washington Post reported Thursday afternoon, citing sources familiar with negotiations.
Leonsis already owns 44 percent of the team. He also owns the Washington Capitals […]

MIAMI — Toyota shareholders incensed over a sudden drop in the Japanese automaker’s stock price are heading to court with lawsuits claiming company executives deliberately misled investors and the public about the depth of accelerator problems in millions of its vehicles.
At least three proposed class-action lawsuits filed by Toyota investors say the company […]

Peter Ueberroth may be the most popular person in golf this year: As the owner and co-chairman of Pebble Beach Co., this June he’ll play host to the U.S. Open, the sport’s hottest ticket.
Ueberroth is no stranger to epic sports events: His leadership during the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984 made […]

Chinese authorities have reportedly warned Google Inc.'s partners that they must observe the country's censorship laws, too.
The New York Times cited an unnamed "industry expert" who said some big Google Web partners were told Friday to ready backup plans in case Google stops censoring search results on its local Chinese-language search engine.
The paper said, however, […]

In the middle of the 2001 debt crisis, Argentines stormed their nation’s banks to get their money out. To stop the stampede, the government imposed controls that allowed them to take out only $250 at a time and limited withdrawals for overseas trips to $1,000.
Greece, in the middle of its own financial crisis, is […]

Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit thanked U.S. taxpayers for delivering billions of dollars of aid during of the depths of the credit crisis, but offered few details on why the government needed to step in more than once to rescue the embattled firm.
Testifying before a congressional watchdog group Thursday, Pandit tried to explain away the […]

The European Central Bank said its offerings of three-month cash will return to variable interest rates on April 28. President Jean-Claude Trichet made the announcement at a press conference in Frankfurt.
“Amounts will be set with the aim of ensuring smooth conditions in money markets” and avoiding “significant spreads” between the ECB’s benchmark rate […]

European Union Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn will likely push Greece to do more to cut its budget deficit today as governments craft a possible rescue package for the cash-strapped nation.
Rehn will meet with Prime Minister George Papandreou as German lawmakers say euro-area officials are devising a plan to grant Greece about 25 […]