Business and Finance news

India’s inflation accelerated in March, beating the central bank’s estimate and increasing pressure for higher interest rates.
The benchmark wholesale-price index rose 8.98 percent from a year earlier after an 8.31 percent gain in February, the commerce ministry said in a statement in New Delhi today. The median forecast of 28 economists in a Bloomberg […]

With work proceeding apace on the $152 million rehab of the old Dillard’s Building at Washington Ave. and 6th Street downtown, its owners announced today that they’ll start taking reservations for “The Laurel Apartments.”
The massive old department store will include 205 apartments, ranging in size from 648 to 2,888 square feet. They’ll be ready for […]

WASHINGTON

Referendum results show voters in Iceland have rejected a government-approved deal to repay Britain and the Netherlands $5 billion for their citizens’ deposits in the failed online bank Icesave.
Final results from five of six constituencies on Sunday showed the “no” side taking just under 60 percent of the votes.
Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir said the results […]

Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne told shareholders Wednesday that the two automakers potentially could generate combined revenues of euro100 billion ($141 billion) by 2014.
Marchionne expects Fiat’s revenues alone to nearly double from euro35.8 billion 2010 to euro64 billion, a target previously announced. That would leave the once-bankrupt Chrysler to contribute more than euro36 billion.
Fiat […]

WASHINGTON

Asian shares fell in early trading Monday, continuing a trend from last week that saw political turmoil in Libya pull global indexes lower.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average fell 0.6 percent to 10,467.8. The yen showed renewed strength, which can hurt exporters, and government data showed industrial production for January was below forecasts.
South Korea’s Kospi index […]

Bonds or

Stocks held onto gains Wednesday afternoon, with the Dow and S&P finishing at their highest levels since the summer of 2008, after the Fed kept rates steady and left its bond-buying plan alone.
The Dow finished up 8 points, or 0.1%, at 11,985.44, the highest close since June 19, 2008. Earlier in the session, the […]

Lawson Inc. Chief Executive Officer Takeshi Niinami aims to open almost 10,000 stores in China by 2020, selling drinks, food and magazines. To pull it off, the Tokyo-based executive is packing his bags for Shanghai.
As Japan’s second-largest convenience-store operator plans to boost outlets in China more than 30-fold, Niinami, 51, will spend a month […]