Australian Banks Reassure on Capital

Two of Australia's largest lenders reassured investors they already have strong levels of capital as a buffer against potential financial crises, as the country's economic outlook dims.

UBS Loses Appeal in French Tax Evasion Probe

UBS failed to win relief from having to pay a $1.37 billion bond as part of a French probe into assistance provided by the Swiss bank to French tax evaders, prompting the lender to take its case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Court Rejects Bid to Dismiss Rio Tinto Lawsuit

A U.S. District Court rejected Brazilian mining company Vale's bid to dismiss a lawsuit alleging it conspired with Israeli billionaire Benjamin Steinmetz to take a West African mine away from rival Rio Tinto.

U.S. Concludes North Korea Behind Sony Hack

U.S. officials have concluded North Korea is behind the hacking attack on Sony Pictures, elevating the issue from a question of corporate security to national security.

NYSE Plan Would Revamp Trading

The owner of the New York Stock Exchange is pushing a major overhaul of the U.S. stock market aimed at helping exchanges reclaim their role at the center of trading.

Australian State to Begin Power-Network Sale

Australia's most populous state said Thursday it will go ahead with the partial privatization of its electricity network, as it attempts to raise $16 billion to spend on new infrastructure such as roads.

China Approves Syngenta Biotech Corn

China's Ministry of Agriculture has approved a controversial biotech corn product that has been blamed for the collapse of U.S. corn exports to the big Asian market, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

Mitsui CEO Says U.S., Saudis Pushing Oil Lower

The head of Mitsui & Co., a big energy investor, said he believed the U.S. and Saudi Arabia were working together to keep oil prices down in an effort to hurt Islamic State and Russia.

AbbVie Pins Hopes on Hepatitis C Treatment

Fresh off a failed takeover bid that would have lowered its taxes and diversified its product lineup, drug maker AbbVie is hoping for a Christmas gift: regulatory approval of its first significant new product in a decade.

Oracle Beats Street View for First Time in a Year

Best known for databases used by many big businesses, Oracle posted quarterly results that were a pleasant surprise for investors who had lost confidence in the company's ability to churn out reliable financial results.

Chevron Suspends Arctic Offshore Drilling in Canada

Chevron told Canadian regulators Wednesday that it has "indefinitely" suspended plans to drill for oil in Arctic waters, citing uncertainty over the outlook for crude prices.