Carrefour Battles Tough European Market 

French retailer Carrefour said that it continued to gain ground in its efforts to kick-start growth despite difficult business conditions in Europe as it reported an increase in full-year operating profit.

 
Adidas Fourth-Quarter Loss Widens 

Adidas reported a significantly wider fourth-quarter loss, hurt by goodwill impairment losses, negative currency effects and losses from its discontinued Rockport unit.

 
AbbVie to Buy Pharmacyclics in $21 Billion Deal 

AbbVie said late Wednesday it will buy cancer biotech Pharmacyclics in a $21 billion deal that returns the North Chicago, Ill., drug company to deal-making after backing away from a big tax-lowering takeover last year.

 
Apple to Mass Produce Larger iPad in 2nd Half 

Apple suppliers have been told to start production of a larger-screen iPad in the second half of this year as the U.S. tech giant wrestles with new designs and features for the enterprise market, people familiar with the matter say.

 
Simon Property Group Seeks to Takeover Macerich 

Simon Property Group has made takeover approaches for rival Macerich, seeking to combine two of the largest shopping-mall owners in the U.S. The latest approach came within the past few weeks, and followed an earlier one late last year, according to people familiar with the matter.

 
Standard Bank's New Focus Lifts Profit 

Standard Bank, the biggest African lender by assets, reported a 12% rise in its 2014 net profit as it continue to dispose of non-African business and is focusing more sharply on the continent.

 
RBA's Lowe Says Global Easings Affecting Local Rates 

Aggressive monetary easings and currency devaluations by the world's central banks are having a big impact on the setting of interest rates in Australia, while keeping the local currency artificially high, the country's central bank said.

 
Rio Tinto Clears Hurdle on Controversial Coal Pit 

Rio Tinto cleared a hurdle toward its hoped-for expansion of one of Australia's largest coal pits Thursday, with state planning officials in New South Wales recommending that a controversial extension of the mine be approved.