U.S. home builder sentiment fell for a third straight month in August to its lowest level in nearly 1-1/2 years, pointing to a weak housing market as the economic recovery loses steam. Further signs that the recovery from the longest and deepest recession since the 1930s was taking a step back were contained in another

People who have Internet access at home are more likely to be in a relationship, with the Web gaining in importance as a meeting place for those seeking love, according to U.S. research. Researchers from Stanford University said the Internet is especially important for bringing together same-sex couples and may soon replace friends as the

A World Trade Organization panel gave broad backing on Monday to the United States, Japan and Taiwan in their complaint over controversial European duties on electronics products, and told the EU and told Brussels to bring its trade measures into line with international rules. The panel said that the EU had imposed the duties on

Germany's economy grew at the fastest rate since reunification in the second quarter as companies stepped up investment and exports surged, providing fresh evidence that the recovery has shifted up a gear. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 2.2 percent on the quarter, beating all projections in a Reuters poll of 34 economists who gave a

A Passenger Mobility survey in short distances (less than 100 km) conducted by Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat) during the period of May – July 2009 showed that 97.2% of the enumerated households own and use motorized transport modes. According to the survey, 20.0% of households own and use non motorized transport modes and 75.8% of

Britain's top shares rose by midday on Thursday, with commodity stock weakness outpaced by gains in defensives, led by drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline after U.S. authorities recommended approval of its Potiga epilepsy drug. By 1113 GMT, the FTSE 100 was up 20.55 points or 0.4% at 5,265.76, having hit its lowest close in three weeks on Wednesday

Insurer Prudential said its failed bid for AIG's Asian unit will cost less than first expected, and confirmed that the bungled takeover attempt has killed its appetite for big M&A deals. The bid for Hong Kong-based AIA will cost 377 mln pounds, down from an initial estimate of 450 mln pounds, thanks to reduced fee

The chief executive of De La Rue , the world's largest non-governmental printer of bank notes, stepped down after the firm last month warned sales would be hit by quality problems at one of its paper factories. De La Rue's shares dropped more than 13% to 698 pence at 0949 GMT, after it said James