Britain's top share index shed 0.9 percent by midday Monday as commodities and banks were weighed by fears that recent monetary tightening moves seen in China and India could stifle the fragile economic recovery. By 1130 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 47.98 points at 5,602.14, having closed at its highest level since June 25

European shares slipped for a third day on Monday, with drugmakers down after the House of Representatives approved an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system, while renewed worries over Greece hurt banks. By 0918 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares was down 0.6 percent at 1,058.64 points, after losing 0.4 percent on

Stock index futures fell on Monday as the passage of sweeping healthcare reform and uncertainty over Greece's debt crisis revived investor risk aversion. European leaders sent out conflicting signals over aid to Greece over the weekend, weighing on futures. Last week's surprise interest rate hike from India also heightened worries about global fiscal tightening. The

 Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) and PetroChina (0857.HK) convinced Arrow Energy (AOE.AX) to accept an increased $3.1 billion bid, giving resource-hungry China its first bite of Australia's burgeoning coal-seam gas industry. The offer, which needs approval from Australian regulators and Arrow shareholders, highlights the growing importance of coal seam gas (CSG) as a key source of

With speculation swirling that Google Inc will soon announce the closure of its China-based Internet portal, the reaction from some Chinese has been hurry up and leave, or simply: so what? On Friday, the China Business News reported Google may make an announcement as early as Monday on whether it will pull out of China.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer has lost market share in major European markets, such as France, Britain and Italy, after the U.S. software firm started to make it easier for European consumers to use competing browsers. Microsoft's pledge to allow easier access to rival browsers in Windows by the middle of May, ended a long antitrust dispute

The president of the European Commission challenged German Chancellor Angela Merkel to rise above domestic politics and agree on a financial safety net for debt-stricken Greece to help preserve European monetary union. Jose Manuel Barroso told a German newspaper that European Union leaders must decide at a summit on Thursday and Friday on a support

The outlook for European building materials companies remains negative, according to Moody's Investors Service. Despite the fact that a bottom may have been reached in terms of volumes in most markets, Moody's believes that the industry remains under pressure and signs of recovery remain elusive. "Demand for building materials in 2010 is likely to remain

Merkel says Greece should not be focus of EU summit  European leaders sent out conflicting signals at the weekend over aid to Greece, with Germany's Angela Merkel urging Athens to solve its debt problems alone and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi strongly backing EU support. The 16-nation euro zone is divided over whether and how best to