What's the capital of Australia? If you answered Sydney, you're wrong but in good company, with travel website VirtualTourist.com (www.virtualtourist.com) coming up with a list of the 10 most surprising non-capital cities in the world. "We've been conditioned to think that because a certain city is the biggest or most popular in its state or

Arrivals of tourists reached 45.952 in January 2010, compared to 47.066 in January 2009, recording a decrease of 2,4%, according to the Statistical Service. A decrease of 10,2% was recorded in tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom (17.788 in January 2010 compared to 19.809 in January 2009) and 8,1% decrease from Germany (4.083 compared to

The U.S. dollar rose, commodity prices dropped and stocks fell on Friday after the Federal Reserve unexpectedly lifted an emergency lending rate for the first time since the financial crisis. U.S. stock futures fell 1.1 percent after the Fed raised its discount borrowing rate by a quarter percentage point, weighing on Asia. Major European stock

The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for unemployment insurance unexpectedly surged last week, while producer prices increased sharply in January, raising potential hurdles for the economic recovery. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 31,000 to 473,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. That compared to market expectations for 430,000. Another report from

Stocks were little changed on Thursday as data showed an increase in jobless claims and stronger-than-expected inflation growth, adding to concerns after a weak outlook from Wal-Mart (WMT.N). The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) added 7.41 points, or 0.07 percent, to 10,316.65. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX) ticked up 0.52 points, or 0.05

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the long-term foreign currency deposit rating of Bank Muscat SAOG (Oman) to A1 from A2. The rating has a stable outlook. With BM's long-term local currency rating set at A1, the change in the foreign currency deposit ceiling of Oman to A1 from A2 implies that the foreign currency deposit

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the issuer ratings of Oman Power & Water Procurement Company's (OPWPC) to A1 from A2. The outlook is stable. OPWPC is the fully regulated, wholly government-owned sole bulk supplier of electricity and related water in the Sultanate of Oman. Consequently, ratings reflect the company's mandate, underpinned by the stability of

Moody's Investors Service has raised Oman's local and foreign currency government bond ratings to A1 from A2. The country ceiling for foreign currency bank deposits has also been lifted to A1 from A2 and the country ceiling for foreign currency bonds has been raised to Aa2 from Aa3. Oman's local currency country ceilings remain at

The dollar rose across the board on Thursday as robust U.S. economic data raised the prospect of the withdrawal of monetary stimulus, while some positive earnings results boosted European stocks. The euro remained under pressure from persistent concerns over Greece's debt crisis, while a firmer dollar and the IMF's plan to sell more gold weighed