Stocks rose on Monday after data showed the services sector expanded more than forecast in September, following 11 months of contraction. The Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing index for September read 50.9 compared to 48.4 in August, which was its eleventh month below the 50 reading that separates contraction from growth. The Dow Jones industrial

Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) does not expect to make acquisitions to help the company challenge Google Inc's (GOOG.O) dominance in the Internet search market, Chief Executive Steve Ballmer told Reuters on Monday. "No, I wouldn't expect it," he said when asked whether acquisitions would be part of the strategy. Microsoft recently agreed a search partnership with

Britain's top share index was little changed in mid-session trade on Monday, with stronger miners offsetting weak energy issues as investors awaited U.S. data for more clues on the outlook for the global economy. At 1109 GMT, the FTSE 100 was up 3.02 points, or 0.1 percent higher, at 4991.72 after ending on Friday at

Britain's financial watchdog said on Monday that banks will have several years to comply with tougher liquidity rules aimed at ensuring the sector can navigate sudden market storms without government help. "Phasing the period in which firms will build up their liquidity buffers should mitigate the knock-on effects to bank lending," Paul Sharma, the Financial

The dollar weakened on Monday after a G7 meeting at the weekend reaffirmed the market's view policymakers are comfortable with a gradually weakening dollar, a trade encouraged by the resilience in global equity markets. The biggest beneficiary was the Australian dollar, which was also boosted by mounting speculation in the Australian media that the central

Britain's service sector expanded at its fastest pace for two years in September, and firms were more optimistic about the next 12 months than at any time since April 2007, purchasing managers' data showed on Monday. The data suggested Britain's economy returned to modest growth in the third quarter of the year, but spare capacity

European shares rose in early trade on Monday, having hit a four-week closing low on Friday, as the euro zone's services sector returned to growth, and with miners and banks gaining on positive broker comment. At 0831 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares was up 0.4 percent at 967.00 points. The index

World stocks flirted with gains after two sessions of losses on Monday with Japan's Nikkei hitting an 11-week closing low but Europe climbing. The dollar was generally weaker and the Australian dollar gained on talk of interest rate hikes. Friday's worse-than-expected U.S. jobs report continued to weigh and investors were also wary ahead of the

Britain's leading share price index was flat in early deals on Monday, steadying after a hefty sell-off the previous session as weakness in oil majors was offset by gains in heavyweight miners and banks. At 0752 GMT the FTSE 100 was 0.54 points higher at 4,989.24 after ending at a near three-week closing low below