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AP Business NewsBrief at 11:37 a.m. EST(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Microsoft replays Zune design for phone comebackBARCELONA, Spain (AP) _ Apple Inc. rocked the wireless business by combining the functions of a phone and an iPod. Now, more than two years later, Microsoft Corp. has its comeback: phone software that works a lot like its own Zune media player. The software, which was unveiled Monday at the Mobile World Congress, is a dramatic change from previous generations of the software that used to be called Windows Mobile. But Microsoft is, for now, sticking to its model of making the software and selling it to phone manufacturers, rather than making its own phones. Saudi Arabia preparing for oil demand to peakJEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) _ A top Saudi energy official expressed serious concern Monday that world oil demand could peak in the next decade and said his country was preparing for that eventuality by diversifying its economic base. Mohammed al-Sabban, lead climate talks negotiator, said the country with the world's largest proven reserves of conventional crude is working to become the top exporter of energy, including alternative forms such as solar power. Use of temps may no longer signal permanent hiringWASHINGTON (AP) _ It's not the signal it used to be. When employers hire temporary staff after a recession, it's long been seen as a sign they'll soon hire permanent workers. Greece: eurozone needs to state bailout planBRUSSELS (AP) _ Greece's finance minister said a detailed rescue plan from other eurozone nations would be the best way to soothe the crisis over market fears that Greece could default on debt payments. Eurozone nations pledged last week to aid Greece "if needed to guard financial stability in the euro area" _ but did not say how they would help the country. Greece's debt problem has shaken the entire euro zone and undermined the shared currency. Russian industrial output up 7.8 pct in JanMOSCOW (AP) _ Industrial output in Russia rose by 7.9 percent in January from a year ago as the country's economy recovers from recession, the Federal Statistics Service said Monday. The January figure marks the highest year-on-year rise in industrial production since the global downturn hit the country. European markets edge up despite Greek debt fearsLONDON (AP) _ European stock markets won some respite Monday ahead of a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels, where the Greek debt crisis will likely top the agenda. However, public holidays in many Asian countries as well as the U.S. have reined in some of the volatility that gripped markets over the last couple of weeks. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 34.48 points, or 0.7 percent, at 5,176.93 while Germany's DAX rose 34.26 points, or 0.6 percent, at 5,534.65. The CAC-40 in France was 26.54 points, or 0.7 percent, higher at 3,625.61. Fighting pandemics like swine flu in digital agePHILADELPHIA (AP) _ A tap on the HealthMap iPhone application brings up a cluster of red pins on a map, representing nearby cases of swine flu. Another tap brings up a form for ordinary Americans to add to the collection by reporting bouts they have or know about. HealthMap Outbreaks Near Me is among scores of iPhone apps, along with social networks, Wikipedia and flu-tracking sites, that give consumers new ways to share information, shape conversations and keep tabs on swine flu and other health threats like it. Oil hovers above $74 amid light holiday tradingOil prices hovered above $74 a barrel Monday, supported by strong economic growth in Japan but held in check by a stronger dollar. Trading volume was light, however, due to holidays in Asia and the United States. By mid-afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for March delivery was up 13 cents at $74.26 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.15 to settle at $74.13 on Friday. Truckmaker MAN makes Q4 net lossFRANKFURT (AP) _ German bus and truck maker MAN SE lost (EURO)472 million ($642 million) in the fourth quarter of 2009 amid a steep drop in demand due to the economic downturn, the company said Monday. MAN, based in Munich, said the loss compared with net income of (EURO)177 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. Germany rejects European fund for GreeceBERLIN (AP) _ Germany rejects the idea of setting up a special fund to bail out eurozone countries, like Greece, that run into fiscal trouble because budgetary problems must be solved at the root, the Finance Ministry said Monday. Spokesman Michael Offer told reporters that a European equivalent to the International Monetary Fund, as has been floated in the German media, "does not appear to be the solution" to a problem such as that plaguing Greece, because it does not get to the "root" of the problem. (c) 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |