BUSINESS

Local stocks ended slightly weaker on Thursday. At face value it was an unflattering result although when measured against the lows of the session, when the index was down 32 points, it was a solid come back.

Several Dell users complained against Latitude 6430u Ultrabooks for smelling of cat urine.

The Burger King (BK) 'Wicked Winter' ad is not socially responsible for promoting burgers as an effective hangover cure, according to the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) lost ground from the start of today's trading session hit by weakness in the banking sector. Overnight the US Dow Jones Index overnight, closed weaker after the latest statement from the US central Bank (The Federal Reserve) showed little change over the last month.

Apple admits that iPhone 5s had battery issues and promises replacement for affected users

Google Earth had reportedly snapped an apparition of Jesus walking with the Blessed Virgin Mary

Jay Harish Shah, an Indian passenger who travelled on Air France, is now demanding a valid explanation for the alleged discrimination against the South Asian passengers who were left stranded at the Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris.

Is Apple's (AAPL) iPhone finally penetrating through in China in November 2013? Speculators are getting anxious over the idea based from the latest advert that China Mobile, the world's largest mobile carrier, placed on its Web site.

New Zealand ranks fifth in world’s most prosperous nation to live in, based on the 2013 Legatum Prosperity Index. The international report contains the rankings of 142 nations in terms of wealth and well-being.

By Jonathan BarrattWe continue to be bearish oil in 2014, however we are fully aware the market takes time to find its terminal point given a particular set of ideas.

As expected, the status quo was maintained on US monetary policy.

In US economic news, consumer prices rose by 0.2pct in September with the core rate up 0.1pct, below forecasts for a 0.2pct gain. The ADP employment index shows that 130,000 private sector jobs were created in October, below forecasts of a 150,000 gain.

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 61 points or 0.4% while the S&P lost 0.5% to 1763 and the Nasdaq dropped 0.2%.

Australians who love to take pictures using their smartphones would be happy to know that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is landing in the Land Down Under next week. The device would cost $699.

BlackBerry officials are ecstatic that while their smartphones don't sell, their messaging app for Android and iOS phone owners had reached 20 million downloads in one week.

As abstract as love can be, two researchers claim that a method called Facebook mapping on couple's mutual friends can predict if couple - whether in a relationship, engaged or married - will likely end up falling apart and separating.

Despite giving back some of the more significant gains recorded at midday, the Australian market still managed to rise for the fourth time in five trading sessions and for the 10th time in 12. Chinese economic data out over the past few weeks has been largely promising while the political situation in the US is in better shape for now.

Frequent fliers of China Southern Airlines to Sydney now has another reason to commute via the Chinese airliner with the launch of its Airbus A380.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook remained positive for new Apple product line-up for 2014

Facebook, Inc. is very interested in Snapchat, a photo messaging application, and is offering $1 billion to acquire it.

Northeast Syria is now under threat of a polio outbreak. The UN's health agency World Health Organisation on Tuesday said there are now at least 10 confirmed cases in the country, which has a very big potential to spread and encapsulate the entire Middle East region.

After a 0.5 per cent fall yesterday, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is now up by 21pt or 0.4 per cent. Local stocks have only fallen on two occasions over the past 12 trading sessions; rising by 4.5 per cent since mid-October.

The embattled Canadian phone maker BlackBerry may have found a financial saviour in Facebook, the world's largest social media company. Reports said that BlackBerry and Facebook officials met last week to discuss a possible buy-in.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares slide after fourth quarter earnings report

The gods are angry. In this case, it is the Filipino conservationists versus professional wakeskater Brian Grubb who claimed he was able to conquer the Banaue Rice Terraces because he had been given permission no less than by the tribal leaders guarding it.

At least 139 of the artworks seen in various Dutch museums were determined to have been stolen from the Jews during the 1933 to 1945 World War II invasion by the Nazis.

By Peter Switzer, Switzer Super ReportLast week, Investor Mutual's Anton Tagliaferro was quoted saying he was expecting a correction, which, given our 25% plus rise since November 2012 on the stock market, does not look outlandish.

Choice’s Shonky Awards had named and shamed SimCity producer EA Games, Kleenex's Mansize tissues and Qantas Frequent Flyer Toolbar among Australia’s dodgiest products.

In US economic news, retail sales fell 0.1pct in September, but excluding autos, sales rose 0.4pct, in line with forecasts. Producer prices fell by 0.1pct in September, but excluding food and energy, prices rose 0.1pct, in line with forecasts. Consumer confidence fell from 80.2 to 71.2 in October. And the Case Shiller home price index rose 0.9pct in August to stand 12.8pct higher than a year ago.