Jamelle Agbuis

South Korea has reasons to boast as it saw its Q1 GDP climb at the fastest rate in two years. The expansion was above analysts' expectations as growth was driven by an improvement in construction and investment, not to mention strong exports. In spite of optimistic data , it seems that the country will struggle as consumers and exporters are less confident.

The Apple Inc.'s conference on quarterly earnings turned out to be a curtain raiser on the devices to be released later this season. Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that a follow-up to iPhone 5 will be launched by the end of the year. He also reiterated that Apple's position as a market leader in the smartphone and tablet form factor was the 'distinct and unique' advantages it had due to hardware/software and services skills.

Samsung Electronics Co. can surprise. And it has surprised again with its record quarterly profits exceeding analysts' expectations as the smartphone bonanza continues.

Is your desire to buy gold now based on reasonable analysis of market conditions? Or is it simply an emotional reaction to the selloff?

We've entered a new age based in technology and huge volumes of data. All this data will help to shape our future world.

If you're in a card game and you look around the table... if you can't figure out who the fool is, he might be you. Then, you get nervous. You start rubbing your hands or scratching your forehead. The other players will see that you've lost your nerve.

While the Australian market ignored the slow implosion of its big neighbour to the north yesterday, it held a party for Woodside, who boosted its dividend payout ratio from 55% of earnings to 80%, and promised to hold it there for the next few years. The stock price jumped nearly 10%.

Global equity markets surged overnight on the back of deteriorating manufacturing data out of the US, China and Europe. Yep, you heard that right.

Netflix Inc., media and on demand web content streaming company, is riding on a high after it announced its results for the three-months period ended on the 31st of March. These results exceeded market expectations by a good margin since the company reported revenues of $ 1 billion for the period.

China's manufacturing activity for April certainly embittered analysts and markets as the preliminary reading showed that the factory activity expanded at a slower pace than initially expected, adding to signs that the world's second economy was slowing down. There are still many various obstacles ahead of China which is trying to get back on the growth track.

Pew Research Center has released its latest report showing the disparity in growth in US households. Surprisingly, the survey indicated that US households whose net worth was $500,000 and more recovered from gloomy recession. The rest of US households have posted a loss of 4.9 percent in "home" wealth (in 2009-11).

That little smugness must have appeared as Credit Suisse Group AG, which happens to be the Switzerland's second biggest bank, informed that its quarterly earnings topped analysts' projections. The bank is slowly levering itself on feet after facing many challenges, including restructuring, debt, etc.

While bird flu is spreading wider and wider in China, it has also affected US-based Yum Brands Inc.'s results as its same store sales in the world's second economy slumped approximately 20 percent in the first quarter ended March 23. However, still the fast-food giant appears to have got off problems lightly as it underlined that the first quarter profit dropped less than initially expected.

While speaking on fiscal policies in Brussels, the European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, admitted that the 'fiscal austerity' policy practiced in EU in the past 3 years outlived its cause and no longer enjoyed the backing of the people.

Lack of empathy may lead to ineffective care, disregarded weight-loss counseling, and patient dissatisfaction

New Zealand outdoor workers are generally poorly protected from solar UV radiation, with only around one-third wearing sunscreen or a suitably protective hat, according to a University of Otago study published in the latest issue of the international Journal of Occupational Health.

Toyota Motor Corp. does not stop in its attempts to expand. It is widely rumored that the Japan's automaker is to reveal its plans to start production of Lexus cars in the United States. Interestingly, it seems that Toyota Motor Corp. is striving for the title of the No.1 in the US luxury ranking which the company lost back in 2011.

People who live in urban areas with more green space tend to report greater well-being than city dwellers who don't have parks, gardens, or other green space nearby, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

The continued financial crisis in large and small economies across the world, has led to academics revisiting the concept of debt in the context of borrowing. Currently, the US debt is 74 percent of its GDP and analysts predict that the numbers will remain the same in the next ten years, causing a lot of concern for both sides: policy makers and taxpayers.

While the game is getting harder, Blackstone Group is rumored to have pulled out of a race for a Dell acquisition. Certainly, the good news on the matter has cheered up the remaining participants of the aggressive and ruthless bidding for iconic Dell Inc.

In what many see as the backlash of poor performing in the first quarter and quick strategy to greater growth, International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) looks to sell-off its low-end server business. Interestingly, the most likely buyer could be Lenovo Group Ltd, the same Chinese company to which IBM had sold, in a game-changing move, PC business back in 2004.

While the battle over the tax records is still being fought, Google Inc.'s executive chairman Eric Schmidt had a say in defending the company's reputation. He simply came to the rescue as Google Inc. has been recently struggling with increasing attacks on the sum of tax it paid in the UK.

London Olympic gold medalist Anna Meares and bronze medalist Shane Perkins headline the 2013-2014 National Sprint Program announced by Cycling Australia in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport.

Masters champion Adam Scott is certain that Tiger Woods will break Jack Nicklaus' long-standing record of 18 major victories.

While Guan Tianlang flabbergasted viewers when he made the cut at last week's Masters tournament, his record as the youngest ever player on the European Tour will be short-lived.

Newest figures on UK retail sales are certainly unsatisfactory. The unprecedented chilly weather in March had a negative impact on retail sales as it significantly discouraged British customers to go shopping. Thus the ONS survey also added to disturbing signs about the UK economy.

It was out of the blue when Hargreaves Services informed that would be backed by institutional investors, to the tune of £42 million, to once begin mining in England.

Murray's working theory is that the Yen could get a lot weaker much more quickly than markets expect. What happens next is the big question.

Even giants such as Diageo Plc are vulnerable to hard economic conditions in crisis-hit Europe. The newest findings of the London-based drinks company showed, however, that weak demand in the EU was partially offset by a strong results recorded in the US market.