Hong Kong's composite interest rate nudged up from 3.05 percent in August to 3.06 percent in September, which followed a fall of six basis points in the composite interest rate in August, Hong Kong Monetary Authority said Thursday.

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week to the lowest level in nearly three months, the Labor Department reported on Thursday.

The U.S. federal government is cracking down on a popular tax-deferral strategy, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

All U.S. rice imports entering the European Union (EU) must be tested for the presence of illegal genetic-modified (GM) crops, the European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday in Brussels.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced Friday a deal to cut the cartel's oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day from Nov. 1, according to reports from Doha, capital of Qatar.

Japanese importers of paper for electrolytic capacitors in China will have to pay an anti-dumping duty from Friday, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

The gold price in Hong Kong went down 45 HK dollars to 5,440 HK dollars per tael on Thursday, according to Bank of China (Hong Kong).

With the cell phone number portability system to be introduced next week in Japan, three major mobile phone operators have staged intense battles to retain and win more market share.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) started its extraordinary meeting in the Qatari capital of Doha on Thursday night, reports from Doha said.

China will resolutely promote the reform and opening-up of its financial sectors, including the banking, insurance and securities, said Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju on Thursday.