Business News - Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes jumped last month to their highest level in more than 2-1/2 years, but a fall in an economic activity gauge was a reminder recovery from recession would be patchy.

OXFORD, England (Reuters) - Twitter, the social internet firm that tracks trends through individuals' updates of events around them, may eventually go to the stock market for funding if necessary, its co-founder Biz Stone said.

LONDON (Reuters) - Speculation about a bid battle for Cadbury among Kraft Foods and other rivals lifted shares in the British confectioner to a new high on Monday but analysts doubt whether a competing bid will emerge.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Campbell Soup Co reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Monday, helped by price increases and easing costs for ingredients including grains that offset a drop in sales.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Gold scaled a record high at $1,173.50 an ounce on Monday as a weaker dollar boosted buying in gold as a hedge against depreciation of paper currencies.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said on Monday its gauge of the national economy fell further into negative territory in October, in a report that suggested the economic recovery could be in trouble.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Inventor Judah Klausner filed suit against Motorola Inc and Research In Motion , alleging infringement of technology patents related to visual voicemail.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - General Motors will present a plan to European governments to save struggling carmaker Opel within days, a rescue set to cost 3.3 billion euros ($4.9 billion), those involved in talks said on Monday.

LONDON (Reuters) - Two years of economic and market turmoil mean that investors cannot ignore the chances of even the most extreme events like global depression or a killer pandemic, a leading investment consultancy said on Monday.

HELSINKI (Reuters) - - Nokia Oyj's (NOK1V.HE) battered shares could get a boost when the firm looks ahead at next week's investor day to an expected upturn in handset margins and a more competitive smartphone offering in 2010.

LONDON (Reuters) - The global economy is in a holding pattern and vulnerable to more upheaval, and a lasting recovery will depend on policymakers taking the proper steps in coming months, the head of the IMF said on Monday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose in October at a faster-than-expected pace to the highest in more than 2-1/2 years as buyers rushed to take advantage of a popular tax credit, a survey showed on Monday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tyson Foods Inc posted higher-than-expected quarterly results on Monday on strength in its beef, pork and prepared foods businesses, which it expects to continue in its new fiscal year.

HELSINKI/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ciena Corp agreed to buy the optical networking and ethernet equipment businesses of bankrupt Nortel Networks for $769 million after trumping a bid from Nokia Siemens Networks.

New York (Reuters) - Sales of existing U.S. homes likely rose for a second consecutive month in October, reaching their highest since July 2007, according to a Reuters poll, as buyers scrambled to take advantage of greater affordability and a first-time home buyer tax credit.

(Reuters) - Several U.S. policy makers consider JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Executive Jamie Dimon as a potential successor to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the New York Post said, citing sources.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group of U.S. business economists boosted their forecast for economic growth over the next year, but said the jobless rate will remain stubbornly high, a survey released on Monday showed.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp has had talks with News Corp about a tie up, which would involve News Corp getting paid to take its news websites off Google Inc, a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - When the U.S. holiday shopping season kicks off on the day after Thanksgiving, retailers can expect to see millions of less frightened, but even more bargain-hungry customers cross their thresholds.