The company said net earnings in the final three months of 2009 came to 906 million euros (1.27 billion dollars) as lower prices offset increased volumes. Sales were down 4.8 percent from a year earlier to 9.66 billion euros, falling short of analyst forecasts for 9.87 billion

Anglo- Dutch food and cosmetics giant Unilever has reported its fourth quarter 2009 net profit fell 24 per cent to 906 million euros ($A1.43 billion) as lower prices offset increased volumes. The company said on Thursday it expected continued pressure on consumer spending in 2010 while

China is pursuing a “proactive fiscal policy” and “moderately loose monetary policy,” Vice Premier Li Keqiang said today in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Such policies would lead to “huge markets for the world and huge opportunities”

AAP NYMEX Oil prices ran up against forecasts for warmer weather, people who won't drive or spend money and a stronger dollar. Those factors combined for a fifth straight day of losses. Benchmark crude for February delivery slid $US1.39 on Friday to settle at $US78 a barrel on the

Kan said in his inaugural press conference in Tokyo yesterday that he would like the currency to weaken “a bit more” after its 9 percent drop from a 14-year high in November. By contrast, the retired Hirohisa Fujii came to office in September dismissing the value of a weaker ye

Kan said in his inaugural press conference in Tokyo today that he would like the currency to weaken “a bit more” after its 9 percent drop from a 14-year high in November. By contrast, the retired Hirohisa Fujii came to office in September dismissing the value of a weaker ye

“Our honeymoon period is over,” Hatoyama said in a New Year statement released today. “I’d welcome severe criticism.” Hatoyama’s tenure has been dogged by deteriorating ties with the U.S., whose troops help defend Japan, and cabinet bickering over spending priorit

The greenback strengthened against 13 of its 16 major counterparts on prospects U.S. reports tomorrow will show the world’s largest economy is recovering, backing the case for the Federal Reserve to withdraw emergency stimulus measures. The yen fell for the first time in four days versus the.

Dec. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama unveiled a record budget of 92.3 trillion yen ($1 trillion) aimed at shifting spending toward Japan’s households and away from construction projects. Hatoyama’s budget, the first since his Democratic Party of Japan took office i