The largest U.S. websites are installing new and intrusive consumer-tracking technologies on the computers of people visiting their sites—in some cases, more than 100 tracking tools at a time—a Wall Street Journal investigation has found.

U.S. President Obama called on Senate Republicans to move forward on small-business bill, while Republicans said the bill would kill jobs.

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic signaled that the pace of recovery is picking up after one of the toughest economic downturns in decades.

Merck reported a 52% drop in profit, as the drug maker booked merger and restructuring costs.

Tycoon Li Ka-shing's $9.1 billion acquisition of three U.K. power grids from Electricite de France will give him control of about a quarter of the country's power distribution.

U.S. regulators closed five more banks in four states, as a still-weak economy continues to batter the banking industry. Banks in Georgia, Florida, Washington and Oregon failed, bringing the 2010 total to 108.

A squabble has erupted between the makers of two lines of children's toys after the president of Build-A-Bear told investors his company would cut the price on robotic hamsters called ZhuZhu Pets because they weren't selling.

The U.S. private-equity firm announced the first closing of a yuan-denominated fund after raising the equivalent of $350 million.

A merger of Russian aluminum giant United Co. Rusal and Norilsk Nickel isn't on the cards, Oleg Deripaska, Rusal's major shareholder and CEO said.

Nomura Holdings' net profit dropped 80% as commission revenue from investment banking decreased sharply and profits from trading operations shrank.

Bank of America cut some rates on certificates of deposits this week, the latest in a round of cuts that will leave consumers and businesses with fewer options to stash their cash.

The EU is preparing to investigate whether U.S. biodiesel producers are routing their product to Europe through third countries in order to avoid tariffs imposed on U.S. shipments last year.

MetLife's chief executive, C. Robert Henrikson, is known for breaking out in song to make a point. Can he hit the right note with his plans to diversify the insurer's products and its global reach?

Genworth Financial, Unum Group and New York Life Insurance were among life insurers subpoenaed by New York's attorney general in his probe of payouts to policy beneficiaries.

Nokia Siemens Networks is talking to several buyout firms about a potential cash infusion of at least $1 billion in exchange for a minority stake.

Google CEO Schmidt said the company doesn't know if what now seems to have been a minor disruption of its availability in China was evidence of Beijing's power.

EDF said first-half net profit halved, but the company raised its earnings forecast for the full year on increased aircraft deliveries and an improved exchange rate.

An attempt by BP to deactivate the well that has spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico will be delayed until early next week after debris fell into a relief well.

Geron can proceed with early testing of an embryonic-stem-cell treatment for spinal-cord injuries after the FDA lifted a nearly yearlong hold on the trial.

Disney named Paul Lee, the head of its ABC Family cable-television channel, to run entertainment programming for the ABC network.