Consensus emerging on debt-limit increase

Republicans and Democrats in Congress see signs of hope for a break in their fiscal impasse, as members of both parties floated the possibility of a short-term increase in the debt limit.

Fed’s latest meeting minutes show deepening divide

An account of the Federal Reserve’s September meeting suggested that divisions among Fed officials, which are undermining the Fed’s clarity and thus its power, were not on the verge of being resolved.

• New jobs will be top priority in Yellen’s Fed
• Yellen will push for maximum employment

HP’s Whitman expects revenue stability in 2014

Hewlett Packard chief executive Meg Whitman expects revenue to stabilise in 2014 with "pockets of growth" before the business accelerates again in 2015, sending the stock up as much as 9.5 per cent.

Shift to a new climate by mid-century

Billions of people could be living in regions where temperatures are hotter than their historical ranges by mid-century.

South Korea suspends some US beef imports

South Korea has suspended some US beef imports after detecting the cattle feed additive zilpaterol in meat supplied by a unit of JBS USA, raising concerns that the growth enhancer may still be in the supply chain

European lawmakers tighten rules on fracking

European Union lawmakers have voted narrowly to force energy companies to carry out in-depth environmental audits before they deploy a technique known as fracking to recover natural gas from shale rock.

China’s Bo Xilai appeals life sentence

Bo Xilai, a former rising star in China’s Communist Party, has appealed his conviction for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power, stretching out one of the country’s most damaging political scandals.

US ban on some Samsung products to go into effect

Some older Samsung smartphones and tablets could be taken off US store shelves after the US Trade Representative opted not to reverse a ban ordered because the devices infringe Apple patents.

• Samsung launches curved Galaxy Note