Canadian transportation company Vitran Corp reported a less quarterly loss, backed by reduced loss from operations at its less-than-truckload segment.

The company managed to reduce its net loss for the fourth quarter to $2.3 million, or 14 cents a share, compared with a loss of $79.0 million, or $5.85 a share, a year ago and increased revenue by about seven per cent over the year-earlier period, the freight carrier and Logistics Company posted on Monday.

Also, its revenue witnessed a 7 percent rise to $165.0 million.

On Monday, CVS Caremark Corp. managed to report a larger-than-estimated hike in its quarterly earnings, mainly on the back of the company attracting more business at its pharmacy benefits management division.

Despite the fact that total sales fell short of the expectations pegged by analysts, sales at drugstores which had been open for a minimum of a year managed to far outrace the recent results posted by the much larger American drugstore chain Walgreen Co.

Apple's newly unveiled tablet computer, the iPad, has not been released yet, and it is not even sure how many people would actually be investing in it. But because it is an Apple product, it might just be safe to say that it will be able to catch the fancy of many, and this is what applications developers are banking upon, who are now eyeing the iPad as the next big platform for apps after the iPhone.

European stocks dropped to weekly slump, as European finance chiefs failed to ease concern over deficits in Greece, Portugal and Spain.

National Bank of Greece SA and EFG Eurobank Ergasias SA, the countries' biggest banks, sank more than 3 percent. Aker Solutions ASA tumbled 8.3 percent after missing out on an order. Dexia SA surged 3.3 percent after saying it won't need to sell its Turkish unit or its asset-gathering business to win European Union approval for a taxpayer-funded bailout.

A 15% cut in share dividends has been noted for the past year, as the figures reveal that £57bn was paid out by companies, which is £10 billion less than the figure posted for 2008. Shareholders are the worse affected as receiving and reinvesting dividends is by far their biggest source of return in the long term.

Warning the cabin crew, British Airways boss Willie Walsh boldly alarmed the member that the strike would cost them. He also intimated that that cost revenue from the strike will be recovered at any cost by the management.

BA Boss also notified that the "consequences are going to be harsh" including dismissal from British airways. This statement came as a result of the strike by the staff members regarding the cost-cutting measures with reduction of on-board crew members.

The Wigan-based Firm, sofa retailer CSL today reported profits mounted to £4.8m from £713,000 or£0.7 million the previous year. There was a revenue jump up to 51% as recorded in the sales by December 2009. This has helped CSL; trading 16 stores in North of England recover from the tough times in 2008.