Ask.com ditches ambitions of greatness

In a dramatic about-face, Ask.com is abandoning its effort to outshine Internet search leader Google Inc and will instead focus on a narrower market consisting of married women looking for help managing their lives.

IN BRIEF (Page 17)

Special Supplement

Changchun reaches milestones in 2007

The Changchun Economic and Technological Development Zone witnessed robust economic growth in 2007.

Authorities keen for more hi-tech firms, R&D centers

The Changchun Economic and Technological Development Zone is revving up to build itself into the biggest production base of corn bio-chemicals and special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and a center of modern service in northeast China's Jilin province, according to a blueprint mapped out by the authorities.

Biofuels and SPVs power 30 percent growth

The Changchun Economic and Technological Development Zone has started the year on a great note, with a year-on-year increase of 30.3 percent in gross domestic product in January, of 2.49 billion yuan.

Business International

Dollar at 3-year low against the yen

The dollar declined to a three-year low against the yen on speculation banks will report more losses from the collapse of the US subprime-mortgage market.

Stocks head south in Europe, Asia

Stocks retreated in Europe and Asia, led by financial companies, as analysts forecast more credit- market losses for banks and Warren Buffett said "the party is over" for insurers. US index futures fell.

Emerging markets boost HSBC profit

HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe's biggest bank by market value, said second-half profit rose 17 percent as emerging-markets lending overcame subprime losses on customers in the United States.

Crude oil falls for second day

Crude oil fell a second day before an OPEC meeting this week where the producer group is expected to keep its output targets unchanged.

An effective indicator of US misery

Most Americans don't need statistics to remind them that they feel lousy. But in case they do, there's always the misery index, the sum of the US unemployment rate and inflation. The measure serves as a pretty good indicator of consumer sentiment .