Madonna and her 13-year-old budding fashionista daughter Lourdes are to launch a new line in teen clothing called Material Girl in the US this August.  The mother-daughter collection, which will be exclusively available at Macy's stores, wil...

The US economy is showing renewed strength as retail sales surged last month and factory orders also increased. Yet there's little evidence such growth will lead to more hiring soon - unless recent gains in consumer spending force companies to add wo...

The 10 billionth song was downloaded from Apple's iTunes on Wednesday, seven years after the launch of the online store which provided a lifeline to the struggling music industry.  "10 billion songs downloaded from iTunes. And counting," rea...

US retail sales opened the year with a bigger-than-expected bounce, official data showed on Friday in a report suggesting recovery from recession is gaining momentum, writes Veronica Smith of AP.  The Commerce Department reported that season...

US consumer spending edged up 0.2 per cent in December, the critical holiday shopping month, government data has shown, highlighting sluggish growth in the key driver of economic activity.  Personal incomes increased twice as much, at a 0.4 ...

Prices for the iPad, a touchscreen tablet computer unveiled by Apple on Wednesday, will start at $US499 ($A555) and the new device will start shipping worldwide in 60 days, the company said.The "iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a su...

Strong iPhone sales helped Apple post a 50 per cent increase in quarterly net profit of $US3.38 billion ($A3.74 billion).  Apple said revenue in the first quarter rose to $US15.68 billion ($A17.37 billion) from $US11.88 billion ($A13.16 billion)...

Fast-food giant McDonald's says its profit jumped 23 per cent in the fourth quarter last year amid stronger global sales and an increase in customers.  McDonald's reported net profit of $US1.216 billion ($A1.35 billion) for the final quarter of ...

Worldwide music sales have fallen around 30 per cent since 2004 as piracy has risen, according to figures released by a London-based body representing the international recording industry.  The International Federation of the Phonographic Indust...

Apple shares surged on Wall Street on Tuesday and closed at a record high after the company said it would host an event later this month expected to be the unveiling of a long-awaited tablet computer.  Shares in the California-based company behi...

A chain of high-street shops in Britain has launched a divorce gift list service amid a surge of married couples saying "I don't" after the festive season.  In a twist on the popular wedding list, through which newlyweds receive presents to he...

US retail sales fell unexpectedly in December, capping a year showing the worst decline on record, official data showed in a disappointing report on a crucial driver of economic growth.  The Commerce Department said adjusted retail sales were $U...

Danish toymaker Lego is seeking to build a presence in the world of multiplayer online games with the release of a new videogame called Lego Universe. "Think World of Warcraft, Second Life and Club Penguin all wrapped into one," lead producer Ch...

Popular clothing store H&M is facing an uproar over a report that one of its New York outlets is slashing and throwing out unsold clothing. Workers at the store in the heart of Manhattan's shopping district regularly throw away bags of cloth...

German retail sales fell by around two per cent in 2009 from the previous year an official estimation said, as consumption fared better than Europe's biggest economy in general. "Private consumption has been an important cushion of the recession...