COMPANIES

US banking group claims first quarter results are solid and better than analyst forecasts.

APR Energy is scheduled to release its preliminary earnings for the fourteen month period ended December 31, 2011 on Monday as it delayed reporting a month due to complexities which resulted a share price fall of more than 25 percent. However, the group reported a summary of preliminary results on March 20, 2012.

AMEC Plc is expected to recommend a final dividend of 20.3 pence per share as it anticipates double-digit underlying revenue growth for the FY 2012, but JP Morgan Cazenove cuts its recommendation on the firm to "Neutral" from "Overweight" in a review of the European oil services sector and raises price target to 1,344p from 1,252p.

John Lewis stores saw a 27.5 percent boost in Easter sales compared with the previous year.

Goldman and Credit Suisse bottom in league of world's top 10 investment banks.

Punch Taverns reported a fall of 20 percent in its profit before tax for the six months ending in March at £33 million compared to £41 million a year ago. But expects expects to reap benefits during the second half of the current year from the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the UEFA European football championship and the Olympic Games.

International hypermarket chain sales hit €22.5bn (£18.5bn) as Latin America helps balance European decline.

Mass Effect 3 has nose-dived from one controversy to another within the span of a month, ever since it's over-hyped release in March. The cryptic ending to the game finale brought much distaste to the fan community, while both BioWare and EA have drawn flak for making false promises with a complete closure for the game.

Roche, the world's biggest manufacturer of cancer medicines, has upped its offer to Illumina shareholders.

Rolls-Royce has secured an another contract from the U.S. Navy to supply power and propulsion systems for further two latest vessels in the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme.

Hays Plc has posted a rise of 10 percent in its net fee for the third quarter and growth of 18 percent in international business, which accounts for 70 percent of total net fees.

Retailer to close 36 Mothercare and 75 Early Learning Centre sites in UK but international sales grow.

The US Department of Justice has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and five publishing houses Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster - in New York district court, alleging they conspired to fix the pricing of e book.

Major measures such as selling its Indian subsidiary is on the cards for travel giant Thomas Cook for its immediate survival.

Aggreko has reported a very strong first quarter growth in both International Power Projects and the Local businesses delivering an underlying revenue over 20 percent.

Driven mainly by an increase of 18 percent in international retail sales, Mothercare has reported a rise of 4.5 percent in its worldwide network sales for the fourth quarter. Shares of the group rose as much as 3.10 percent at 0835 AM BST on LSE. But total group sales decreased by 4.2 percent with total UK sales down by 9.5 percent.

10,000 jobs around the world are to be cut at Sony. It's the result of an extraordinary last twelve months for the Japanese electronics giant which has been trying hard to shield itself from a huge battering to its bottom line.

Ashmore Group says that it continues to innovate with an ever deepening range of up-coming market products and its infrastructure and distribution platforms are progressing to plan. The investment management services firm is scheduled to release its interim management statement on Thursday.

Mothercare, as a part of its British property restructuring activity, is planning to close 111 loss making stores in town by 2013. Out of total 111 stores 76 closures will take place as leases expire and disposal of 35 loss-making stores, which will result in cash cost of £16.6 million.

Mass Effect 3 Resurgence Pack hit the stands on 10 April across all three gaming platforms - Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in US and worldwide except for UK coming on 11 April.

Michael Page International has delivered a strong performance in the first quarter but shares plunged as much as 6.05 percent at 0811 AM BST as its UK business continues to be impacted by the weak banking sector.

More than 60,000 people sign petition praising EA for enlightened stand on LGBT youth.

Alcoa, world's third largest aluminium producer, is first major US company to report its first quarter results, providing benchmark indicator of other companies' performances.

Michael Page International stresses on plans to continue its geographic expansion in emerging markets due to many long-term growth opportunities, especially in Latin America and Asia. In spite of expansion plans it remains cautious about the current macro economic outlook.

Check out the 360 going head-to-head against the rumoured 720

Japanese car maker Nissan has announced said it will spend 200 million US dollars to build a new hatchback at its UK Sunderland plant which will create 1,000 new UK jobs.

Vedanta Resources has reported a slump in its full-year iron ore output for the year ending March 2012 at 13.8 million tonnes compared to 18.8 million tonnes a year ago, as a ban on mining in the southern Indian state of Karnataka and logistical bottlenecks in Goa continued to bite.

Britain's well-known tour operator is on the verge of signing the deal after a 12-month struggle.

Facebook, the world's largest social media network has just announced it will pay a whopping one billion dollars to buy the photo-sharing app Instagram.