aims

President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered his finance and budget ministers to find new ways to prune the public deficit on Wednesday, as markets fretted over France's strained finances and banks following a U.S. debt downgrade. more...

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, tapped to be the next U.S. envoy to China, vowed on Thursday to win more access to Chinese markets, press for a flexible yuan currency and push for more action against counterfeiting of American products. more...