Microsoft has registered a six percent increase in 3 month profits. The firm whispered net earnings for the 3 months to the end of Sept. 30 came in at $5.74 billion compared with $5.41 billion in the same time frame past year. The results had been assisted by strong sales of its Office software and a little rise in sales of Windows operating systems. Microsoft registered record quarterly earnings of $17.4 billion.

Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC has been contracted a huge blow in its lawful fight with Apple involving patent encroachment alleges. The United States ITC (International Trade Commission) has lined that Apple didn’t infringe patents as alleged by HTC in a complaint lodged previous year.

Oil utilization rose at its greatest pace since 2004 past year, based on the recent data. The information came as associates of the OPEC oil cartel botched to agree on increasing oil generation as a way of lowering costs. Forecasters had anticipated the Vienna meeting to lift output. As a result, oil costs jumped again on fears of inadequate supply.

South African competition authorities have given the go-ahead to US retail giant Wal-Mart's $2.4bn bid for local retailer Massmart. It has forced conditions on the bid, such as a ban on sacking employees in the first 2 years. It also asserted that Wal-Mart should have a program for developing domestic suppliers. Wal-Mart's bid for 51 percent of Massmart is seen as a test case for key foreign investment in South Africa.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has stated airlines will generate a record high $15.1bn (£9.5bn) profit this year 70 percent more than its last estimate made just 3 months ago. In Sept. it said the overall airline profit for year 2010 will be $8.9bn. The body says the modification in estimate is right down to higher-than-anticipated traveller numbers.

But it says that regardless this income is "wretched" and that the business remains on a "knife edge". IATA’s director general, Giovanni Bisignani, said though the shift in the estimate appeared theatrical it was crucial to narrate it towards the size of the industry, which is likely to turn over $565bn in revenues. The alterations in the profit forecast represent just more than 1% of that revenue figure.

Mobile phone maker Nokia has whispered that it made a loss in the 3rd quarter as it continued to come under pressure from other cell phone makers. It swung to a net loss of 151 million euros in the 3 months to September, from a 322 million-euro profit in the similar period.

eBay the online auction website has registered a 14%  rise in 3rd quarter profits. Net earnings for the 3 months to the end of September 30th came in at $491million, up from $432 million in the similar time frame previous year.

Russia has signed a free-trade agreement with 7 other earlier Soviet republics, which will scrap import and export tariffs on various goods. The deal was declared following talks in St Petersburg. The other signature nations are Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Moldova.