Target's 1Q profit drops 26 pct on weak sales NEW YORK (AP) -- Target Corp. reported a 26 percent drop in first-quarter profit as cool temperatures and financial pressures limited customers' appetite for spending....Oil stays near $96 before crude stocks report, Fed The price of oil was little changed above $96 a barrel Wednesday as investors waited confirmation of a rise in U.S. crude stocks and the Federal Reserve's latest views on the U.S. economy....Lowe's 1Q profit rises, but results miss Street NEW YORK (AP) -- Lowe's Cos. said Wednesday that its first-quarter net income rose nearly 3 percent, but results fell short of expectations as rainy weather hurt spring gardening sales....Futures rise; all eyes on the Fed NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stock futures are rising with the nation's central bank seemingly committed to ushering along a financial rebound and the housing market nearing an important milestone....IMF calls on Britain to do more for growth LONDON (AP) -- The International Monetary Fund has called on the British government to do more to support the country's recovery now that it has started to ease the pace of its budget austerity measures....Japan's central bank says economy picking up TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's central bank says the world's third-biggest economy is "picking up" as demand recovers in other countries and remains resilient at home, though the trade deficit widened in April, for the tenth straight month....Best Buy reports 1Q loss on restructuring costs MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Best Buy Co. on Tuesday reported a loss for its fiscal first quarter as it sold its stake in Best Buy Europe and works on a turnaround plan that includes cutting costs and closing some stores....Stocks gain on reassurance from a top Fed official NEW YORK (AP) -- Reassuring comments from a Federal Reserve official and better earnings from two big retailers helped push the stock market higher Tuesday....Housing recovery boosts Home Depot 1Q results NEW YORK (AP) -- Home Depot Inc.'s first-quarter net income rose 18 percent, thanks to the ongoing housing recovery, despite a chilly and wet spring....Merck to repurchase $5B in common stock WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (AP) -- Merck & Co Inc. said it will repurchase $5 billion worth of its common stock under an accelerated share repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs & Co....
