Twitter is adding a login verification feature as a way to cut down on tweets from hacked accounts, in the wake of some high-profile security breaches over the past year.

Lowe's net profit rose 2.5% as the home-improvement retailer reported slightly lower expenses, but revenue was almost flat and results missed Street estimates.

Staples said quarterly profit fell 9.2% as the office-supplies retailer's North American and European same-store sales continued to weaken.

Target posted a 29% drop in quarterly earnings and lowered its outlook, citing weak sales in seasonal and weather-related categories.

Sony said its board has started talks about how to address a proposal from activist investor Daniel Loeb to take part of the group's entertainment business public.

KKR is weighing an investment in Saks, possibly with an eye toward merging the high-end department store with rival Neiman Marcus, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Faced with public outrage over tax-evasion scandals at a time of austerity budgets, European leaders are trying to ensure that everybody—from high rollers to big multinationals—pays their fair share.

In a day of conflicting messages from the Fed that roiled financial markets, Chairman Ben Bernanke left some straightforward new clues about the central bank's plans for its $85 billion-a-month bond-buying program. The minutes from the most recent meeting, however, undermined the bid for clarity.

Luxury electric-car maker Tesla Motors said it fully repaid a $452 million federal loan and said it would be able to finance development of its next two vehicles without selling new shares.

General Electric is thinking more seriously about selling off large parts of its financial business, which investors want to shrink.