Temperatures ranging from as little 2C to as high as 38,5C within only three weeks had damaged one of the most promising South African wheat crops in years.
Troubled internet giant America Online (AOL) is set to cut hundreds of jobs in the US as part of a cost cutting drive to offset a sharp fall in advertising revenue.
South African gold stocks marched higher at the open on Monday as the price of the precious metal appeared ready for another rally this week, propping up the bourse in positive territory.
South African stocks moved higher at the start on Monday, with gold offering support, but trading got off to a hesitant start with the bourse's launch of its new indexing system, dealers said.
The global cocoa market is heating up on growing fears of supply disruption after rebels captured a key cocoa centre in top producer Ivory Coast, industry sources said on Monday.
US companies could miss out on a potential multi-billion dollar market for trading greenhouse gas emission credits unless Washington signs a global treaty to reduce those heat-trapping gases.
In yet another blow to the US accounting profession's reputation, the Internal Revenue Service said that industry giant Pricewaterhouse Coopers has agreed to make a financial payment to settle issues over tax shelter advice it gave its clients in recent years.
The European Commission stepped closer to imposing -million a day fines on Microsoft on Monday when it gave the software group eight days to comply with sanctions imposed last year. Neelie Kroes, competition commissioner, said in Madrid: ''The deadline is the end of this month and if it's not met then it's the end of the game.''