PERTH/BEIJING (Reuters) - Australia and China struck their biggest trade deal ever on Tuesday as the world’s two most valuable listed oil companies, Exxon Mobil and PetroChina, agreed a $41 billion liquefied natural gas deal.

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Home Depot reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday as cost cuts partly offset weak sales, and the world’s biggest home-improvement chain raised its earnings forecast for the year.

Aug 18 - Asian shares edge up after volatile trade earlier in the day.

Aug 18 - Japan Inc. spent nearly 70 billion USD buying companies abroad in 2008, but after a slow six months, M&A may return into fashion.

Aug 18 - The China sex toy industry sees potential in the domestic market as the attitude of people towards sex eases.

Aug. 17 - A massive rally in U.S. stocks since March has reawakened bullish spirits, but insiders are jumping out of the market in a sign the run up is getting stretched.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks suffered their worst loss in seven weeks on Monday as weak data from Japan and a disappointing outlook from retailer Lowe’s Cos dampened hopes about the economy’s growth.

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Lowe’s Cos, the No. 2 U.S. home improvement chain, curbed its expansion plans and forecast worse-than-expected results in the third quarter as recession-weary consumers put off big renovations, sending its shares down more than 11 percent.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. authorities announced what they believed to be the largest hacking and identity theft case ever prosecuted on Monday in a scheme in which more than 130 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Charles Schwab Corp was sued by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who accused the discount brokerage of fraudulently misleading investors about the safety of auction-rate securities.