NEW YORK – Stock index futures fell on Wednesday after a sharp market rally in the previous session, as investors focused again on Europe’s debt problems.

Shares of European banks dropped on concerns a tight credit market will make it expensive for them to raise capital and for euro-zone countries to refinance debt. .EU

Italy’s biggest bank UniCredit sank nearly 10 percent after it priced a 7.5 billion euro capital hike at a 43 percent discount.

And in a sign of how wary European banks are of lending to each other, commercial lenders’ overnight deposits at the European Central Bank hit a new record high of 453 billion euros, data showed.

A huge sovereign refinancing cycle is kicking off in the euro zone in the first quarter, with traders worried that debt-laden countries such as Italy and Spain may have to pay high prices to meet their needs.

“The market is pressured by European banks today, but this could change once again once we get a good set of economic data,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York.

“The momentum is still to the upside, and economic data will be the main theme as we get through the first month of the year.”

Data on November factory and durable goods orders are due at 10 a.m.

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Robert Tuccillo Jr., a Barclays Capital trader, is surrounded by stock market data monitors on the first day of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 180 points on good economic news.

WASHINGTON — U.S. manufacturers ended 2011 with their best month of growth since the late spring. And the struggling construction industry spent more on projects for the third time in four months.

The data, reported Tuesday, bolstered hopes that the economy is gaining momentum and helped Wall Street start 2012 with a bang.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose nearly 180 points, or 1.4 percent, to 12,397, its highest close in more than five months. Broader indexes rose as well.

Factories hired more workers in December, saw the most growth in new orders since April and ramped up production. U.S.

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If a conference room is dull and terribly designed it may become a problem for every employee. Even a client listening to a presentation in a meeting room that is messy and without setting might not get a very good impression. But a modern and fashionable conference room can be a base for the creativity and unique ideas of staff, which in turn can benefit the business over the long term. Even your customers will appreciate the comfortable office fit out conducive to creativity.

How to solve a problem with noise

The refurbishment of office design involves proper arrangement of office supplies, electronics, furniture and dividers to minimize the noise when necessary. In a call center, for instance, specialists will make a fit out that can provide enough privacy for each employee and ensure that the noise in an area does not irritate other personnel. Full story…

Holiday shopping traffic may be light so far this year, but purchases are up, says one retail developer. And the shift is now turning from self purchases to holiday gift shopping.

“People are getting more serious about their shopping,” said Karen MacDonald, spokeswoman for the Taubman Group, which owns 25 shopping centers around the country including Metro Detroit malls Fairlane Town Center, Twelve Oaks Mall, Great Lakes Crossing Outlets and The Mall at Partridge Creek.

Jennifer Skalecki and her friend Nicole Hadrian, both of Roseville, did some shopping Saturday afternoon at Eastland Mall in Harper Woods. Hadrian shopped for herself at Macy’s while Skalecki bought Christmas presents for her boyfriend.

Skalecki said she’s already finished shopping for her children. Her purchases included lots of toys and bicycles for the kids, as well as shoes, cologne and clothes for her boyfriend.

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By LOUISE WATTAssociated Press By LOUISE WATT Published Sunday, December 11, 2011 Updated Sunday, December 11, 2011   |    |    |     |   tool goes here

BEIJING — Chinese President Hu Jintao said Sunday that China doesn’t intentionally pursue a large trade surplus and that it will focus on expanding imports in the coming years.

In a speech broadcast live on state television, Hu said China’s ultimate aim is to have balanced trade and that total imports will exceed $8 trillion over the next five years, bringing “enormous opportunities” to businesses around the world eager to sell to hundreds of millions of Chinese consumers.

Hu was speaking at a forum to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization.

Other economies are looking to China to help drive global demand, but its high trade surplus has meant that fewer of the gains are shared with other countries. Last year, China

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