Facebook wraps up IPO, set for big Friday pop

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Facebook Inc is set to raise up to $18.4 billion in its IPO and become the first U.S. company to be worth more than $100 billion at its debut, as investors bet on a big pop in the stock when it begins trading on the Nasdaq on Friday. Frenzied demand, especially from individual investors hoping to buy into an Internet juggernaut that touches hundreds of millions of people every day, is expected to drive Facebook well above its initial public offering price of $3

Iran threatens to sue Google over dropping Persian Gulf

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Ministry threatened on Thursday to take legal action against Google for dropping the name Persian Gulf from its Google Maps and leaving the waterway between Iran and Arab states nameless, state television reported.

Comcast trying out Internet usage pricing, dropping caps

(Reuters) - Comcast Corp said on Thursday it will introduce a trial for usage-based billing for its Internet subscribers in a move seen to pre-empt more complaints the cable company favors its own Web video service over rivals.

Insight: Who got Facebook shares? Fairness may not come into it

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A lot of loyal Facebook fans and occasional investors are discovering a hard truth this week: Money and connections talk, especially when it comes to a deal handled by Wall Street.

Pinterest financing values company at $1.5 billion

(Reuters) - Silicon Valley startup Pinterest raised $100 million from a group led by Japanese online retailer Rakuten Inc, valuing the company at about $1.5 billion and underscoring the huge investor appetite for social-networking companies.

No respite for HP, Dell in Windows 8: BMO

(Reuters) - Microsoft's long-awaited launch of the Windows 8 OS may not change the fortunes of PC makers, BMO analysts said, lowering their price targets on the stocks of Hewlett-Packard Co and Dell Inc.

Google revamps U.S. search

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google is revamping the way it handles searches in the United States to give users quick access to answers without leaving the page, the company said.

Lampooning video of New Jersey's Christie, Booker goes viral

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A video made by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to spoof himself and Newark Mayor Cory Booker - in which Booker repeatedly bests Christie with effortless acts of heroism - went viral on Wednesday.

Samsung loses $10 billion market value on Apple order report

SEOUL (Reuters) - Shares in Samsung Electronics Co slumped more than 6 percent on Wednesday, wiping $10 billion off the electronics giant's market value, on a report that Apple placed huge chip orders with troubled Japanese chip rival Elpida.

Google to meet French regulator on privacy policy

PARIS (Reuters) - Google will meet with France's data protection watchdog next week to answer questions about its new user privacy policy as part of a Europe-wide investigation being led by the French regulator.