Fed move makes barely a ripple
NEW YORK, June 20 (UPI) -- U.S. stock markets closed mixed Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would extend a securities swap program to put pressure in interest rates.
The central bank's Open Market Committee's said the bank would continue with its "operation twist," in which it would use proceeds from maturing short-term securities to buy long-term securities.
The program is designed to convince businesses that interest rates would remain low for an extended period.
Markets opened with a modest downturn. The Fed's announcement was then met with a dull thud.
By close of trading on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average shed 12.94 points, or 0.1 percent, to 12,824.39.
The Nasdaq composite index rose from virtually flat to a gain of 0.69 points -- 0.02 percent -- to 2,930.45.
The Standard and Poor's 500 lost 2.29, or 0.17 percent, to 1,355.69.
On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,529 stocks advanced and 1,504 declined on a volume of 3.6 billion shares traded.
The benchmark 10-year treasury note fell 12/32 to yield 1.663 percent.
The euro rose to $1.2706 from Tuesday's $1.2686. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 79.50 yen from Monday's 78.95 yen.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index added 1.11 percent, 96.44 points, to 8,752.31.
In London, the FTSE 100 index added 0.64 percent, 35.98, to 5,622.29.
Amazon Appstore opens for Europe
SEATTLE, June 20 (UPI) -- Amazon Appstore is expanding into Europe and is inviting developers to submit their programs for distribution, the company said Wednesday.
Developers can submit apps for distribution this summer in Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain with expansion to other locales expected in the near future, an Amazon release said Wednesday.
Amazon said it would assist developers by providing details on localizing apps with localized resource files for different regions, and that developers could choose the countries in which they want to sell their apps and at what price.
"We are thrilled at the success our developers have experienced on the Amazon platform in the last year," Jim Adkins, vice president of the Amazon Appstore, said. "We're excited to open the door to even more opportunity by expanding app sales outside the United States."
"We see tremendous potential for current developers in our distribution program to grow with the international expansion," he said. "We also encourage new developers to join and participate in the platform's growth."
Developers will earn 70 percent of the list price on each paid app sale, Amazon said.
The Amazon Appstore launched in the United States in March 2011.
Microsoft to open first store in Canada
TORONTO, June 20 (UPI) -- Microsoft has made a building application to open its first Canadian retail store in Toronto, the Toronto Star reported Wednesday.
The newspaper cited municipal building permit documents for the technology giant's plans to open at the 225-store Yorkdale shopping center in northwest Toronto later this year.
The shopping mecca is adding 40 new stores in a $220 million expansion, the Star said.
One of the existing Yorkdale stores belongs to Microsoft chief competitor, Apple, which already has 22 stores in Canada, seven of them in the Toronto area. Apple is also opening a new retail outlet Saturday in London, Ontario, the company said.
In the United States, Microsoft has 25 retail outlets.
Canadian customers loyal to Microsoft were taken aback this week when the company said its upcoming Surface tablets would only be available at retail outlets.
There was no indication where Canadians outside of Toronto could shop.
Canada's population of 34 million makes it about one-tenth the size of the U.S. market.
Aston Martin unveils the Vanquish
LONDON, June 20 (UPI) -- The newest Aston Martin sports car from Britain may set customers back financially, but it will propel them forward very fast, the company said.
The new car unveiled this week is called the Vanquish. It costs a cool $298,440 but has some muscle to back it up. The V12 engine rockets forward at a maximum speed of 183 mph. And the car climbs from zero to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds, The Sun reported Wednesday.
The company calls it "the ultimate expression of Aston Martin design ethos."
It remains to be seen whether the company's most famous customer, British super spy James Bond, will shell out for the Vanquished.
Daniel Craig, who has played the famously suave spy twice, drove the DBS model, which the Vanquish replaces. But Craig has already switched to the DB5, The Sun reported.
Aston Marin Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Baez called the new model "luxurious, continent-crossing capability and pure driving excitement without compromise."
"It is the ultimate Super Grand Tourer -- confident and assured -- and is the newest representation of power, beauty and soul," he said.
