Stanford University, the third- richest U.S. college, plans to name Ken Frier chief investment officer, filling a position that’s been open more than two years, according to two people with knowledge of the hire.

Canada’s dollar strengthened against its U.S. counterpart in July, the first monthly gain since April, as increases in equities and commodities bolstered the appeal of currencies tied to growth.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered by 5.5 percent its forecast for New York oil prices this year on speculation a slowdown in global economies will limit crude’s potential to rise.

Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott’s coalition has an election-winning lead over Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Labor Party with three weeks of campaigning left before the ballot, according to an opinion poll published today.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s administration is sending different messages to municipal- bond investors and voters about its plans to close the state’s $13 billion deficit.

Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Iran is “hiding” the truth about its nuclear program and added that the effectiveness of new sanctions will be reviewed by Group of Eight officials when they next meet in September.

Treasury notes gained for a fourth consecutive month, pushing two-year yields to the lowest ever, as data that showed U.S. economic growth is cooling fueled demand for the safest securities.

Miramax intends to seek more film assets once investors led by Colony Capital LLC and construction executive Ronald Tutor complete their purchase of the Walt Disney Co. unit, a person with knowledge of the plans said.

The euro rallied against the dollar for the first time in eight months as concern eased that the 16- nation region’s sovereign-debt crisis will worsen and spread to the global economy.

The world’s largest economy will probably keep cooling in the third quarter as a lack of jobs prompts American consumers to rein in spending.

AstraZeneca Plc, which tentatively settled almost 4,000 product-liability cases this month involving its antipsychotic drug Seroquel through mediation, said it will keep terms of the agreements confidential.

BP Plc’s next attempt to more fully seal its Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico was delayed by a day so the company can remove debris from a relief well.

CDR Financial Products Inc. and three of its employees aren’t entitled to early access to prosecution evidence in a U.S. antitrust investigation of the $2.8 trillion municipal bond market and more indictments are expected, a prosecutor told a federal judge in New York.

Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska said he will vote against confirming Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the first Democrat to announce opposition to her.

Congress should retain tax cuts passed under former President George W. Bush without offsetting the $40 billion cost of including families earning more than $250,000, said Indiana Representative Mike Pence, the third- ranking U.S. House Republican leader.

Oil companies drilling in U.S. waters would face unlimited liability and BP Plc would be barred from new offshore leases under legislation passed by the House three months after the worst spill in U.S. history.

As President Barack Obama thrashes Republicans for allowing “special interest takeovers of our elections,” his Democratic Party is benefiting from millions of campaign dollars brought in by lobbyists.

Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott’s coalition has an election-winning lead over Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Labor Party with three weeks of campaigning left before the ballot, according to an opinion poll published today.