Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said on Wednesday he is likely to buy a small business in Western Europe and he would like to buy more businesses abroad.

Oil prices crashed on Wednesday, with U.S. crude losing 9 percent in one of its biggest daily routs ever, as record high oil inventories in the United States cut short a four-day rally.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower on Wednesday, snapping a two-day rally as energy shares slid with oil prices and as investors' anxiety about the euro zone returned in the closing minutes of trading.

Eastern Canada has joined a race to export North America's vast natural gas riches to energy-hungry markets overseas, with four projects betting the far-flung Atlantic provinces will be the easiest route to Europe and India.

Stock markets rallied around the world on Tuesday while the U.S. dollar fell after the new Greek government dropped calls for a write-down of its foreign debt, easing concerns about growing instability in the euro zone.

J M Smucker Co (SJM.N), the maker of Folgers coffee, said it would buy pet food maker Big Heart Pet Brands, known for brands such as Meow Mix and Milk-Bone, for $3.2 billion to enter the fast-growing pet food market.

U.S. brokerage firms and financial advisers are a routine target of cyber criminals and some have lost money as a result of fraudulent emails requesting transfers of client funds, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said in a report.

Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) quarterly revenue and profit topped Wall Street estimates as visits to its theme parks rose and last year's animated film hit "Frozen" drove home video and toy sales.

New orders for U.S. factory goods fell for a fifth straight month in December, but a smaller-than-previously reported drop in business spending plans supported views of a rebound in the months ahead.

U.S. stocks jumped more than 1 percent on Tuesday, led by energy shares as oil prices extended their recent rally, while higher-than-expected January car sales also bolstered the advance.