Sponsored by Exxon mobil

ExxonMobil and the Iraqi central government have been at odds with each other since November, after the U.S. oil company signed contracts for several exploration rights in the semi-autonomous region of the country.

In what is one of the oil and gas industry's largest financing project, ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum officials announced they have amassed $10.4 billion for a gas project in that country.

Stocks tumbled on Monday, as concerns about Europe returned to the forefront after major credit ratings agencies warned that European leaders had not done enough to tackle the region's debt crisis.

Just hours after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left Myanmar last week, property prices began to soar.

The move has put ExxonMobil in the cross hairs of the Iraqi central government who maintains the exploration contracts the company signed with Kurdish officials last month are illegal.

With 2.5 million acres in natural gas-land leases, the company has become a huge player in domestic natural gas production, bested only by ExxonMobil. However, its land acquisitions are concerning investors who fear the company's land spending could place it in a $4 to $9 billion budget hole.

Company refuses to comment on agreement that could cost company its share of Iraq's giant southern oil field.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street Friday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.6 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.4 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.7 percent at 0924 GMT (4:24 a.m. ET).

Shares of Apple, the No. 1 vendor of tablets, fell as much as 3.3 percent Thursday amid concerns shortages or floods in Thailand may depress iPad2 shipments.

Stock index futures pointed to a weaker open for equities on Friday after strong gains in the previous session, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 down 0.4 to 0.5 percent.

Stocks surged 3 percent on Thursday as an agreement by European leaders to help contain the region's two-year debt crisis lifted a cloud hovering over markets.

Stocks surged 3 percent in a broad rally on Thursday as a long-awaited agreement by European leaders to boost the region's bailout fund promised to remove a major headwind for the market.

Stocks surged 2 percent on Thursday after European leaders reached a long-awaited agreement to boost the region's bailout fund and struck a deal with banks and insurers to accept 50 percent losses on Greek bonds.

Stocks rallied in early trading on Thursday after European leaders agreed to boost the region's bailout fund and struck a deal with banks and insurers to accept 50 percent losses on Greek bonds.

Major European energy groups posted big jumps in profits on Thursday, driven by higher oil and gas prices and new capacity coming onstream.

Exxon Mobil Corp's profit rose 41 percent in the third quarter, slightly ahead of Wall Street estimates, as gains in crude oil prices and higher refining margins boosted results.

Stock index futures rose sharply on Thursday after European leaders agreed to boost the region's bailout fund and struck a deal with private banks and insurers to accept 50 percent losses on Greek bonds.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones futures and Nasdaq 100 futures rising 1.5 to 1.8 percent at 5:05 a.m. EDT.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it will delay by a month final standards on emissions from hydraulic fracturing, its third postponement of air pollution rules since early September.

Investors in the world's biggest oil companies are expected to look beyond the bumper profits the groups will announce next week on the back of higher oil prices, and seek clues on how the companies can maintain income growth as crude stabilizes.

Human activity in melting regions.

Apple maintained its title as the world’s most valuable public company as its shares rose 3.3 percent as its stores and mobile partners began selling iPhone 4S units to global customers.

Shares of Apple rose only 2.3 percent to $417.80, in midday trading, hours after the iPhone 4S was first handed out to customers worldwide. But the company retained its title as the world’s most valuable company, outpacing Exxon Mobil.

Steve Jobs, in pain and too weak to climb stairs a few weeks before his death, wanted his children to understand why he wasn't always there for them, according to the author of his highly anticipated biography.

It’s probably fitting that on the day Steve Jobs died the company he co-founded was vying for the crown of most valuable with Exxon Mobil, the legacy of an earlier titan of commerce, John D. Rockefeller. In the early 20th century it was Rockefeller who had the vision to remake entire industries and help modernize the U.S. economy while creating vast fortunes in the process.

One day after former Apple CEO Steve Jobs passed away, Apple stock dropped slightly to $377.10.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who changed the daily habits of millions by reinventing computing, music and mobile phones, died Wednesday at the age of 56.

Shares of Apple eased gently a day after Chairman Steve Jobs died.

Shares of Apple eased 1.64 percent in pre-market U.S. trading Thursday, hours after the death of Chairman Steve Jobs.