UNITED KINGDOM

The International Monetary Fund warned global financial leaders on Friday not to repeat the mistakes of the Great Depression and choke off emergency support for their economies too quickly.

A founder of part of payments processing business RBS WorldPay is interested in buying all of the business back from Royal Bank of Scotland after the UK bank was told to sell it by European competition authorities.

The head of General Motors' European business, Carl-Peter Forster, is leaving the company following the surprise decision by GM's board to block the sale of Opel, two sources close to the situation told Reuters.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting the Islamic Republic's scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian reported in its Friday edition.

Global stocks and commodities gained on Friday, buoyed by firm U.S. data the previous session, lifting risk appetite ahead of hotly anticipated jobs data which will give more evidence on the state of the global economy.

News, details on corporate bond issues in the European markets on Friday:

Britain's leading share index was up 0.2 percent approaching midday on Friday with a rally by banks offsetting weakness in oil majors in thin trade as investors await the key U.S. October jobs report.

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

The Group of 20 leading nations will agree this weekend it is too early to pull the plug on emergency support for the global economy and launch a new system of checks to help rebalance world growth and prevent future crises.

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

California Public Employees' Retirement System, knew it was paying uncompetitive rates on foreign-exchange trades as early as 2003, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a consultant who advised the largest U.S. public pension fund.

The Group of 20 leading nations will agree this weekend it is too early to pull the plug on emergency support for the global economy and launch a new system of checks to help rebalance world growth and prevent future crises.

Global stocks and commodities gained on Friday, buoyed by firm U.S. data the previous session, lifting risk appetite ahead of hotly anticipated jobs data which will give more evidence on the state of the global economy.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Friday as investors braced for the all-important monthly payrolls figures and unemployment rate, due at 8:30 a.m. EST.

Royal Bank of Scotland more than halved its operating losses to 1.5 billion pounds ($2.5 billion) in the third quarter as impairments fell, but less favorable trading battered investment banking profits.

U.S. carmaker General Motors' decision to keep its European unit Opel will benefit European taxpayers, especially in Britain, Germany and Spain, British Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said on Thursday.

Asian stocks rose ahead of the latest U.S. payrolls report on Friday, expected to show the fewest job losses since August 2008, while oil prices recovered to $80 a barrel after a sharp drop on high U.S. fuel inventories.

Video game publisher Activision Blizzard Inc reported a quarterly profit that matched analysts' estimates and revenue that was higher than expected, led by sales of the company's latest Guitar Hero offering.

General Motors Co on Thursday said it was readying a plan to restructure Opel and could pay off debt due this month as German workers went on strike to protest the automakers decision to keep the European unit.

The U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution on Thursday urging Israel and the Palestinians to investigate war crimes charges leveled in a controversial U.N. report on the Gaza war.

The Australian Dollar opens at US91 cents after yesterday's release of September trade data hinted that official interest rates may need to be increased for third consecutive month in December. The trade deficit was smaller than expected at A$1.849 billion, however imports were up 5 per cent suggesting that domestic demand remains robust. During overnight trade the Aussie moved between a low of 0.9030 and a high of 0.9122 after central banks in Europe and the United Kingdom left their benchmark ...