UNITED STATES

Barely minutes after takeoff, North Korea's rocket exploded scattering debris over the Yellow Sea, triggering an international search as the US and other countries believe that the debris could be a mine of information to assess the reclusive country's nuclear and missile capabilities.

Stock index futures fell on Friday as concerns over Spain's rising borrowing costs resurfaced and after Chinese data that had fueled the previous day's rally disappointed.

This is going to be an exciting year for smartphone lovers. While rumors of the release of iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 are flying high, other big shots like HTC One X, One S, LG Viper 4G and HTC Incredible 4G are also hitting the shelves within a very short period of time.

Indian software services firm Infosys Technologies Ltd Friday reported 27.4 percent quarterly rise in profit, but presented disappointing guidance for future sales subsequent to the uncertainties in the global economy and the volatile nature of the currency.

China's economy grew at its slowest in nearly three years in the first three months of 2012, with a weaker than expected reading raising investor concerns that a five-quarter long slide has not bottomed and that more policy action would be needed to halt it.

Asian stock markets ended with gains for the second day Friday after North Korean's much touted long-range rocket launch failed.

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was reportedly detained by immigration authorities for over two hours at a New York airport Thursday.

Infosys Ltd , India's No.2 software services exporter, posted a 27.4 percent rise in quarterly profit on Friday, but forecast lower-than-expected revenue growth for the current fiscal year due to an uncertain global economy and currency volatility.

An unexpected drop in the US trade deficit in February has prompted analysts to raise the first quarter GDP growth estimates.

Growth was 8.1 percent in the first quarter, the lowest since the same period in 2009, largely due to weak global demand and reduced investment in domestic real estate.

China's economy grew at its slowest in nearly three years in the first three months of 2012, with a weaker than expected reading raising investor concerns that a five-quarter long slide has not bottomed and that more policy action would be needed to halt it.

Asian shares rose Friday on better-than-expected demand for Italian sovereign debt, shrugging off the failed rocket launch by North Korea before the markets opened.

U.S. Federal Reserve officials, out on a speaking spree on Thursday, suggested the economy would have to deteriorate for the central bank to consider additional monetary stimulus.

Book retailer Barnes & Noble Inc debuted an e-reader on Thursday with a screen that can glow in the dark, a move aimed at improving its position against Amazon.com.

Exxon Mobil Corp's chief executive earned 20 percent more in 2011 than the year before, and the company said it saw no reason to change its pay practices, as had been urged by some investors.

Ann Romney had the means to hire help in raising her five sons, but she went about it the way the average American mother would -- with no assistance at all.

A stronger firewall is needed to protect the world economy from Europe's debt crisis, but the International Monetary Fund may not need as much money as it thought just a few months ago, the head of the global lender said on Thursday.

Hyundai Motor Co could see U.S. sales top 700,000 vehicles this year despite the Korean automaker's tight vehicle supplies, a top executive said on Thursday.

U.S. Federal Reserve officials, out on a speaking spree on Thursday, suggested the economy would have to deteriorate for the central bank to consider additional monetary stimulus.

Microsoft announced its biggest-ever customer for cloud computing - software that it hosts on behalf of clients and delivers over the Internet - after winning a contract to provide free services to a major Indian education body.

Turnaround advisor AlixPartners has been put up for sale in a deal that may value the firm at more than $1 billion.