UNITED STATES

Asia is one of the more interesting gas markets in the world. Places like Thailand and its southeast Asian neighbors have seen phenomenal demand growth over the last several years. Total has said they're in Thailand for gas. (Part of the reason I believe Thai shale gas may become an interesting play over the coming years.)

An interesting chart from the Bank of Japan's latest monthly economic report. Japanese capacity utilization is way down. Around 20% of manufacturing facilities are standing idle. This is an improvement from the beginning of 2009, when 35% of capacity was shut down. But a marked decrease from pre-financial-crisis levels, when there was almost no excess capacity to be found.

Fans mobbed Apple Inc stores in Europe and Asia as the iPad went on sale outside the United States on Friday, with some shoppers having queued all night to buy one of the coveted tablet computers.

Ford Motor Co sees great options to improve its balance sheet and return to investment grade credit rating as its financial results continue to strengthen, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said on Friday.

U.S. consumer spending unexpectedly stalled in April after six straight months of gains, but rising income and consumer confidence pointed to solid consumption this quarter.

The House of Representatives on Friday passed a scaled-back economic-stimulus package of tax breaks and safety net spending that would raise taxes on fund managers and multinational corporations.

Stocks fell on Friday, capping off their worst month in over a year as a downgrade by Fitch of Spain's credit rating reignited worries about euro-zone debt issues.

As production levels remain robust, the company will recruit about 350 new workers starting this July, the business daily said.

Fitch Ratings cut Spain's credit ratings to AA+ from AAA on Friday, saying its economic recovery would be more muted than the government forecast, pushing world equities and the euro lower.

HSBC's executive pay policy got a grudging green light on Friday, along with a stinging rebuke from one of its top investors, as Europe's biggest bank said it was bracing for further economic shocks.

A U.S. federal judge on Friday gave Toyota 30 days to turn over the bulk of documents sought by class-action lawyers from previous investigations of complaints about its cars racing out of control.

Stocks fell 1 percent on Friday, extending earlier losses as a downgrade by Fitch Ratings of Spain's credit rating reignited worries about euro-zone debt issues.

As Wal-Mart Stores Inc employees chant the corporate cheer at the company's annual meeting this year, Wall Street is less enthusiastic about the retailer's U.S. sales trailing a fitful economic recovery.

Consumer spending unexpectedly stalled in April after six straight months of gains, but rising income and consumer confidence pointed to solid consumption this quarter.

Shares of CKX Inc jumped by a third of their value Friday, a day after The Wall Street Journal reported American Idol creator Simon Fuller and former Barclays Capital top dealmaker Roger Jenkins are planning a $600 million bid for the company.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc confirmed on Friday that Warren Buffett will testify under subpoena before a U.S. panel examining the causes of the 2008 financial crisis.

Diehard fans mobbed Apple Inc stores in Europe and Asia as the iPad went on sale outside the United States on Friday, with some shoppers having queued all night to buy one of the coveted tablet computers.

Consumer sentiment rose a bit in May from April but stayed roughly unchanged from levels reported since February, while the one-year inflation expectations climbed to the highest since October 2008, a survey showed on Friday.

Royal Dutch Shell said it would pay $4.7 billion cash to buy privately held East Resources Inc, giving it more exposure to promising shale gas reserves in North America.

Consumer sentiment rose a bit in May from April but was roughly unchanged from levels since February, while the one-year inflation expectations also climbed, a survey showed on Friday.

Consumer spending was unexpectedly flat in April after six straight months of gains, but growing consumer confidence in the economic outlook suggested consumption will remain strong this quarter.