UNITED STATES

Stock index futures rose on Friday ahead of data on business conditions and consumer sentiment as investors steered toward a three-day holiday weekend.

Stock index futures edged higher on Friday, tracking global stocks, as beaten-down shares continued to entice investors and fears about euro-zone debt receded.

BP Plc still does not know whether its top kill operation designed to plug the biggest oil spill in United States history will be successful and puts the cost of tackling the disaster so far at $930 million.

Prudential said it was trying to negotiate a cut in the $35.5 billion it has agreed to pay for AIG's Asian unit, AIA, amid fears its shareholders might block the deal as too expensive.

The euro dipped versus the dollar on Friday, paring hefty gains made the previous day, as investors squared positions ahead of the month-end while worries over the impact of the euro zone debt crisis capped rallies.

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

Global oil prices advanced past $75 a barrel mark in Asian trade Friday mainly after China denied reports of its Eurozone disinvestments. Light sweet crude for July delivery was seen trading at $75.01 a barrel at 11.30 a.m Singapore time while in London, the Brent crude July contact was up 8 cents to $74.74 on the ICE futures exchange.

Gold prices eased in Asian trade Friday despite a recovery by the euro after China assured investors it was not losing confidence in euro zone assets. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1208.95 an ounce at 11.30 a.m Singapore time while U.S. gold futures for June delivery was at $1208.01 an ounce at the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Asian stocks bolted on Friday posting their third straight day of gains after China's pledge to remain invested in Europe boosted confidence, but the euro dipped after rebounding from near four-year lows the previous day.

Technology companies feeling the pinch from Europe's debt crisis could face a tough sell when industry buyers gather in Taipei to examine the latest whizz-bang features at the world's No.2 computer fair.

Apple Inc's iPad launched in overseas store shelves on Friday, with buyers storming Japanese and Australian shops to be among the first outside the United States to snap up the long awaited tablet PC.

Apple Inc's iPad hit overseas store shelves on Friday, with buyers storming Japanese and Australian shops to be among the first outside the United States to snap up the long-awaited tablet PC.

Ford Motor Co is considering a plan to drop Mercury, a brand developed in the 1930s that has seen sales and investment plunge in recent years, a person familiar with the discussions said.

Kenneth Starr, an investment adviser to celebrities and other wealthy New Yorkers, was coaxed from a darkened suit closet by U.S. agents at his apartment on Thursday to face charges of running a fraud of at least $30 million, prosecutors said.

Apple Inc's iPad made its overseas debut on Friday, with buyers storming Japanese and Australian shops to be among the first outside the United States to snap up the long-awaited tablet PC.

Congressional Democrats floated more cuts on Thursday to a package of tax increases and safety-net spending as final passage of the measure looked likely to slip into June.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The stimulant drug Vyvanse improves attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents beginning as early as the first week of treatment, according to a new study.

Congressional Democrats on Thursday floated more cuts to a package of tax increases and safety-net spending as final passage of the measure looked likely to slip into June.

The Australian Dollar has had a strong run overnight to be trading just below USD0.8500 following a positive lead on equity markets.

Apple Inc's iPad hit overseas store shelves on Friday, with buyers storming Japanese shops to be among the first in Asia to snap up the long-awaited tablet PC.

The Australian Dollar opens sharply higher today at 0.8510. Despite a surprise drop in new capital spending, which fell 0.2 per cent in the first quarter, the Aussie rallied from an intraday low of 0.8220.