UNITED STATES

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Thursday, ahead of a slew of earnings news, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.04 percent, the Dow Jones industrial average 0.1 percent lower and the Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.2 percent.

Developed and emerging equity markets diverged on Thursday with the latter falling on worries China will take more measures to temper growth after reporting its fastest quarterly growth in two years.

Democratic congressional leaders promised on Wednesday to push ahead with healthcare reform despite a stinging setback in a Senate election, but failed to agree quickly on a new approach.

The loss of a key Democratic Senate seat will likely strengthen the resolve of President Barack Obama to press ahead urgently with a package of targeted proposals to spur U.S. job creation.

Russia's navy will strengthen its Baltic fleet in response to U.S. plans to deploy Patriot missiles in Poland, Russia's state RIA news agency reported on Thursday, citing an unnamed senior navy official.

Most Asian stock markets fell on Thursday as investors worried that China would take more measures to temper growth after reporting its fastest quarterly growth in two years.

A substantial number of AIG's Financial Products employees set to get some $195 million in retention payments no longer work with the bailed out insurer, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Google Inc's threat to exit China could create a big headache for its cellphone partners, especially Motorola Inc, which has bet its turnaround on Google's mobile software and China.

Google Inc's threat to quit China over cyber attacks and censorship highlights U.S. fears that a more powerful Beijing is tapping government and corporate computer networks to steal secrets and to prepare for potential conflicts.

Amid the flat, wide fields of central France, a team of re-trained secretaries and IT experts is packaging Europe's literary heritage for the digital era.

Global oil prices remained below $78 a barrel in Asian trade Thursday as the market awaits a crucial energy report from the US. Light sweet crude for March delivery was seen trading at $77.61 a barrel at 11.30 a.m while Brent crude was at $76.10 a barrel at the same time.

Charles Schwab Corp , the largest U.S. online brokerage, on Wednesday said it priced an offering of more than 26 million of its shares at $19 a share.

When Google threw down the gauntlet to China's Internet censors, it also challenged the loyalties of the nation's wired generation.

The New York Times will make people pay for articles online starting next year, marking a big move by a prominent newspaper to find ways to survive on the Web as print subscriptions and advertising sales fall.

Amid the flat, wide fields of central France, a team of re-trained secretaries and IT experts is packaging Europe's literary heritage for the digital era.

EBay Inc forecast 2010 results above expectations after posting double-digit revenue growth in PayPal and its main online marketplaces unit, sending shares up 8 percent.

Starbucks Corp posted its first quarterly rise in U.S. same-store sales in two years, signaling that recession-weary consumers are spending more on small, daily luxuries.

The U.S. agency charged with dismantling or selling off failed banks said it is equipped to deal with what it sees as a busy 2010, according to remarks to be delivered before Congress on Thursday.

Starbucks Corp posted its first quarterly rise in U.S. same-store sales in more than two years, signaling that recession-weary consumers are spending more on small, daily luxuries.

U.S. retail brokerages posted mixed fourth-quarter profits as higher merger and recruiting expenses offset growing management fees and a market-fueled increase in client assets.

Several Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday expressed concern that the merger of Exxon Mobil and XTO Energy would reduce competition in the oil and gas industries and increase the use of a controversial drilling technique that could pollute water supplies.