UNITED STATES

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 rose slightly on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

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

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.

American International Group Inc , the insurer bailed out by the U.S. government, posted its second straight quarterly profit on Friday, helped by recovery in the value of its investments.

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.

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.

Russia accused General Motors of showing the United States' scorn of business with Europe by abandoning its sale of Opel, whose German workers went on strike on Thursday.

The Carlyle Group said on Friday it would buy a Japanese restaurant chain operator in a 21 billion yen ($230 million) management buyout, its second deal in Japan in two weeks.

Bank of America's consumer banking chief, tipped to be a leading candidate to replace outgoing chief executive Kenneth Lewis, said he is keen to step into the top job but will stay on if he misses out, addressing one of Wall Street's most talked-about issues.

In Asia lately, it pays to be a seller -- even if you're a company under pressure to offload an asset or two.

Capgemini is planning a series of acquisitions to strengthen its position in the U.S. market, its chief executive told the Financial Times.

Japanese chip maker Elpida said it will outsource production of advanced PC memory chips to Taiwan's ProMOS, a move aimed at locking in production capacity in Taiwan, cutting costs, and putting it on stronger competitive footing against its big South Korean rivals.

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.

Starbucks Corp raised its financial forecasts for 2010 in the latest sign a year-long turnaround effort is boosting margins and putting it back on track for growth, sending shares up almost 4 percent.

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.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved AT&T Inc's $944 million bid to buy Centennial Communications Corp , two sources familiar with the decision said on Thursday.