UNITED STATES

Stock index futures turned sharply higher on Friday following a brief sell-off after data showed U.S. employers cut fewer-than-expected jobs in August even as the unemployment rate hit a 26-year high.

CHICAGO - Brazilian meat giant JBS would likely get U.S. antitrust approval if it decides to buy U.S. chicken producer Pilgrim's Pride even though the already concentrated American meat market would lose yet another player.

U.S. employers cut a fewer-than-expected 216,000 jobs in August, while the unemployment rate rose to a 26-year high, the government said on Friday in a report showing a still fragile labor market.

U.S. employers cut a fewer-than-expected 216,000 jobs in August, while the unemployment rate rose to a 26-year high, the government said on Friday in a report showing a still fragile labor market.

Germany raised the pressure on General Motors on Friday to choose a buyer for its Opel unit, with Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg telling the U.S. carmaker he expected a

Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Richard Fisher on Thursday said the United States should have a good snap-back from recession in the final months of 2009, but that future growth could be a slow crawl.

Mortgage woes dominate the business page headlines of both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal today.

Italy's antitrust agency said on Friday it was broadening its investigation into allegations that Google's Italian news website coerced Italian newspapers into posting their stories to include U.S. parent Google Inc. The competition authority launched the probe this week after the Italian Federation of Newspaper Editors alleged that any publication refusing to appear on the Google News Italia (h...

Stock index futures rose on Friday ahead of a report expected to show the smallest number of job losses so far this year in August as the economy advances out of a recession.

H&R Block Inc , the largest U.S. tax preparer, reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss, hurt by a larger loss in tax services, and reaffirmed its earnings view for the full year.

Gold steadied near $990 an ounce on Friday, consolidating a potent two-day rally that took the market to within a whisker of $1,000, with inflation concerns and jitters over stock market gains stoking investor interest.

Banco Santander SA, the Brazilian unit of Spain's Santander , filed on Thursday for an initial public offering in Brazil and the United States, in what could become one of the largest IPOs of the year.

NATO forces in Afghanistan were investigating on Friday whether civilians were among scores of people burned to death when they carried out an air strike against two hijacked fuel tankers.

Key trade ministers agreed on Friday to relaunch the World Trade Organization's Doha talks with intensified negotiations later this month, India's Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma, said on Friday.

The United States said on Thursday it would cut more than $30 million in aid to Honduras in an effort to pressure the de facto government to step down and allow ousted President Manuel Zelaya to return to power.

Stock index futures rose on Friday ahead of a report expected to show the smallest number of job losses so far this year in August as the economy struggles out of recession.

Gold steadied below $990 an ounce on Friday, consolidating a potent two-day rally that took the market to within a whisker of $1,000, with inflation concerns and jitters over stock market gains stoking investor interest.

World equities climbed higher on Friday, although investors were cautious about U.S. jobs data due later in the day, while the dollar slipped against a basket of major currencies.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Friday, ahead of eagerly-awaited monthly U.S. jobs data and unemployment rate.

Asian stock markets mostly edged higher on Friday, underpinned by encouraging U.S. retail sales but cautious ahead of a U.S. payrolls report, while the Aussie dollar was supported by a spike in gold prices.

Gold hovered a hair below $1,000 an ounce on Friday, consolidating the biggest two-day gain since March after a mix of inflation anxiety, a retreat from risk assets and a technical break stoked renewed investor interest.