EQUITIES

Two initial public offerings rose in their Thursday debuts as the broader U.S. market fell.

Stocks dropped on Thursday on worries that the economic recovery was wilting after data showed growth in Mid-Atlantic factory activity braked and jobless claims rose unexpectedly.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday as anxiety eased over Spain's sovereign debt and investors awaited key jobs and economic activity data expected to show the recovery is slowly on track.

World stocks fell from this week's one-month high on Thursday and the euro and oil prices dropped as worries about Spain's public finances encouraged investors to cut back on risky assets.

Asian shares fell and the euro slipped on Thursday as short covering rallies ran out of steam, but some analysts said global markets may have finally found support after a heavy selloff in May.

After suffering sustained criticism of its role in the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve looked set on Wednesday to emerge from an overhaul of financial regulations with its jealously guarded independence intact.

Top executives of United Airlines and Continental Airlines sparred with irritated lawmakers on Wednesday over their merger plan, drawing a threat for closer industry regulation if the deal is approved.

A joint conference committee is merging Wall Street reform bills from the Senate and the House of Representatives to reach a final version of historic financial regulation legislation.

After suffering sustained criticism of its role in the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve emerged on Wednesday from an overhaul of financial regulations with its jealously guarded independence intact.

Stocks finished flat on Wednesday as cautious comments from FedEx and weak housing market data overshadowed a surge in industrial production.

Companies are getting an excessive $52 billion tax break on stock options issued to their executives, new data from a U.S. Senate panel showed on Wednesday.

After heavy criticism of its handling of the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday appeared likely to escape the most aggressive congressional scrutiny of its interest rate deliberations.

(Corrects spelling of Bloomberg in 15th paragraph)

U.S. stocks slipped on Wednesday as a warning from FedEx , which said higher costs would crimp profits next year, overshadowed a surge in industrial production.

The Dow and S&P 500 dipped on Wednesday after concerns about FedEx's warning on higher costs, while optimism stirred by Apple Inc's stronger-than-expected iPhone sales helped the Nasdaq.

After suffering more than a year of abuse over its role in the financial crisis, the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday was poised to beat back the most aggressive attempt to open its operations to congressional scrutiny.

Stocks fell on Wednesday as FedEx warned about higher costs, housing starts fell to a five-month low and new concerns surfaced over Spain's fiscal problems.

Chief executives of United Airlines and Continental Airlines braced on Wednesday for the strongest political headwinds that their proposal to create the world's biggest airline will likely face.

Stocks were set to fall at the open on Wednesday as FedEx warned about higher costs, housing starts fell to a five-month low and new concerns surfaced over Spain's fiscal problems.

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday, a day after Wall Street jumped more than 2 percent, on new concerns about Spain's fiscal problems, while investors awaited data on producer prices and housing.

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday, a day after Wall Street jumped more than 2 percent, on new concerns about Spain's fiscal problems, while investors awaited data on housing and producer prices.

After suffering more than a year of abuse over its role in the financial crisis, the U.S. Federal Reserve is poised to emerge with its powers relatively intact as lawmakers finalize a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations.

World stocks hit a one-month high on Wednesday and the euro briefly hit a two-week peak as strong gains on Wall Street and the relative success of this week's European debt auctions encouraged fresh risk-taking.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Wednesday following the previous session's strong rally, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.5 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.4 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.4 percent at 0944 GMT.

Asian shares rose on Wednesday, led by electronics makers and resource stocks, after successful European debt auctions boosted hopes for global growth and lifted commodity prices.

Low-rated U.S. companies may struggle to refinance more than $1.7 trillion in debt that comes due between 2011 and 2014 as growing economic concerns make banks and investors more reticent to lend, Standard & Poor's said on Wednesday.

Credit-rating agencies like Moody's and Standard & Poor's dodged a bullet on Tuesday as lawmakers decided to strip out a provision in the Wall Street reform bill that would have upended their business model.

Stocks jumped on Tuesday as investors went on a buying binge. The S&P 500 turned positive for the year and rose above its 200-day moving average for the first time in a month, suggesting the recent downtrend may be nearing an end.

Big U.S. airlines including Delta Air Lines Inc and American Airlines parent AMR Corp said on Tuesday that second-quarter unit revenue would rise, buoyed by recovering business and international traffic and by rising fares.