EQUITIES

Standard & Poor's on Thursday cut its rating on the New York Times Co deeper into junk status, citing rising leverage in the midst of a newspaper industry slump.

Stocks slid in a broad sell-off on Thursday as a disappointing report on the labor market quashed hopes the economy was on the verge of recovery.

U.S. stocks slid on Thursday as signs of further job market weakness and a disappointing Fed regional survey added to doubts that the economy was set for quick recovery.

Barnes & Noble Inc reported a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss and raised its full-year outlook on Thursday, boosted by cost-cutting and sales that fell less than planned in a weak book retail market.

Barnes & Noble Inc reported a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss and raised its full-year outlook on Thursday, boosted by cost-cutting and sales that fell less than planned in a weak book retail market.

Stocks slid on Thursday as signs of further jobs weakness and a disappointing Fed regional survey fueled doubts about prospects for a quick economic recovery.

U.S. stocks slid on Thursday as signs of further jobs weakness and a disappointing Fed regional survey fueled doubts about prospects for a quick economic recovery.

Stocks tumbled on Thursday, pushing the benchmark S&P 500 down 2 percent, as signs of more job market weakness and an anemic Fed regional survey fueled fears that the economic recovery might not happen quick enough.

Stocks slid on Thursday as signs of further jobs weakness and an anemic Fed regional survey fueled doubts about prospects for a quick economic recovery.

Barnes & Noble Inc reported a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss and raised its full-year outlook on Thursday, helped by cost cuts and sales that topped expectations, and its shares rose nearly 5 percent.

Barnes & Noble Inc reported a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss and raised its full-year outlook on Thursday, helped by cost cuts and sales that topped expectations, and its shares rose nearly 5 percent.

UAE ditched plans to join the proposed Gulf Cooperation Council monetary union.

Stocks opened lower on Thursday as signs of further labor market weakness fueled doubts about a quick economic recovery and Britain's reduced rating outlook signaled more fallout from the credit crisis.

Continuing jobless claims hit new record high at 6.7 million

Stocks headed for a slide at Thursday's opening as signs of further labor market weakness fueled doubts about a quick economic recovery and Britain's reduced rating outlook signaled more fallout from the credit crisis.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's lowered its outlook on Britain to negative on Thursday, citing government debt that would be hard to rein in and political uncertainty about the policy response with an election looming.

Stock index futures declined on Thursday as doubts about a quick economic rebound fueled a global equity selloff, while Britain's reduced rating outlook pointed to more fallout from the credit crisis.

Stock index futures fell on Thursday as doubts about a quick economic rebound fueled a global equity sell-off, while Britain's reduced rating outlook pointed to more fallout from the credit crisis.

U.S. banks have been able to raise many billions of dollars in the past few weeks by selling shares to investors, but the jury is still out on whether this is the savviest of smart money -- or just plain dumb.

World stocks slipped from this week's six-month peak and the dollar fell to its lowest in almost five months on Thursday after the Federal Reserve lowered its forecast of U.S. economic growth for the next three years.

The dollar hit its lowest in almost five months and Asian stocks slipped on Thursday after news that the Federal Reserve lowered its forecasts for U.S. economic growth for the next three years.

(Corrects Nikkei point loss in paragraph 10)

Japan's Nikkei stock average lost 1.2 percent on Thursday, with Honda Motor Co and other exporters down as the yen climbed to a 2-month high on the dollar and after the Federal Reserve cut its outlook for the U.S. economy. Tech shares fell in the wake of losses by their U.S. peers, with Sony Corp dropping 1.6 percent, despite saying it plans to halve the number of it...

Japan's Nikkei stock average lost 1.2 percent on Thursday, with Honda Motor Co and other exporters down as the yen climbed to a two-month high on the dollar after the Federal Reserve cut its outlook for the U.S. economy.

Japan's Nikkei stock average lost 1.5 percent on Thursday, with Honda Motor Co and other exporters down as the yen climbed to a 2-month high on the dollar after the Federal Reserve cut its outlook for the U.S. economy.

Regions Financial Corp and Fifth Third Bancorp announced plans on Wednesday to sell stock, the eighth and ninth of the 10 large U.S. banks ordered by federal regulators to bolster their finances to announce capital-raising plans.

Japan's Nikkei stock average slipped 0.6 percent on Thursday, as the yen rose to a fresh two-month high against the dollar weighing on Toyota Motor Corp and other exporters.

Stocks fell on Wednesday, led by financials in a late-stage sell-off, after the Federal Reserve gave a more pessimistic view on the economy, tempering hopes for a quick recovery.

MAIN FOCUS: FSLR using yesterday's high as buy trigger. If it holds above 194.29 it should retest $200 area. This may need some time to settup.