EQUITIES

Stock index futures rose on Monday as a renewed pledge by France and Germany to come up with a plan to tackle the euro zone debt crisis by month's end lifted sentiment.

Stock index futures rose on Monday on hopes a resolution to the euro zone's debt crisis was progressing.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher opening for equities on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 rising 0.9 to 1 percent.

The euro rose on Monday after German and French leaders promised to announce fresh steps to tackle the euro zone debt crisis by the end of the month, but the lack of details kept government bonds supported and world stocks gave up brief early gains.

European index futures rose on Monday, following small gains for Asian shares, and the euro firmed 1 cent after the leaders of France and Germany pledged to unveil a plan to solve the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis by the end of the month.

Investors tiring of the euro zone's debt crisis dragging the market all over the place are hoping to focus on something else this week -- earnings.

Regulators are considering holding Wall Street chief executives legally liable if they allow certain types of proprietary trading on their watch.

After nearly falling into bear-market territory, U.S. stocks on Friday finished the week higher, building gains on encouraging jobs data and hopes that Europe is dealing with its debt crisis.

Stocks declined on Friday after downgrades of Spain's and Italy's credit ratings underscored worries about the European debt crisis, overshadowing better-than-expected U.S. jobs data.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell on Friday as traders pocketed gains after encouraging U.S. economic data and on bets Europe will shore up its banking system.

Stocks were set to open higher on Friday, extending a three-day rally after more jobs were created than expected in September, helping to ease concerns the economy was heading back into recession.

Stock index futures eased on Friday after a three-day Wall Street rally and ahead of a closely watched monthly jobs report, which is expected to show moderate gains after last month's flat reading.

Stock index futures eased on Friday after a three-day Wall Street rally as investors awaited a closely watched monthly report on employment, which is expected to show moderate gains after last month's flat reading.

Equities were expected to steady on Friday after sharp gains in the previous session, with futures for the S&P 500 staying flat, for the Dow Jones gaining 0.08 percent and for the Nasdaq 100 falling 0.07 percent.

European stocks rose on Friday and the euro clung to gains from a 2-cent rally after euro zone policymakers moved to shore up struggling banks and fend off a financial crisis, while markets positioned for U.S. employment data due later.

European stock index futures rose on Friday, following a bounce in Asian shares, and the euro clung to gains from a 2-cent rally after euro zone policymakers moved to shore up struggling banks and fend off a financial crisis.

Asian stocks rose on Friday and the euro clung to gains from a 2-cent rally after euro zone policymakers moved to shore up struggling banks and fend off a financial crisis.

Asian stocks rose Friday and the euro clung to gains from a 2-cent rally after euro zone policymakers moved to shore up struggling banks and fend off a new financial crisis.

Standard and Poor's on Friday downgraded the core banks of Franco-Belgian financial group Dexia by one notch, citing difficulties in securing wholesale funding and the need for increased collateral.

Stocks rose on Thursday after the European Central Bank launched fresh liquidity measures to help banks weather the euro zone's debt crisis, easing one of the major concerns overhanging markets.

Stocks rose for a third day in a row on Thursday as developing euro zone plans to backstop European banks gave investors hope the threat of a financial crisis was waning.

The head of General Electric Co's finance arm is sympathetic to the protesters who have taken to the streets of U.S. cities to decry the nation's financial system, but is not sure what corporate America could do to assuage them.

Stocks rose on Thursday after the European Central Bank launched fresh liquidity measures to help banks weather the euro zone's debt crisis, easing one of the major concerns overhanging markets.

Stock index futures pointed to a flat open on Thursday after two days of market gains as investors digested labor market data and plans by European policymakers to shore up stressed banks.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday, following two days of market gains as optimism grew that European policymakers were making progress on concrete plans to shore up stressed banks.

World stocks rose for a second day Thursday while government bonds fell as expectations grew policymakers would take steps to support European banks, under threat from the impact of a possible Greek default.

European stock index futures rose on Thursday, after short-covering and value-hunting lifted Asian shares on optimism that euro zone leaders are acting to aid the bloc's financial sector and U.S. data suggesting the economy could avoid recession.

In less than one hour on Tuesday, the U.S. stock market surged by 4 percent -- for no apparent reason.

Stocks added to gains in afternoon trading on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite up more than 2 percent and the S&P 500 rising more than 1 percent.