EQUITIES

Stocks fell on Friday as economic data from China and Europe fueled fears of a global economic slowdown while Morgan Stanley plummeted due fears about its exposure to European banks.

Warren Buffett said on Friday he is still eager to buy companies and stocks, even as his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway launches its first-ever share buyback program.

Stocks fell on Friday, putting equities on track for their worst quarter since 2008, as economic data from China and Europe fueled fears of a global economic slowdown.

Ingersoll Rand Plc cut its profit forecast for the rest of the year on Friday, blaming weak demand in North America for residential heating and cooling systems and commercial security products.

Stocks opened lower on Friday, putting equities on track for their fifth straight monthly decline, as China's manufacturing shrank and kept fears of a global economic slowdown in the forefront.

Industrial conglomerate Ingersoll Rand Plc cut its third-quarter and full-year earnings forecast to below market estimates, due to weak demand at its key North American residential and commercial security markets.

Stock index futures fell on Friday after data showing a continued contraction in China stirred fears the global economy was slowing.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Friday, putting equities on track for their fifth straight monthly decline, as China's manufacturing shrank and stirred fears the global economy was slowing.

McGraw-Hill Companies Inc is in advanced talks to merge its S&P Indices business with CME Group Inc's Dow Jones Indexes, a source familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

European shares extended losses on Friday as investor fears for a global economic slowdown mounted.

New Zealand suffered two ratings downgrades within hours on Friday when Standard & Poor's and Fitch cut the country's ranking by one notch over concerns about its growing foreign debt.

Asian stocks fell on Friday, extending the worst monthly performance since the most volatile days of the global financial crisis in October 2008, with Chinese shares racking up sharp losses.

Asian stocks fell on Friday, extending the worst monthly performance since the most volatile days of the global financial crisis in October 2008, with Chinese shares racking up sharp losses.

World stock markets will recover next year from a nightmarish 2011 that has wiped trillions of dollars off share prices, according to a Reuters poll that showed almost all major stock indexes ending 2011 in the red.

Stocks mostly rose in a volatile session on Thursday as stronger-than-expected economic data and German approval of a beefed-up euro-zone crisis fund relieved two of the worst fears hanging over the market.

Stocks mostly rose in a volatile session on Thursday as stronger-than-expected economic data and German approval of a beefed-up euro-zone crisis fund relieved two of the worst fears hanging over the market.

The technology-heavy Nasdaq led stocks lower on Thursday as investors continued to fret about weakness in the global economy and Wall Street looked set to limp to its worst quarter in three years.

The Dow and S&P 500 rose on Thursday on stronger-than-expected economic data and German lawmakers' approval of new powers for the euro zone's crisis fund, while weakness in big-cap Internet names weighing on the Nasdaq.

Stocks rose on Thursday on stronger-than-expected economic data and German lawmakers' approval of new powers for the euro zone's crisis fund.

Investors are entering the fourth quarter with a slightly raised exposure to shares and holding high reserves of cash that could quickly be used to fuel a stock rally, Reuters polls showed on Thursday.

Even before China's great stock market bull run of 2006-2007, Wang Jianzhong had become known as China's god of stocks for his prescient picks.

Stocks were poised for a higher open on Thursday after Germany's lower house approved new powers for the euro zone's crisis fund and U.S. economic data was stronger than forecast.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday after Germany approved new powers for the euro zone's crisis fund and before the government releases data on U.S. economic growth and the labor market.

stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.9 to 1.2 percent.

European index futures fell on Thursday ahead of a vote in Germany's parliament that is expected to approve new powers for the euro zone's bailout fund, but also underline the political divisions hampering efforts to solve the region's debt crisis.

Asian shares and commodities fell on Thursday on growing worries that Europe's intractable debt problems will plunge the world into a second global financial crisis.

Asian shares and commodities fell on Thursday on growing worries that Europe's intractable debt problems will plunge the world into a second global financial crisis.

Asian shares and commodities fell on Thursday on growing worries that Europe's intractable debt problems will plunge the world economy into a second global financial crisis.

Commodity-related stocks drove Wall Street lower on Wednesday as stiff declines in energy and metals prices underscored investor concerns about global economic weakness and Europe's raging debt crisis.