EQUITIES

Wall Street stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday ahead of the release of the keenly watched U.S. non-farm payrolls data.

Plans by Nippon Steel Corp <5401.T> and Sumitomo Metal Industries <5405.T> to create the world's No. 2 steelmaker fanned expectations of further consolidation in the fragmented industry, sending Japanese steelmakers shares surging on Friday.

World share prices rose while bonds fell on Friday as investors positioned for the possibility of strong U.S. jobs data, which would bolster the view of a recovering global economy and further boost riskier assets.

Japanese shares rose on Friday, lifted by news of a mega merger in the steel sector, while a rebounding dollar put a slight dent in a commodities rally that saw copper hit a record $10,000 a tonne in the previous session.

Dow Chemical Co plans to pass along higher energy prices to its customers in 2011, as strong demand for some products and fixed-cost Middle East supplies set it apart from rivals.

Stocks ended near the session's highs on Thursday, with investors favoring shares of retailers after encouraging chain-store sales raised confidence ahead of Friday's jobs report.

Dow Chemical Co barely blinked at soaring energy costs in the fourth quarter as it benefited from fixed-cost supplies from the Middle East and boosted its prices by 10 percent.

Retailers were a standout in an otherwise flat market on Thursday as a bigger-than-expected rise in sales at U.S. chain stores helped dispel some of the concern about the U.S. consumer.

U.S. stocks slipped on Thursday as concerns over increasing disorder in Egypt and signs of exhaustion in the recent market rally weighed on investor sentiment.

Dow Chemical Co barely blinked at rallying energy costs in the fourth quarter as it tapped fixed-cost supplies from the Middle East and boosted customer pricing by 10 percent.

U.S. stocks slipped on Thursday as concerns over increasing disorder in Egypt and signs of exhaustion in the recent market rally weighed on investor sentiment.

Brisk agricultural, plastic and electronic sales helped Dow Chemical Co, post a better-than-expected fourth-quarter profit, with earnings from joint ventures in the glass and energy sectors particularly strong.

Wall Street tumbled on Thursday as concerns over increasing disorder in Egypt and signs of exhaustion in the recent market rally weighed on investor sentiment.

U.S. stocks opened slightly lower on Thursday as investors weighed hints of an improving economy against increasing disorder in Egypt and signs pointing to an end to the recent rally.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc , operator of the W and Sheraton hotels, posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by increased revenue per available room in North America and Asia Pacific.

U.S. stock index futures edged lower on Thursday as investors weighed the prospects of some solid U.S. economic data against increasing discord in Egypt and worries that a rally that may be losing steam.

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Thursday as investors weighed the prospects of some solid U.S. economic data against increasing discord in Egypt and worries that a rally that may be losing steam.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's does not have any plans to downgrade the U.S. sovereign debt rating, but it believes credit risk may increase in the long term, a senior official at the agency said on Thursday.

Shell disappointed investors on Thursday with below-forecast fourth-quarter profit, with concerns over its refining business overshadowing a sharp rise driven by higher oil prices.

Stock index futures pointed to a quiet open for Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones up 0.1 percent, and Nasdaq futures down 0.1 percent at 4:34 a.m. ET.

World stocks fell and oil surged above $103 a barrel on Thursday as violence in Egypt escalated, adding to concerns about inflationary pressures which could threaten the global economic recovery.

Japanese stocks eased on Thursday as escalating violence in Egypt prompted investors to move to safer assets, while commodities extended their recent gains, underscoring growing inflationary pressures that could threaten the global economic recovery.

Stocks stalled on Wednesday as technical measures suggested a five-month rally was growing long in the tooth.

The S&P 500 index ended lower on Wednesday, with charts suggesting the index's five-month rally was growing long in the tooth.

Stocks stalled on Wednesday, a day after the Dow and the S&P 500 closed above important technical levels and at their highest in about 2-1/2 years.

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday after a report showed U.S. private sector added more jobs than expected in January.

U.S. stocks seesawed between modest gains and losses on Wednesday as indexes struggled to move higher a day after the Dow and S&P 500 closed at their highest in about 2-1/2 years.

Mattel Inc, the maker of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, posted quarterly results that breezed past market estimates, helped by strong demand across its brands.

U.S. stocks were little changed on Wednesday as a strong reading on the labor market failed to extend gains a day after the Dow and S&P reached their highest close in about 2-1/2 years.