MARKETS / FINANCE

The Gold Price continued to hold steady Thursday morning, trading in a tight range around $1536 per ounce - 2.6% off last month's spot market all-time high - while stocks and commodities gained ahead of UK and Eurozone interest rate announcements.

Bankrupt Borders Group Inc said it may have to close up to 51 more stores -- including some of its most successful -- as the shrinking bookstore chain struggles to avoid defaulting on a bankruptcy loan.

Record exports in April tempered fears that the economic recovery was running off the rails, even though first-time claims for jobless benefits edged higher last week.

U.S. stocks extended gains on Thursday after trade data showed record U.S. exports, easing concerns about a stalled economic recovery following a six-day slide that left the equities market oversold.

Major U.S. banks came under growing pressure from banking regulators to improve the security of their customer account information after Citigroup Inc became the latest high-profile victim of a large-scale cyber attack.

Stocks extended gains on Thursday after trade data showed record U.S. exports, easing concerns about a stalled economic recovery following a six-day slide that left the equities market oversold.

The European Central Bank said on Thursday it opposed forcing private creditors to take part in debt relief for Greece, pushing back against Germany, which has demanded a bond swap to lengthen Greek debt maturities.

Recent housing and employment data suggests the economy is at a tipping point, while home prices could have much further to fall, veteran economist Robert Shiller said on Thursday.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose by 1,000 last week, according to a report on Thursday that could stoke fears the labor market recovery has stalled.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Microsoft Corp on Thursday, rejecting its appeal of a record $290 million jury verdict for infringing a small Canadian software firm's patent.

With an election three days away, Turkey prepared on Thursday for attacks on official websites by Internet vigilante group Anonymous in a protest against what it says is government Internet censorship.

Stocks opened slightly higher on Thursday following six days of losses as a narrowed U.S. trade deficit was seen as one positive point in a recent trend of discouraging economic data.

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France could back a private sector rollover of Greek debt as part of a new EU-IMF bailout if a voluntary formula can be found to avoid wider damage in euro zone markets, sources familiar with government thinking said.

Stocks rose on Thursday after six days of losses as a narrowed U.S. trade deficit was seen as one positive point in a recent string of weak economic data.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose by 1,000 last week, according to a report on Thursday that could stoke fears the labor market recovery has stalled.

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in April, as U.S. exports rose to a new record and imports from Japan tumbled more than 25 percent in the aftermath of its earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, a U.S. government report showed on Thursday.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment aid unexpectedly edged higher last week, stoking fears of a stalled economic recovery even as a separate report showed record exports in April.

Wall Street edged higher on Thursday after six days of losses as a narrowed U.S. trade deficit was seen as one positive point for growth in a recent avalanche of weak economic data.

The debate over whether the United States should stage a mini-debt default is largely a political one, although action must be taken on the country's fiscal situation, a top Federal Reserve official said on Thursday.

VISA Inc said it will acquire South African firm Fundamo for $110 million, and announced a five-year agreement with UK-based Monitise Plc, as it looks to grow its new technology-enabled payments business.

Pimco cut its holdings of Japanese and U.S. government debt in the past six months due to their diminishing investment appeal, although Japan's political turmoil is unlikely to trigger a spike in yields in the near term, the top bond fund's head of Japan portfolio management said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is examining whether Goldman Sachs Group Inc and some other financial companies violated bribery laws in dealings with Libya's sovereign-wealth fund, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The European Central Bank is in strong vigilance mode over inflation pressures, ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Thursday, using code words to indicate an interest rate increase is probably only a month away.

U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Thursday after six days of losses, but the mood remained fragile with many analysts expecting the S&P 500 to retest recent lows.

Visa Inc said it would buy Fundamo, a South African mobile financial services firm, for $110 million in cash, as the world's largest credit and debit card processing network looks to grow its mobile payments business.

China said it hoped the United States will take effective steps to improve its fiscal position, in Beijing's latest expression of concern about the possibility that Washington could briefly default on debt.

A new study by technology giant Samsung has revealed that more than 85 percent of US consumers, aged 18 and above, either own a tablet or are planning to purchase one.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.22 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.43 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.41 percent at 0930 GMT (5:30 a.m. ET).