MARKETS / FINANCE

Moody's Investors Service warned on Thursday of the growing likelihood that it could revise the outlook on the AAA credit rating of the United States to negative in the next two years.

Gold fell more than 2 percent on Thursday, after a raft of positive economic data from the United States and more hawkish signals from some other central bank officials have sparked speculation that certain major economies would move to raise interest rates sooner than previously thought.

Strong corporate earnings led Wall Street to a 29-month closing high for a second day on Thursday, but another run of big gains may be harder to achieve.

Shares of Amazon.com rose on Thursday, hours before the Web retailer is expected to report impressive quarterly revenue gains from the holiday season, though 2011 profit margins may temper investor enthusiasm.

U.S. housing and factory data on Thursday showed the economy still gaining strength in December but at a pace unlikely to cause the Federal Reserve to rethink its stimulus program.

U.S. stocks rose modestly on Thursday on earnings, holding near 29-month highs, but technical gauges suggested near-term resistance to strong gains.

Contracts for pending sales of previously owned homes rose faster than expected in December after the prior month's sales were revised lower, data from a real estate trade group said on Thursday.

Lockheed Martin , L-3 Communications and Raytheon Co beat Wall Street earnings expectations, aided by cost-cutting and higher sales, boosting shares of U.S. defense contractors.

Contracts for pending sales of previously owned homes rose faster than expected in December after the prior month's sales were revised lower, data from a real estate trade group said on Thursday.

Caterpillar Inc reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its sales forecast, sending its shares to an all-time high, as rising commodity prices increased mining industry demand for its earth-moving equipment.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as harsh weather conditions in some parts of the country kept workers at home and caused a backlog in the processing of claims, a government report showed on Thursday.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as harsh weather conditions in some parts of the country kept workers at home and caused a backlog in the processing of claims, a government report showed on Thursday.

Amazon.com should report impressive fourth-quarter sales on Thursday, fueled by the holiday season, while Wall Street will watch for clues about the retailer's profit margins in 2011.

Stock indexes held near 29-month highs on Thursday as buyers took their cues from companies reporting strong numbers, like Netflix, but the short-term technical picture suggested big gains are going to be hard to achieve.

Standard & Poor's cut Japan's credit rating on Thursday for the first time since 2002, saying Tokyo had no plan to deal with its mounting debt, a warning that could rattle other heavily indebted rich countries.

DR Horton Inc (DHI.N), the top U.S. homebuilder, reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss, citing an increase in home foreclosures, and lingering anxiety among homebuyers that contributed to a sharp drop

Invesco Ltd , one of the largest U.S. mutual fund companies, reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as it benefited from a big acquisition and increases in global stock markets.

Facebook has no plans to launch Facebook-branded phones with Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC, it said on Thursday, following reports that it planned to launch an official tie-up next month.

The Dow and S&P were little changed on Thursday as disappointing labor market data offset strong results from Caterpillar, but a strong outlook from Qualcomm lifted the Nasdaq.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as harsh weather conditions in some parts of the country kept workers at home and caused a backlog in the processing

Rating agency Standard & Poor's cut Japan's long-term sovereign debt rating on Thursday for the first time since 2002, saying the country's government lacked a coherent plan to tackle its mounting debt.

The Federal Reserve showed on Wednesday it was in no rush to cut short its rescue of the U.S. economy, saying high unemployment still justified its $600 billion bond-buying plan even though the economy has

New U.S. claims for jobless benefits surged last week as snowstorms in some parts of the country kept workers at home, but the underlying trend pointed to an only gradual labor market improvement.

Stock index futures were slightly higher on Thursday, a day after the S&P 500 closed at a 29-month high as several bellwether companies reported strong results.

Stock index futures were little changed on Thursday, a day after the S&P 500 closed at a 29-month high as investors looked ahead to a new round of data and corporate earnings.

A key measure of business activity strengthened again in December, a lender group told Reuters on Tuesday, as companies borrowed more money to invest in their operations and did a better job of staying

Stock index futures pointed to a flat to weaker start for Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.1 percent, while futures for the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq traded flat by 5:18 a.m. EST.

America's college and university endowment funds recorded an 11.9 percent return last year, aided by big bets on alternative investments like hedge funds but helped even more by traditional stock and bond selections.

The yen fell and investors took a cautious stance on stocks and riskier assets on Thursday after Standard & Poor's cut Japan's credit rating in a forceful reminder of the fragile state of some leading countries' finances.