NEWS

Stock futures signaled Wall Street would rise at the open on Thursday as rising oil prices boosted energy shares and sentiment was underpinned by optimism about the Federal Reserve's bid to lower borrowing costs.

Stock futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Thursday following a strong rally overnight after the Federal Reserve surprised investors when it said it would buy long-term Treasury bonds for the first time in four decades.

The role of the U.S. dollar as the key global currency will decline after the financial crisis, and its value may also weaken due to America's current account deficit, officials at some of Asia's top think tanks said.

The U.S. dollar steadied on Thursday after suffering its biggest daily plunge since 1985, while Asian government bonds rallied on a large-scale plan by the Federal Reserve to buy long-dated U.S. Treasuries, reviving a practice not used in decades.

The U.S. dollar nursed big losses on Thursday and Asian government bonds rallied after the Federal Reserve vowed to buy long-dated U.S. Treasuries, reviving a practice not used in decades to revive an ailing economy.

Stocks leaped on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve surprised Wall Street when it said it will buy long-term Treasury bonds for the first time in four decades in an effort to revive the recession-hit economy.

Oil fell $1 a barrel on Wednesday after data showed U.S. crude inventories swelled to the highest level in nearly two years and the World Bank cut its 2009 forecast for China's economic growth.

Starbucks Corp is on track to hit its target of $500 million in cost savings this fiscal year as the world's biggest coffee chain closes stores and sheds staff, its chief executive said at the company's annual shareholder meeting.

Stocks shot higher on Wednesday in a brisk rally after the Federal Reserve said it will buy long-term U.S. Treasuries in its push to revive the recession-hit economy.

The Dow industrials slipped and the S&P 500 was up slightly on Wednesday as news that International Business Machines Corp was in talks to buy Sun Microsystems pulled IBM's stock lower, more than offsetting a rise in financials.

Stocks pared losses on Wednesday as oil prices trimmed earlier losses and bank stocks advanced following reassuring comments from Bank of America chief executive.

The American International Group bonus payment debacle could not have come at a worse time for a U.S. government that desperately needs to attract up to $2 trillion of private capital for its latest efforts to repair a crippled financial system.

U.S. stocks pared losses on Wednesday as oil prices trimmed earlier losses and bank stocks advanced following reassuring comments from Bank of America chief executive.

General Mills Inc posted a lower-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, hurt by the effect of the stronger dollar and high costs, and gave a full-year outlook below Wall Street forecasts, sending its shares down as much as 10 percent to a three-year low.

Oil fell $1 to $48 a barrel on Wednesday after government data showed U.S. crude supplies swelled to the highest level in nearly two years, and the World Bank cut its forecast for China's economic growth this year.

Stocks fell on Wednesday as lower oil prices hurt energy shares and caution before the Federal Reserve's policy decision offset optimism from a report of a potential takeover in the technology sector.

Oil fell from a 2-1/2-month high toward $48 a barrel on Wednesday after industry data on Tuesday showed large builds in U.S. crude stocks.

Stocks were set to dip at the open on Wednesday as investors turned cautious before the Federal Reserve's policy decision, tempering optimism from a report that IBM was in talks to buy computer maker Sun Microsystems .

Stock futures were little changed on Wednesday as a report that IBM was in talks to buy computer maker Sun Microsystems offset caution before the Federal Reserve's policy decision.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Wednesday as investors awaited decisions from the Federal Reserve's two-day policy setting meeting.

World share prices rose on Wednesday, while European government debt fell with forecast-beating U.S. housing data prompting more optimism among investors after the last week's rally.

Political pressures cast a new shadow over Rio Tinto Ltd's planned $19.5 billion tie-up with Chinese state-owned Chinalco, knocking its shares down 10 percent on Wednesday, with Australia's Senate saying it would examine foreign investment.

Bank shares powered ahead in Asia on Wednesday to underpin regional markets, while Japanese government bond futures edged up after the Bank of Japan sharply increased the debt it would buy to support the economy.

Asian stocks drifted higher on Wednesday as banks extended gains, while Japanese government bonds rose after the Bank of Japan sharply increased the amount of government debt it would purchase to support the economy.

Asian stocks inched higher on Wednesday after a financial sector-driven rally pushed them to one-month highs this week, while U.S. Treasuries edged up on speculation the Federal Reserve may take the unorthodox step of buying government debt to push down interest rates.

Design software maker Adobe Systems Inc forecast a decline in quarterly profit in line with Wall Street projections as it blamed the weak economy for a projected revenue drop.

Stocks surged on Tuesday as an unexpected leap in housing starts pushed Home Depot and other retailers higher while bullish comments from a broker on Cisco Systems helped technology shares rebound.

Design software maker Adobe Systems Inc forecast a decline in quarterly profit that was in line with Wall Street projections, sending its shares up 2 percent.

Stocks surged on Tuesday as an unexpected leap in housing starts pushed Home Depot and other retailers higher while bullish comments from a broker on Cisco Systems helped technology shares rebound.