IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. employment fell for a third straight month in August, but the decline was far less than expected and private payrolls growth surprised on the upside, easing pressure on the Federal Reserve to prop up growth.

Lifestyle change is difficult work and often requires the support of others. When undertaking a major life change, it is generally important to seek the assistance and guidance of professionals to encourage you and equip you with new tools and information to help.

Britain's leading share index hit a more than three-week high on Friday as the market looks beyond a weak employment picture in the United States after factoring in a soft patch in the pace of the economic recovery.

Wall Street advanced on Friday after a better-than-expected jobs report lifted investor optimism on the economy but gains were checked after data showed services sector activity slowed.

Campbell Soup Co posted lower-than-expected quarterly sales and forecast sales growth for the new fiscal year below its long-term target as the world's largest soup company grapples with a weak economy.

Concerns over Israeli access to BlackBerry data, and the use of the device by the United States to spy on the United Arab Emirates are behind the Gulf state's moves to curb the smartphone, Dubai's police chief said.

British service sector activity grew last month at its slowest pace since April 2009, with a marked fall in hiring as employers worried about an economic slowdown and public spending cuts, a survey showed on Friday.

U.S. employment fell for a third straight month in August, but the drop was far less than expected and private hiring surprised on the upside, easing pressure on the Federal Reserve to prop up economic growth.

Gold prices fell more than 1 percent on Friday to their lowest in three sessions, after data showed U.S. non-farm payrolls fell by less than expected in August, boosting the appeal of assets seen as higher risk.

A suicide bomber car bomber blew himself up and wounded 25 policemen at a police station in northern Tajikistan on Friday, the interior ministry said.

The marriage of X Factor judge and pop singer Cheryl Cole and her England soccer player husband Ashley ended in divorce after four years on Friday.

The U.S. dollar rallied versus the yen on Friday after a government report showed U.S. employment fell by far less than expected in August and private payrolls growth was surprisingly strong. The dollar jumped 1 percent to trade above 85 yen as the data fueled expectations the U.S. labor market is not as bad as feared and helped lift U.S. Treasury securities yields.

Wall Street was poised for a strong open on Friday after a better-than-expected jobs report lifted investor optimism on the economy.

Metro Bank, Britain's first new high street retail bank in more than 100 years, said on Friday it was ahead of its own targets for new account openings at its flagship branch.

BP Plc said the cost of dealing with its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico had risen to $8 billion (5 billion pounds) as the oil giant prepared to release the findings of an internal probe into the causes of the disaster.

People who take a commonly used class of osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates for more than five years may be doubling their risk of developing cancer of the gullet or esophagus, a British study found on Friday.

An estimated five million uninsured children in the United States were eligible for Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) but were not enrolled in either plan, according to a new report.

An experimental Novartis drug can clear malaria infection in mice with a single dose and scientists say it shows promise as a possible future treatment for one of the world's major killer diseases.

It wasn't what you would call a casual get-together.

Global service sector surveys highlighted a growing divergence in economic recovery on Friday with a pick up in growth in China and Germany but slowdowns in Britain and Spain and an expected deceleration in the United States.

Mozambique's capital Maputo got back to work on Friday after two days of rioting, triggered by a sharp hike in bread prices, which the government said left seven dead, 288 injured and millions of dollars of damage.

Slim gains from miners and energy firms nudged the FTSE 100 slightly higher on Friday, but moves were muted ahead of closely watched August employment data from the United States.

U.S. employment likely fell for a third straight month in August as more temporary census jobs ended and cautious businesses scaled back hiring, an outcome that could pressure the Federal Reserve to prop up growth.

Alcohol consumption in Britain saw its sharpest decline in more than 60 years in 2009 in contrast to the perception that the country has a growing drink problem, the British Beer & Pub Association said on Friday.

Oil eased on Friday as the market joined in the wait for monthly data from leading energy consumer the United States and Hurricane Earl posed a potential threat to the nation's east coast refineries. U.S. crude for October dropped 38 cents to $74.64 a barrel by 0920 GMT, on track for its third weekly drop in four weeks, while ICE Brent declined 42 cents to $76.51.

India's soybean production is forecasted to be above 90 lakh tons during this season despite 4% shortfall in the total acreage, said industrial body, the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA).

Canada's Goldcorp Inc agreed to buy Argentina-focused gold miner Andean Resources Ltd for C$3.6 billion ($3.4 billion), trumping a competing offer from rival Eldorado Gold Corp.

European shares edged higher in early trade on Friday, after gains in the United States and Japan, but with traders cautious ahead of a key labour market report.

Chinese and other investors have approached at least one big Canadian pension manager about a bid for Canada's Potash Corp to rival BHP Billiton's $39 billion (25 billion pounds) hostile offer.