IBT Staff Reporter

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell on Thursday as worse-than-expected jobless claims offset generally positive earnings reports.

AT&T Inc reported stronger-than-expected third quarter profit as the glitzy iPhone and low budget Tracfone service combined to attract a record number of wireless customers.

As the U.S. economy shows signs of recovery despite still high unemployment, the number of people seeking state help by filing initial unemployment insurance claims jumped last week but not enough to cause an increase in the 4-week moving average.

Democrats in the U.S. Congress moved on Wednesday to repeal the health insurance industry's exemption from antitrust laws, cranking up the pressure in a growing battle over President Barack Obama's healthcare reform plans.

France's FSI strategic investment fund will take part in a 17 million euros ($25 million) capital raising for web video share site Dailymotion, the Gallic rival of Google Inc's YouTube.

Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc, the second-largest oil and gas rig contractor, posted better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, boosted by gains from its deepwater rigs.

Australian-listed oil and gas producer Oil Search Ltd has found oil in an exploration well in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, it said on Thursday.

Merck & Co , slated to acquire Schering-Plough Corp later this year, reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit amid strong demand for its Januvia diabetes pill and gains from the sale of its share of the Merial animal health business.

Oil slipped below $81 on Thursday as a stronger dollar encouraged investors to lock into profits from a 12-month high hit the previous day.

AT&T Inc posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly results on Thursday, as Apple Inc's iPhone helped the phone company land a record number of new wireless subscribers.

A Bahamian Supreme Court judge ordered a retrial late on Wednesday in the case of two people accused of trying to extort $25 million from Hollywood actor John Travolta.

Collin Wilcox Paxton, who played the white girl who accused a black man of raping her in the classic 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, died October 14 of brain cancer at her home in Highlands, North Carolina. She was 74.

Peter Criss, founding member of rock band KISS, knows that many of his male fans are macho, so he is making the rounds to tell them even tough rocker guys like him can suffer from a disease usually associated with women -- breast cancer.

McDonald's Corp posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit and projected positive same-store sales trends in October as consumers sought low-cost dining options, sending its shares up more than 2 percent in early trading.

Ever forget your phone charger and no one around has the same kind of handset?

Printing company Xerox Corp's quarterly profit was halved, underscoring the slowdown in office equipment spending, although results beat Wall Street expectations on cost cuts.

While obstacles to short sales remain, real estate practitioners say the process is becoming more efficient. Rather than waiting six months or more to push through a deal, agents say banks are more willing to negotiate prices up front.

Marlboro cigarette maker Philip Morris International Inc posted higher-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its full-year outlook on Thursday, helped by price increases in some markets.

Italian officials have ordered an investigation into Facebook groups called Let's Kill Berlusconi, saying they incite hatred and might lead to a real rather than virtual attack on the prime minister.

A group representing authors in China has accused Google of violating copyrights with its digital library, a claim that Google denies by saying the service complies with international law.

Stock futures were poised for a slightly lower open on Thursday after the government said new jobless claims rose more than expected and a slew of big corporate earnings reports, including UPS, 3M, Dow Chemical and Merck.

McDonald's Corp posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by cost controls and rising sales in all regions, and expects same-store sales to remain positive in October even though people eat out less often.

Companies must step up efforts to safeguard nature, according to a U.N.-backed study on Thursday that praised consumer foods giant Unilever as among few firms doing enough.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, data showed on Thursday, indicating the labor market remains fragile despite signs of economic revival.

Saxophonist Clarence The Big Man Clemons knew his life would never be the same when he walked up to a New Jersey bar nearly 40 years ago and the door blew off its hinges and sailed into a storm-battered night.

Top Philippine refiner Petron Corp said on Thursday it aimed to raise as much as $500 million through a preferred share issue, but it did not give details of timing.

The managers of Galleon's $500 million Asia fund are exploring a possible buyout of the unit, sources told Reuters on Thursday, as the Singapore-based traders strive to keep investors on board after redemption requests.

Dow Chemical Co said on Thursday that third-quarter net income jumped 78 percent even as sales dropped.

Recession-stricken New York City plans to double its current green work force by creating over 13,000 new jobs in the next decade, partly by competing with London to become the new center for carbon trading, a city official said on Wednesday.