IBT Staff Reporter

Emirates, a small but increasingly influential airline, has jet maker Boeing Co. jockeying with rival Airbus SAS for a multibillion-dollar deal.

U.S. stock futures extended gains on Tuesday as quarterly results from companies including chemical manufacturer DuPont Co. fueled optimism about corporate profit growth despite near-record oil prices.

Former Enron Chairman and Chief Executive Kenneth Lay took the witness stand at his corporate fraud trial on Monday and steadfastly denied he knew of any crimes at the energy company he headed for more than 15 years.

Foreign stocks have become so popular in the United States that whole exchanges are now shopping abroad. Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq have been competing to buy the centuries-old London Stock Exchange.

Sun Microsystems Inc. on Monday posted a quarterly net loss due to merger- and other related charges as revenue climbed, boosted by the computer maker's acquisition of Storage Technology Corp.

Britain's leading shares were barely weaker on Monday, propped up by gains in oil companies and miners such as BG Group as prices of crude oil and some metals traded near record levels, although most heavyweight sectors such as banks and pharmaceuticals eased.

Caterpillar Inc. reported on Monday that it earned its best-ever first quarter profits and looked forward to better prospects for the rest of the year.

While financial markets may not react dramatically to the Group of Seven's charge to China to let its yuan currency rise, the events of the weekend will likely further erode faith in the U.S. dollar.

China's yuan currency can probably begin to rise more swiftly given the reforms Beijing has put in place, but gradualism is still the guiding philosophy, the head of China's central bank said on Saturday.

The dollar slid about 1 percent to three month lows against the yen in early trade on Monday after Group of Seven countries singled out China in their call for more flexibility in exchange rates. The dollar slid about 1 percent to three month lows against the yen in early trade on Monday after Group of Seven countries singled out China in their call for more flexibility in exchange rates.

Soon after you retire, you'll probably have to start withdrawing the money you assiduously deposited month after month, year after year.

The two top Internet search engine companies proved last week there is still plenty of room for advertising growth, though Google's dominance marks a major advantage over Yahoo, according to analysts.

A special 13-judge court opens high-stakes hearings on Monday, deciding if it should curtail the European Commission's role as an antitrust watchdog or endorse forcing Microsoft to change its business practices.

Finance ministers endorsed proposals Sunday intended to make it easier for international lending institutions to deal with soaring oil prices, trade gaps and other problems that threaten to derail growth.

The $70-a-barrel mark for oil, decisively breached this week, is seen by many analysts as a danger level. But some argue sustained prices of well over $60 have inflicted surprisingly little pain and done some good.

Corporate earnings news will likely determine the course of the stock market next week as investors scan profit outlooks for enough strength to propel the Dow industrials the few hundred more points the index needs for a record high.

Chinese banks will increasingly opt to list shares at home as China's financial markets mature, a senior banking regulator said on Saturday.

Chief executives of the world's top energy companies met ministers from the biggest producers on Saturday with record oil prices of above $75 a barrel speeding the race for supply investment.

eBay Inc. has had talks with both Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. to determine whether one of them might be a suitable ally against common threats from Google, Inc., the Wall Street Journal said on Friday.

Aging directors, diversification needs, fund-raising fatigue, and a current lull in the buyout market are prompting large private equity firms to take a serious look at launching publicly traded funds.

Britain's FTSE 100 index saw earlier gains evaporate and ended lower on Thursday after mining stocks including Xstrata and Rio Tinto tracked a steep fall in commodities prices and handed back some of the sector's striking gains.

An indicator of future U.S. economic activity slipped for a second month in March, hinting at slower growth ahead, while separate data showed Mid-Atlantic factory activity edged up in April despite higher costs.

Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged to President George W. Bush on Thursday that China will make more trade concessions and does not seek an excessive trade surplus with the United States.

Prices of oil, base metals and precious metals were slashed on Thursday afternoon as cross-asset profit-taking kicked in, traders said.

The headwind of rising U.S. interest rates may be about to ease, but investors are still facing tighter money across the board and some are beginning to sound warning bells about emerging markets as a result.

Brent crude oil jumped to a fresh record high above $74 a barrel on Thursday after a steep drop in U.S. gasoline stocks fueled fears of tight summer supplies at a time of growing anxiety over Iran's exports.

Industrial leaders United Technologies Corp. and Honeywell International Inc. posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings on Wednesday, but their shares headed in opposite directions, with investors keying off profit forecasts.

Leading U.S. carrier American Airlines Inc. on Wednesday reported a narrower quarterly loss that handily beat forecasts as rising fuel prices were partially offset by increasing revenue.

A roaring rally in precious metals persisted on Wednesday as a weaker dollar and firmer oil pushed gold and silver to 25- and 23-year highs respectively and lifted platinum to a record peak.