INVESTMENT

Next week is slated to be the biggest for initial public offerings in the United States in nearly two years -- and some say the resurgence could be sustainable.

The Federal Reserve plans new rules on bank pay to curb the type of excessive risk-taking that sparked the global financial crisis and triggered international demands for action.

Continental Resources Inc, a crude-oil concentrated, independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company, on Friday sold $300 million of senior notes in the 144a private placement market, said market sources.

UBS AG has formally warned wealthy American clients that their secret Swiss accounts may be revealed to U.S. tax authorities after next Wednesday's expiration of a U.S. amnesty program.

From Detroit's union halls to its boardrooms, the consensus belief is that billions of dollars in federal investment and loans kept the American auto industry from collapse.

U.S. stocks rose on Friday as a brokerage upgrade of Procter & Gamble lifted shares of consumer staples companies, putting the market on track for a second week of gains.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co's KKR.UL investment in troubled photography company Eastman Kodak Co may look risky but a 10 percent annual return and protections even if the company fails could make it all worthwhile.

UBS AG has formally warned wealthy American clients that secret Swiss accounts may be revealed to U.S. tax authorities after the Wednesday expiration of an amnesty program that could give them immunity from prosecution.

The U.S. Federal Reserve plans new rules on bank pay to curb excessive risk-taking, which is blamed for sparking the global financial crisis and has triggered international demands for action.

U.S. clients of UBS AG have been warned by the bank that their undeclared income in Switzerland may be revealed to U.S. tax authorities, according to a letter obtained by Reuters on Friday.

U.S. authorities are conducting a criminal probe into Bank of America Corp's purchase of Merrill Lynch, the Charlotte Observer reported on Friday.

American clients of UBS AG were formally warned by the bank that their undeclared income in Switzerland may be revealed to U.S. tax authorities, according to a letter obtained by Reuters on Friday.

The stars have aligned for gold prices, leaving them just a short hop from record highs, but as bullion bugs celebrate, the rally appears to have flaws.

Fed Takes Role on Pay; Citi Draws a Line; Airbus Sees Tough Years

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Friday as investors sought to determine whether a pullback is on the horizon after a 6-month rally and braced for options expiration.

The Swiss government said it would appoint up to five temporary judges to deal with complaints arising from an agreement to hand over data on some UBS client accounts to U.S. authorities.

Former Morgan Stanley managing director Du Jun was sentenced to a maximum seven years in jail on Friday after a district court found him guilty of insider trading in the city's highest-profile case of its kind.

Citadel Broadcasting Corp offered a deal to exchange a major part of its debt for equity to senior lenders owed $2 billion, including JPMorgan Chase & Co , GE Capital and ING Groep NV , the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the negotiations.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower open on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.2 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.2 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.2 percent at 3:37 a.m. EDT.

BNP Paribas, France's largest bank, is close to selling its stake in ABN AMRO TEDA Fund Management Co in China, in a step toward complying with Chinese mutual fund regulations.

The shareholders of Amadeus have hired investment bank Rothschild to study a possible stock offering of the travel reservations giant, a source with knowledge of the deal said on Thursday.