UNEMPLOYMENT

Stock index futures edged higher on Friday as investors awaited the monthly payrolls report to see whether to make more large bets in risk assets after recent equity gains.

Stock index futures edged higher on Friday as investors awaited the monthly payrolls report to see whether to make more large bets in risk assets after recent equity gains.

Gold prices held steady on Friday, on course for a fifth straight week of gains, as investors awaited a key U.S. labor market report after upbeat jobless claims data in the previous session helped send bullion to a two-month high.

The rupee rose on Friday, supported by dollar inflows, although choppy local shares and cautious sentiment across world financial markets ahead of key U.S. jobs data capped major gains in the local currency.

Asian shares and the euro fell on Friday as debt restructuring talks between Greece and its creditors dragged on, undermining sentiment, and investors sat tight ahead of U.S. jobs data that will offer more clues on the health of the world's top economy.

Asian shares and the euro fell Friday as caution set in ahead of key U.S. jobs data, which will offer more clues over the state of the world's largest economy, while Greek debt restructuring talks dragged on and undermined sentiment.

A third round of large-scale asset purchases by the Federal Reserve is not needed and would compound the difficulties of tightening monetary policy when the time finally comes, a top Fed official said on Thursday.

Asian shares and major currencies were stuck in ranges Friday ahead of key U.S. jobs data, which will offer more clues over the state of the world's largest economy, while Greek debt restructuring talks dragged on.

The Federal Reserve may have more latitude to pursue easy-money policies if inflation runs below its newly-set 2-percent target, though such a move does not guarantee more jobs, a top central bank official said on Thursday.

Tracy Morgan's mother is pleading for her son's help after struggling financially and facing foreclosure. Morgan, however, does not plan to help her.

Donald Trump officially endorsed Mitt Romney for president on Thursday, praising the Republican front-runner for his business sense and stance on foreign policy.

Three years ago Gabe Collins was on the front line in Kandahar province, one of the most dangerous places in war-ravaged Afghanistan, conducting search and rescue missions with the U.S. Navy.

Investors largely took a wait-and-see approach on Thursday as stocks ended little changed ahead of Friday's key employment report, but tech shares rose after strong earnings from chipmaker Qualcomm.

New claims for unemployment benefits in the United States fell more than expected last week, pointing to further healing in the nation's battered jobs market.

Europe's financial crisis still threatens the U.S. recovery, and the Federal Reserve will do everything it can to protect against damage to the economy, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Thursday.

Claims for jobless benefits in the fourth week of January dropped after an uptick in the prior week. Economists said January has historically been more volatile than the rest of the year.

U.S. job cuts surged 28 percent in January to its highest level in four months as retailers and financial firms cut jobs.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, a government report showed on Thursday, pointing to more healing in the nation's battered jobs market.

The U.S. tax season is on and April 15 is the deadline for filing the Federal tax returns for 2011 without a penalty.

This theory has held up in 35 of the past 45 years (a 78 percent success rate) going back to the very first Super Bowl in 1967.

Employers hired fewer workers in January than they did in December, showing companies and banks that lend to them remain concerned U.S. economic growth will cool after expanding rapidly in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a survey of economists.