DOW JONES

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.

Venture capital firms are now placing more and bigger bets on Chinese internet companies, making China the second-largest recipient of venture capital financing in terms of deal volume for the first time in 2011.

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.

Precious metals enjoyed a steady climb on Thursday despite a slow day for the broader market, as gold futures reached an eight-week high while the dollar fell briefly and concerns about the Greek debt crisis subsided slightly.

The Dow and S&P 500 advanced for a second day on Tuesday as stronger-than-expected consumer confidence data and hopes for further progress on a solution to Europe's fiscal mess bolstered sentiment.

Stock index futures were little changed on Thursday as investors looked ahead to weekly jobless claims data, one last clue about the state of the labor market before Friday's key non-farm payrolls report.

Gold prices Thursday extended last month's rally after positive manufacturing from China to the Europe to the U.S. and Greece appeared close to a settlement with its creditors.

Stocks extended January's rally on Wednesday after upbeat global manufacturing data boosted sentiment and as Greece neared a long-delayed deal with private creditors.

Shares of London-based Hochschild Mining closed Wednesday up 5.91 percent to £523.50 ($829.24), solidly outpacing the rise in the price of silver.

A leading indicator of the state of global industry -- whose biggest dips in the past have come just before the world economy fell into recession -- is dropping like a lead anchor. Some savvy market forecasters are saying this should be sounding alarm bells. But what do the experts who actually work in shipping have to say?

Wall Street closed its best month since October on a flat note on Tuesday as weaker-than-expected economic reports surprised investors after a stream of positive data in recent months.

Stocks gave up early gains to turn flat on Tuesday, weighed down by mixed corporate earnings and weaker-than-expected data on Midwest business activity and consumer confidence.

Consumer confidence took an unexpected dip in January, largely driven down by a tepid job market, negating gains over the last two months and falling short of economists' expectations.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 indexes up 0.5-0.6 percent.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is expected to review a rapid-fire technique that allows traders to buy and sell shares at lightning speed, a step that could help it better understand the impact of an activity critics say threatens market stability.

Stocks fell on Monday after Greece's efforts to reach a debt restructuring with creditors stalled, hampering European leaders' push to shift the market's focus to jobs and growth.

Stocks tumbled in early trading on Monday as concerns grew about the state of Europe's finances as Greece and Germany sparred over budget measures for Athens.

Stock index futures pointed to a weak open on Monday as concerns grew about the state of Europe's finances as Greece and Germany sparred over budget measures for Athens.

Stock index futures fell on Monday as concerns grew about the state of Europe's finances as Greece and Germany sparred over budget measures for Athens.

Gold prices slipped Monday as the euro fell, global stocks declined and investors booked profits from recent gains.