Gold jumped more than 1 percent and metals market plunged on Friday as investors sought safe havens and fled riskier assets on worries over slowing global economic growth.
Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Friday, adding to the two-week slump as investors continued to sell, spooked by the prospect of another recession.
With signs emerging that the financial foundations of two of Euro Zone's founding members -- Italy and Spain -- are shaken badly by the worsening debt crisis, the continued existence of the euro area grouping has become doubtful, according to a major think tank.
The yen tumbled on Thursday as Japanese authorities intervened to curb its recent gains, though gold stayed near a record high on uncertainty over whether the European Central Bank would join the fray by resuming bond purchases to fight a crisis of confidence.
Leap Wireless posted a wider second-quarter loss as it added fewer customers than expected, sending its shares down as much as 5 percent in extended trading.
Private equity firm KKR & Co reported lower-than-expected second-quarter earnings on Wednesday as investment income declined and the value of its investments rose less than the previous year, sending its shares lower.
Wall Street stocks tumbled on Wednesday with the S&P falling to a new low for the year after another round of soft economic data.
New orders received by factories fell in June, pulled down by weak demand for transportation equipment, government data showed on Wednesday.
Societe Generale warned it would struggle to reach its 2012 profit target as its exposure to Greece and a tougher economic backdrop took its toll on second-quarter earnings.
Smith Micro Software posted a wider-than-expected quarterly loss as revenue almost halved, and forecast weak third-quarter sales, sending its shares down 12 percent after hours.
Pfizer Inc
showed further weakness in its main business of prescription medicines, sending shares down more than 3 percent on concern over future growth as the company prepares to divest better-performing non-pharmaceuticals businesses.Asian shares fell on Tuesday as sluggish U.S. and global manufacturing data added to concerns about the health of the world economy, while a strengthening yen prompted speculation that Tokyo may intervene in the markets to curb the currency.
Asian shares fell on Tuesday on concerns about a downgrade of the United States credit rating and economic worries after sluggish data, while the yen gave some gains on jitters over the possibility of intervention by Bank of Japan.
Park spokeswoman Kari Cobb told the Associated Press that Haylee LaFlamme of San Ramon, Calif., was hiking with three friends on Sunday when she slipped while descending the enormous granite dome, falling on the shoulder of the dome.
Chinese Internet portal Sohu.com Inc's shares fell 9 percent, as a 37 percent rise in quarterly net profit failed to impress investors amidst falling gross margins and higher operating expenses.
France's Total posted lower quarterly earnings on Friday as higher crude prices failed to make up for unfavorable exchange rates, production losses in the North Sea and Libya, and a weak refining business.
Motorola Mobility reported higher-than-expected second-quarter revenue, but its outlook was lower than expected, sending its shares down more than 6 percent after hours.
Sprint Nextel posted second-quarter profit margins well below Wall Street estimates, sending its shares down 16 percent as the No. 3 U.S. mobile provider still lost more subscribers than expected despite spending heavily to fight off rivals.
Sprint Nextel announced a $9 billion network contract but its shares fell 9 percent as investors were disappointed that the No. 3 U.S. mobile provider did not give a strategy for the future.
New claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, dropping below the key 400,000 level for the first time since early April, according to a government report on Thursday that pointed to some labor market improvement.
The number of Americans claiming new unemployment benefits last week dropped below the 400,000 level for the first time since early April, a hopeful sign for the economy which has struggled to regain momentum.
Global stocks fell to their lowest in more than a week on Thursday, knocked down by mounting concerns about a U.S. debt default which also kept the dollar subdued against the safe-haven Swiss franc and the yen.
