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Best Buy reported lower-than-expected sales and profit, hurt by rising costs of expanding its business and weaker consumer demand, sending its shares down 6 percent.

Manufacturing in New York state grew in June even as employment declined, supporting the view the factory sector is recovering, while import prices recorded their largest decline in nearly a year in May.

Credit card delinquencies fell again at major lenders in May as more consumers managed to pay their bills despite a sluggish economic recovery.

Stocks mostly fell on Friday, tracking an unexpected decline in retail sales that raised concerns about the health of consumers, a key component of the economic recovery.

Stocks mostly fell on Friday, tracking an unexpected decline in retail sales that raised concerns about the health of consumers, a key component of the economic recovery.

Sales at retailers unexpectedly fell in May for the first time since September, pulled down by a record slump in purchases of building materials, according to a government report on Friday that added to fears the economic recovery was losing some muscle.

Sales at retailers unexpectedly fell in May for the first time in eight months, but a jump in consumer sentiment to a near 2-1/2 year high in early June eased fears of a slowdown in the economic recovery.

Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly fell in May for the first time since September, pulled down by a record slump in purchases of building materials, according to a government report on Friday that added to fears the economic recovery was losing some steam.

The number of U.S. workers filing claims for jobless aid fell modestly last week as the labor market recovery struggled for momentum, while a slip in exports in April supported views of moderate economic growth.

The number of U.S. workers filing claims for jobless aid fell modestly last week as the labor market recovery struggled for momentum, while a slip in exports in April supported views of moderate economic growth.

The number of workers filing new applications for unemployment insurance fell less than expected last week, while the trade deficit widened slightly in April, pointing to a moderate economic recovery.

BP shares trading on U.S. exchanges fell more than 15 percent to a 14-year low on Wednesday on growing worries about the costs the oil company will incur after the Gulf of Mexico oil leak.

Major Asian oil buyers including India and China bought comparatively less loads of West African oil in June. According to reports, Indian, Chinese Taiwanese and Indonesian end-users bought a total of 1.65 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude from the oil-exporting region in 52 full or part cargoes, down from 1.72 million bpd in 56 cargoes in May.

Japanese bank lending marked its biggest annual fall in nearly five years in May, falling 2 percent as companies remained wary of boosting capital spending even as the economy recovers and the central bank keeps monetary policy loose.

Vietnam's banking system witnessed drastic dips in gold deposits during April and May. According to Vietnam Banking Association, over the last two months, the volume of gold on deposit in banks decreased by 15 percent, or 16,000-20,000 taels.

The homeownership rate will drop further unless house prices rise substantially, as people who owe more on their mortgage than their house is worth become renters, according to a study released Friday.

Stock index futures fell on Friday, tracking European equities and the euro as investor worries intensified over the sovereign debt crisis in the region.

Stock index futures fell on Friday, tracking European equities and the euro lower, as investors looked ahead to the May non-farm payrolls report that could signal the pace of an economic recovery.

Google expects to release its Chrome computer operating system in the late fall, a top executive said on Wednesday, as it aims a competitive strike at rival Microsoft's Windows.

Asian stocks followed Wall Street down on Wednesday as jitters over the euro zone's debt crisis prompted investors to keep cutting riskier positions, while the euro steadied after hitting a four-year low.

World stocks fell on Tuesday and the euro slipped closer to a four-year low against the dollar as expectations that slowing growth in China and the euro zone would hamper the global economic recovery hit risky assets.