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Aetna Inc slashed its full-year earnings forecast on Monday because of higher-than- projected medical costs, sending its shares down more than 5 percent as the health insurer also posted a 28 percent drop in second-quarter net income.

The average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States fell again over the last two weeks, but prices seem to be bottoming out, an industry analyst said.

Amazon.com Inc posted a 10 percent decline in second-quarter earnings and gave a modest third-quarter outlook on Thursday, taking the shine off the world's largest online retailer and sending its shares down nearly 7 percent.

American Express Co , the largest credit card company by sales, reported quarterly earnings that fell in line with expectations on Thursday, hurt by weakness in cardmember spending, record credit losses, restructuring charges and the repayment of government funds.

Amazon.com Inc on Thursday posted a lower quarterly net profit and thin operating margins that took some of the shine off the world's largest online retailer, sending its shares down 6 percent in after-hours trade.

McDonald's Corp reported lower-than-expected June same-store sales on Thursday and its shares fell 4.9 percent after the top-performing restaurant chain only matched Wall Street's profit view.

McDonald's Corp reported light June same-store sales on Thursday and shares fell 3.8 percent after the top-performing restaurant chain only matched Wall Street's profit view.

Spot iron ore vessel bookings from Brazil to China jumped to a record in July as Australia suspended spot sales following detentions of Rio Tinto's top sales officials in China and as falling freight costs made longer haul trade attractive.

General Motors [GM.UL] on Wednesday posted a 22 percent global sales drop from a year earlier for the first six months of 2009 amid the economic slowdown and the automaker's slide into bankruptcy.

Asset manager BlackRock Inc said second-quarter profit fell from a year earlier as assets under management declined, but results rebounded from the first quarter as markets recovered.

Johnson Controls Inc posted a 63 percent plunge in quarterly earnings as the weak economy pressured the diversified manufacturer's auto parts and building controls businesses, but its shares rose 7 percent as the results beat Wall Street forecasts.

Stock index futures fell on Friday as caution took root following four days of gains, after General Electric Co's quarterly earnings sank and Google Inc pointed to weaker advertising and revenue growth, despite beating expectations.

CIT Group Inc , a lender to hundreds of thousands of small and mid-sized U.S. businesses, said bailout talks with the government had ended, a development that could ultimately drive the company into bankruptcy.

Microsoft Corp will open stores close to those of Apple Inc this fall, according to its chief operating officer, as it looks to win back the initiative in the battle for Main Street PC and gadget buyers.

CIT Group Inc , a major lender to small- and mid-sized U.S. businesses, said on Wednesday that talks with the government to bail out the company had ended, a development that could make bankruptcy likely.

Oil rose more than 3 percent to over $61 a barrel on Wednesday, supported by falling U.S. crude oil inventories and economic optimism following positive U.S. data.

Oil rose above $60 a barrel on Wednesday, supported by data showing a fall in U.S. crude oil inventories and after strong company earnings lifted expectations for economic recovery.

British luxury goods group Burberry met forecasts with a 4 percent fall in first-quarter underlying revenues and said on Wednesday trading conditions remained challenging.

Yum Brands Inc , parent of the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC chains, cut its full-year forecast for sales on weakness in its two biggest markets, the United States and China, and its shares fell 3.9 percent.

CIT Group Inc stock and bond prices tumbled Monday as the company sought to bolster liquidity and U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said he was keeping close watch on the lender to small and mid-sized businesses.

CIT Group Inc stock and bond prices tumbled Monday as the company sought to bolster liquidity and U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said he was keeping close watch on the lender to small and mid-sized businesses.