INVESTMENT

Chinese President Hu Jintao headed home on Friday after a U.S. visit both sides declared a success, but which left questions over how the world's top two economic powers will manage future frictions.

Securities regulators on Friday called for a new uniform fiduciary standard for broker-dealers and investment advisers that would require them to put retail customers ahead of their own financial interests.

Job losses and fear about what lies ahead persists on Main Street America, despite official pronouncements that the 'Great Recession' ended over a year ago, the head of a U.S. mayors group said this week. The group was in Washington to lobby President Obama and federal officials for billions of dollars in grants and investments.

Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff's sister-in-law Marion Madoff has listed her Palm Beach, FL home for $6.5 million.

The Kenyan shilling was barely moved against the dollar on Friday as traders squared positions but they said high oil prices were likely to stoke dollar demand and weigh on the local currency next week.

Chinese media praised President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States on Friday as a diplomatic masterstroke in easing tensions, but reports largely ignored thornier questions of currency and human rights.

Gold touched a two-month low in Europe on Friday, pressured by a firmer appetite for assets seen as higher risk on expectations the economic recovery was gaining traction, but a retreat in the dollar prevented a steeper drop.

The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, supporting her fight for democracy.

Silicon Valley startup Bloom Energy announced a service under which customers pay only for the electricity consumed rather than buying its fuel cell energy servers.

Singapore Exchange will start operating the world's fastest trading engine on August 15 that can handle 1 million order book changes per second per partition, said a media report.

Ambulatory surgery centers operator NovaMed Inc. (NOVA) said it agreed to go private and be acquired by an affiliate of Surgery Center Holdings, Inc. for $13.25 a share in cash.

New GDP figures at purchasing power parity (PPP) seem to suggest that China may have already overtaken the U.S. as the world's largest economy.

The companies which are expected to see active trade on Friday are: Bank of America, Advanced Micro Devices, Google, General Electric, Intuitive Surgical, Schlumberger, International Game Technology, Emulex and Capital One Financial.

Business confidence in Germany continued to improve further in January, posting a gain for an eighth consecutive month.

The top after-market NYSE gainers on Thursday are: Warner Music Group, American Reprographics, GMX Resources, Energy Transfer Partners and Aspen Insurance Holdings. The top after-market NYSE losers on Thursday are: International Game Technology, Emulex, Medley Capital, Jones Apparel and Kinross Gold.

India's food inflation eased for the second straight week due to lower fruit and vegetable prices, data showed on Thursday, but an acceleration in headline inflation in December is likely to put pressure on the central bank to raise rates at a policy review next week.

Cybercrime has evolved beyond targeting Windows as it moves into smartphones, tablets and mobile platforms.

U.S. stocks fell on Thursday led by losses in the technology sector and on worries that China's rapid growth may lead to more aggressive measures to tackle inflation.

Mauritius private equity group Ciel Capital plans to venture into Kenya, east Africa's biggest economy, in the first half and is in talks with key players in various sectors, a senior partner said.

India on Thursday said it is considering to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and defense sectors as part of its efforts to step up foreign investments into the country.

Morgan Stanley said fourth-quarter shareholder profit surged 60 percent as rising fees from wealth management offset the weak fixed-income trading results that have marred its competitors earnings.