NYSE

Apple again refrained from paying dividends, despite a huge amount of cash on its balance sheet and clamor from some stockholders.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Friday were: MetroPCS Communications, Gray Television, United States Cellular Corp, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp and MedcoHealth Solutions. The top aftermarket NYSE losers were: Scudder Strategic Municipal Income Trust, Qihoo 360 Technology Co, Interpublic Group of Companies, Renesola Ltd and Stryker Corp.

The S&P 500 rose on Friday to close at its highest level since before the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in September 2008, continuing a pattern of steady gains on apparent signs of U.S. economic recovery.

Goldman Sachs Group has suspended coverage of 18 discount brokers, exchanges and small investment banks because the analyst who follows them has left the firm.

The S&P 500 rose on Friday to close at the highest level since before the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, continuing a pattern of steady gains on signs of U.S. economic recovery.

Buoyed by another round of better-than-expected economic data, the Standard & Poor's 500 advanced above its highest close since June 2008. Optimism on the economy also lifted the Dow Jones Industrial Average back above 13,000.

Procter & Gamble (PG) said on Thursday it plans to cut 5,700 jobs over the next year and a half, in an effort to save $10 billion by the end of 2016.

January sales of new single-family homes in the U.S. declined 0.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 321,000, but December sales were revised upward, suggesting a nascent housing market recovery.

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) opened its fourth automobile assembly plant Friday in China, as it seeks to expand its presence in the country.

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) raised $1.9 billion, a much-needed piece of capital, from the sale of its entire stake in Indian's giant mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corp.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open for equities on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 rising 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Thursday were: Kindred Healthcare, Greenhill, Exterran Holdings, Ventas, WPX Energy, Youku, EXCO Resources, CryoLife and Office Depot.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Thursday were: Salesforce.com, 3D Systems Corp, American International Group, Magna International, Pacific Drilling, American Equity Investment, Rackspace Hosting and Suntech Power Holdings.

Bailed-out insurance giant American International Group Inc. (NYSE:AIG), boosted by a one-time accounting gain, reported fourth-quarter profit of $19.8 billion. Favorable stock market conditions also helped offset large losses stemming from Thailand floods.

The No. 4 wireless wireless carrier plans to build a new $4 billion Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network .The cost of the project is the same as the breakup fee that AT&T was required to pay T-Mobile parent, Deutsche Telekom, following a failed $39 billion merger deal..

Shares of Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), the world’s biggest computer company, fell as much as 7 percent Thursday after the company reported first-quarter earnings that beat expectations but issued a mediocre earnings forecast.

The top aftermarket NYSE losers Wednesday were: Polypore International, Genco Shipping & Trading, Titan International, Safeway, Limited Brands, Analog Devices, Thompson Creek Metals, Concho Resources, Ternium and SandRidge Mississippian.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Wednesday were: Spirit Aerosystems Holdings, Penn Virginia, Sturm, Ruger & Co, Macquarie Infrastructure, Qihoo 360 Technology Co, Aegean Marine Petroleum Network, Whiting Petroleum Corp, MGIC Investment Corp, Stone Energy and QEP Resources.

As one of the world's top gold producers, Newmont Mining Corp (NYSE:NEM) seems to have a lot of advantages on its side. But uncertainty about peripheral items, including the effect of recent acquisitions and political developments that could hurt its bottom line, are keeping Wall Street analysts skeptical on the company.

T-Mobile USA Inc. asked regulators in a filing on Tuesday to block Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZW)'s bid to buy airwaves from cable companies, arguing that the move would pose a clear threat to competition.

Bailed-out insurance giant American International Group Inc. (NYSE:AIG), boosted by a one-time accounting gain, is expected to return to profitability when it reports its fourth-quarter earnings after markets close Thursday. Favorable stock market conditions and less reserve charges may also helped offset large losses stemmed from Thailand floods.