UNITED STATES

The euro edged up on Thursday supported by healthy results at Spanish and French bond auctions and stable global equities, but investors remained cautious ahead of a key reading on the U.S. labor market on Friday.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes rebounded unexpectedly in July and new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, helping dampen fears the economy could face a double dip recession.

Stocks rose and U.S. Treasuries fell on Thursday as U.S. data showed strength in the economy, but investors were mainly focused on Friday's closely followed U.S. unemployment report for economic clues.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq advanced on Thursday, building on their best day in eight weeks in the previous session as data showed an improvement in pending home sales and a drop in initial jobless claims.

A buyout deal for Burger King Holdings Inc by investment firm 3G Capital is being valued at $24 per share, or about $4 billion (2 billion pounds), cable business channel CNBC reported on Thursday.

The European Central Bank held interest rates at a record low on Thursday and extended its liquidity safety-net in response to a lopsided recovery and worries about vulnerable banks.

A buyout deal for Burger King Holdings Inc by investment firm 3G Capital is being valued at $24 per share, or about $4 billion (2 billion pounds), cable business channel CNBC reported on Thursday.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq gained on Thursday, building on their best day in eight weeks in the previous session as data showed an improvement in pending home sales and a drop in initial jobless claims.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose unexpectedly in July, an industry group said on Thursday, suggesting a tax credit-related housing market decline was close to bottoming.

Automaker General Motors Co plans to begin courting investors for its initial public offering immediately after the November 2 U.S. midterm congressional elections.

Two top U.S. Federal Reserve officials on Thursday called for a more community-focused approach to the country's ongoing foreclosure crisis, which is weighing on its economic recovery.

German new car registrations in August were 27 percent lower than a year ago when buyers enjoyed the last of the government's car scrappage incentives, according to official data published on Thursday.

World stocks hit a two-week high on Thursday as optimism from strong U.S. and Chinese manufacturing data extended into a second day while the euro gained, drawing support from solid French and Spanish bond auctions.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose unexpectedly in July, an industry group said on Thursday, suggesting a tax credit-related housing market decline was close to bottoming.

U.S. mortgage rates fell in the past week to the latest in a series of record lows as yields on government debt dropped, according to a survey released on Thursday by Freddie Mac, the second-largest U.S. mortgage finance company.

Fannie Mae, the largest provider of funding for U.S. residential mortgages, will begin demanding compensation from mortgage servicing companies that fail to properly handle troubled mortgage loans.

U.S. mortgage rates fell in the past week to the latest in a series of record lows as yields on government debt dropped, according to a survey released on Thursday by Freddie Mac, the second-largest U.S. mortgage finance company.

U.S. officials are not discussing renewal of a popular homebuyer tax credit that expired in April, U.S. President Barack Obama's top housing adviser said on Wednesday.

U.S. mortgage applications for home purchasing and refinancing increased last week as interest rates hit a new low, a glimmer of hope for a housing market that has failed to find footing in the absence of government support.

The European Central Bank held interest rates at a record low on Thursday and is expected to keep its liquidity safety-net for banks in place as well amid a lopsided recovery and worries about vulnerable banks.

New claims for U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week, but were still too high to signal a change in fortune for the troubled labor market.