UNITED STATES

Stocks slid on Friday as investors worried the economy's recovery might not be sustainable and financials sank as an influential bank analyst projected a $10 billion write-down for Citigroup.

Iran has yet to give a formal response to a U.N.-drafted nuclear fuel proposal after signaling it would do so this week, then leaking demands for major changes that could unravel the tentative pact.

IBM has replaced senior executive Robert Moffat as the head of its hardware division, saying he left the company two weeks after he was arrested in a high-profile insider trading scandal.

U.S. stocks slid on Friday as investors worried the economy's recovery might not be sustainable and financials sank as an influential bank analyst projected a $10 billion write-down for Citigroup.

Chevron Corp posted a 51 percent drop in quarterly profit on Friday, becoming the latest oil major to be hit by the steep decline in oil and natural gas prices and anemic margins at refineries.

U.S. consumer sentiment slipped this month as Americans fretted about personal finances and focused on paying down debt, a survey showed on Friday.

U.S. stocks fell on Friday, led by financial stocks as reports painting a mixed economic picture dented optimism fed by the economy's return to growth.

U.S. consumer sentiment slipped this month as Americans worried about their personal finances and focused on paying down debts, though confidence in a national recovery remained high, a survey showed on Friday.

U.S. consumers cut spending in September and turned gloomier this month, underscoring the fragile nature of the economy's recovery even as signs emerged that manufacturing activity may be picking up.

Cost-cutting helped NYSE Euronext beat earnings expectations, and the transatlantic exchange operator announced the sale of a big stake in its U.S. derivatives exchange.

Honduras' de facto government buckled under international pressure on Thursday and agreed to allow the return to power of President Manuel Zelaya, who was toppled in a military coup four months ago.

Consumer Worries; Facebook's Anti-Spam Win, A Multi-Lingual Internet

Colombia and the United States signed a pact on Friday increasing U.S. access to Colombian military bases, the Colombian government said, deepening its standing as Washington's main ally in the region.

Israel offered cautious praise on Friday for a U.N.-drafted, U.S.-backed proposal for dealing with Iran's enriched uranium, calling it a positive first step toward denying Tehran the means to make nuclear weaponry.

Afghan election officials on Friday defended plans to open more polling centers for next week's presidential run-off despite fears not enough is being done to prevent a repeat of the fraud which marred the first round.

U.S. stocks fell on Friday, the day after logging their best gains in three months, as sectors that have led the rally pulled back.

Six pigs shown at the Minnesota State Fair last month have been confirmed as having had the pandemic H1N1 flu virus, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Thursday.

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Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled a sweeping healthcare overhaul on Thursday that would transform the insurance market, create a government-run insurance plan and levy new taxes on the rich.

U.S. mortgage rates held steady just above 5 percent in the latest week after mixed signals on the health of the housing market, Freddie Mac said on Thursday.

The government's first-time homebuyer tax credit has spurred a significant amount of sales this year and its positive impact on the hard-hit housing market warrants an extension, an economist known for her property market expertise said on Thursday.