UNITED STATES

The push to add more renewable wind and solar megawatts to the U.S. electric mix will force changes in the way the power grid operates to keep electricity flowing reliably, said an industry watchdog on Thursday.

U.S. consumers have more confidence in the U.S. economy than they have had since the sudden collapse of Lehman Brothers in September, which caused the near-implosion of the global banking system, a survey showed on Friday.

Leaders from across the Americas gathered for a summit on Friday after the United States and Cuba said they were ready to talk to try to end a conflict that has marked the hemisphere for half a century.

General Electric Co reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit as strength at its energy equipment business offset falling earnings at its hefty finance arm and the NBC Universal media unit.

Pakistan secured more than $5 billion in fresh aid over two years at a donors conference on Friday after President Asif Ali Zardari vowed to step up the fight against militants.

Russia's foreign minister will visit North Korea next week, a source said on Friday, as regional powers try to prevent the state from restarting its nuclear arms plant and defuse tensions that have rattled regional security.

Volkswagen AG may have overtaken Toyota Motor Co to become the world's top-selling carmaker in the first quarter, thanks to government incentives that fueled demand in VW's major markets.

U.S. consumer confidence rebounded in April to the highest levels since September before investors panicked about the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the global banking system's near implosion, a survey showed on Friday.

Citigroup Inc said cost-cutting and improved results from investment banking and trading led to a substantially smaller first-quarter loss, despite a big increase in credit costs from consumer banking and credit cards.

The United States is ready to talk to Cuba, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday as Caribbean leaders piled pressure on Washington to end its sanctions against the island.

U.S. President Barack Obama meets his counterparts in Latin America and the Caribbean on Friday, offering practical cooperation over the ideological differences that have strained U.S. ties with the region.

The U.S. government and Italian carmaker Fiat SpA will appoint a board of directors for embattled automaker Chrysler following the completion of a proposed alliance between the companies, Chrysler Chief Executive Bob Nardelli said on Thursday.

Volkswagen's global vehicle sales fell by 11.4 percent in the first quarter but its market share gains may have let it overtake Japan's Toyota Motor as the world's top-selling automaker.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is considering expanding one of its lending programs to include commercial mortgage-backed securities with terms longer than three years, a Fed official said on Friday.

S&P 500 and Dow stock index futures pointed to a higher open as Citigroup and General Electric posted better-than-expected quarterly results, providing further evidence that the severe U.S. economic downturn could be abating.

General Electric Co posted better-than-expected quarterly profit, as a strong performance at its large energy operation offset declines at the GE Capital finance and NBC Universal units.

Stock index futures were flat after shares of Citigroup and General Electric posted better-than-expected quarterly results, providing further evidence that the severe U.S, economic downturn could be abating.

U.S. automaker Chrysler, already operating under government emergency aid, would cede control of its board and ultimately senior leadership if it completes a planned alliance with Italy's Fiat SpA.

Citigroup Inc posted a first-quarter loss on Friday, reflecting a large amount of credit losses and the accounting for preferred stock.

General Electric Co reported a 36 percent drop in quarterly profit, but topped Wall Street's expectations on the back of its large energy operation, which makes electricity-producing turbines.

U.S. stock index futures were flat to lower after shares of Citigroup and General Electric edged higher following quarterly results from both Dow components.