UNITED STATES

Stocks rose for a third straight session on Thursday on optimism the G20 meeting in London will agree on ways to temper the economic crisis and that new U.S. accounting guidance will favor banks.

Leaders of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee said on Wednesday they had reached agreement on key elements of a bill to revise U.S. patent law.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in remarks published Thursday it would be difficult to make progress in peace talks with Palestinians as long as armed Hamas Islamists control the Gaza Strip.

Bank of America Corp Chairman and Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis said it may take several quarters for the bank to repay its $45 billion of federal bailout money, though he believes the U.S. economy may bottom out in the second half of this year.

Maurice Greenberg said he was not responsible for problems at American International Group since they occurred after he left, the Wall Street Journal reported citing an interview with the former chief of the company.

Stocks rose for a third straight session on Thursday on optimism the G20 meeting in London will agree on ways to temper the economic crisis and that new U.S. accounting guidance will favor banks.

U.S. accounting rulemakers on Thursday agreed to make adjustments to a proposal to change mark-to-market accounting rules concerning when transactions would be considered distressed.

U.S. accounting rulemakers on Thursday agreed to make adjustments to a proposal to change mark-to-market accounting rules concerning when transactions would be considered distressed.

North Korea has begun fuelling a long-range rocket and could launch it by the weekend, CNN said, with the United States and others threatening punishment for a move they say violates U.N. resolutions.

Rite Aid Corp posted its seventh straight quarterly loss on Thursday, one that fell short of Wall Street's expectations, as it booked significant non-cash charges and as shoppers continued to curtail spending.

Stocks extended gains on Thursday after data showed factory orders rose in February, fueling optimism the economy was showing signs of stabilization.

U.S. accounting rulemakers are set to crumple on Thursday in the face of ultimatums from lawmakers, liberalizing rules that will give banks leeway to report smaller losses and asset writedowns.

Stock futures pointed to a higher open on Thursday on optimism the leaders at the G20 meeting underway in London will agree on ways to temper the economic crisis.

Dow Jones futures rose 2.2 percent by 6:40 a.m, EST, S&P 500 futures were up 2.1 percent, and Nasdaq futures were up 2.2 percent, pointing to Wall Street opening higher on Thursday, building on the previous session's gains.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits surged to a nearly 26-1/2 year high last week, data showed on Thursday, indicating that the pace of job losses was yet to peak.

Oil rose more than $3 per barrel to above $51 on Thursday as rising equities markets bolstered sentiment during a G20 summit which investors hoped would deliver measures to restore global growth.

Maurice Greenberg said he was not responsible for problems at American International Group since they occurred after he left, the Wall Street Journal reported citing an interview with the former chief of the company.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly rose to its highest level in over 26 years last week and so-called continued claims jumped to a record high in March, according to data that underscored the labor market deterioration.

Fears that a major U.S. automaker could seek bankruptcy protection are causing auto parts suppliers to demand quicker payments from the manufacturers, exacerbating problems for the already hard-pressed car makers.

Stock futures pointed to a higher open on Thursday on optimism the G20 meeting underway in London will agree on ways to temper the economic crisis.

Oil rose more than $3 per barrel to around $51 on Thursday as rising equities markets bolstered sentiment during a G20 summit which investors hoped would deliver measures to restore global growth.