Stocks were little changed on Thursday as a weak outlook from economic bellwether FedEx and sharply lower profit from investment bank Bear Stearns helped stall a rally that followed this week's aggressive interest rate cut.
Benchmark stock indexes looked likely to open lower on Thursday, index futures showed, and analysts said earnings from two top banks and remarks by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke would be in focus.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will meet with Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty near Ottawa on Friday, when they will announce changes to the Canada-U.S. Tax Treaty, Ottawa said on Wednesday.
U.S. Stocks rallied for a second day on Wednesday as investors bet the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate cut would help prevent an economic slowdown. Housing-related stocks such as home builders and mortgage finance companies were among the biggest percentage gainers in the S&P 500, a day after the Fed cut the benchmark interest rates by a half-percentage point.
U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, adding to the previous session's surge and lifting the Standard & Poor's 500 index by 1 percent, as investors bet the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate cut would help prevent an economic slowdown.
One in three Americans expects a U.S. recession in the next year, and less than a quarter think home prices will rise, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.
Indian communists are not expected to budge on a nuclear deal with the United States, left leaders said.
Stock futures pointed to a higher opening on Wall Street on Wednesday, as shares continue to rally following the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate cut that eased fears over the outlook for the economy.
A free trade agreement with Peru is headed for approval in Congress, but trade deals with Panama and Colombia face problems, a senior Democrat in the House of Representatives said on Tuesday.
U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday after forecast-topping earnings from Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc calmed investors' fears about the recent credit turmoil as investors anticipated an interest rate cut.
Stocks fell on Monday as savers demanded their money back from embattled British bank Northern Rock, adding to global credit concerns before an expected U.S. interest rate cut this week.
A U.S. delegation will begin formal negotiations with Chinese officials in Beijing this week on deals to improve food and drug safety following a series of health scares that have shaken confidence in Chinese-made goods.
Stocks were little changed on Friday as weakness in semiconductor makers after a broker downgrade of Intel Corp was offset by strength in energy producers.
China will work with the United States to ensure the safety of exported toys and other goods, a top Chinese official said, but Beijing still insists it is not solely to blame in recent safety scandals.
A U.S. Senate decision to block funding for a test program to let Mexico's long-haul trucks operate in the United States uses outdated safety fears to mask protectionism, Mexican truckers and the U.S. government say.
Major U.S. indexes started off the day slightly lower on Friday as August retail sales disappointed while the subprime crisis extended overseas as the Bank of England rescued mortgage lender Northern Rock.
Stock futures fell on Friday, suggesting Wall Street shares could open under pressure after British mortgage lender Northern Rock became the biggest UK casualty of the current liquidity squeeze.
U.S. stocks rose on Thursday after a Wall Street analyst said brokerage shares were undervalued and McDonald's Corp raised its annual dividend by 50 percent.
Stocks were little changed on Wednesday as investors awaited U.S. data on oil inventories, while oil prices extended a rise to record highs, potentially straining consumer spending and corporate profits.
Stock index futures pointed to a weaker market open on Wednesday, with Texas Instruments in focus after the chipmaker left its outlook steady.
U.S. and Chinese officials agreed on Tuesday to take immediate steps to stop the use of lead paint in toys made in China following toy recalls that have scared American parents ahead of holiday shopping.
Toyota Motor Co President Katsuaki Watanabe said on Tuesday he expected a slight decline in the U.S. auto market in 2007 to around 16.3 million units.
