MARKETS / FINANCE

Amazon.com Inc blew past analysts' profit estimates in its closely watched holiday quarter and forecast revenue for early 2010 that topped already-high Wall Street expectations.

Amazon.com Inc blew past analysts' profit estimates in its closely watched holiday quarter and forecast revenue for early 2010 that topped already-high Wall Street expectations.

All parties involved in talks on the future of the Airbus A400M military transporter are trying to reach a deal as soon as possible, a spokesman for Germany's defense ministry said on Friday.

The economy grew at a faster-than-expected 5.7 percent pace in the fourth quarter, the quickest pace in more than six years, as businesses reduced inventories less aggressively, the Commerce Department said on Friday.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Friday after forecast-topping profit reports from Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc and ahead of a reading on the U.S. fourth-quarter gross domestic product.

Stock index futures pointed to a flat to higher open on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.2 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.1 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.4 percent at 3:17 a.m..

The U.S. economy likely grew at its fastest pace in nearly four years in the fourth quarter as businesses made less-aggressive cutbacks on inventories, a government report is expected to show on Friday.

Investor concern about tightening lending conditions in China and deteriorating finances in Greece and Japan led them to pull cash out of developed market equity funds for debt funds in the week ended January 27, fund tracker EPFR Global said late on Thursday.

Congressional investigators on Thursday sought documents on Thursday from Toyota Motor Corp and U.S. safety regulators about a pair of safety recalls the automaker was racing to address.

Oracle Corp has filed a suit against a little known rival that provides low-cost software maintenance services, in a case similar to one that Oracle is fighting against rival SAP AG.

Toyota Motor Corp is consulting with U.S. safety regulators on a fix that would allow it to avoid the more costly option of shipping brand new accelerators for over 2 million Americans with vehicles under recall, two people briefed on the talks said.

The Senate on Thursday backed Ben Bernanke for a second four-year term running the Federal Reserve, the world's most powerful central bank, despite deep misgivings over his perceived policy missteps.

After being hammered in the regular session, the tech sector is showing modest recovery in after-hours trading.

U.S. stocks dropped on Thursday as poor outlooks from Motorola and Qualcomm dented optimism in the technology sector while worries about Greece's fiscal health dragged on sentiment.

(Corrects paragraph 6 to read Fears that Athens ... and not News that Athens ... regarding ability to service debt)

The Australian Dollar opens at 0.8940 after a volatile 24-hour session which saw it trade between a low of 0.8910 during early Sydney trade yesterday and a high of 0.9044 in early Europe.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner joined other Obama administration officials on Thursday who fanned out across the country to talk up prospects for brighter hiring prospects as recovery sets in.

The stock market closed down today on shaky economic data and plunging technology shares, despite news that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke was confirmed for a second term.

Stocks dropped on Thursday as poor outlooks from Motorola and Qualcomm dented optimism in the technology sector while worries about Greece's fiscal health dragged on sentiment.

New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods edged higher in December and the number of workers filing applications for jobless aid fell last week, indicating the economy remains on a recovery path.

Macy's Inc said it is cutting some store-level jobs and adding others as part of its efforts to standardize how it manages stores and staffing.

Stocks dropped on Thursday as poor outlooks from Motorola and Qualcomm dented optimism in the technology sector while worries about Greece's fiscal health dragged on sentiment.

A majority of U.S. senators on Thursday voted to confirm Ben Bernanke for a second four-year term at the head of the Federal Reserve, suggesting he would win the Senate's needed approval.

The Senate on Thursday approved Ben Bernanke's nomination to a second four-year term running the world's most powerful central bank despite deep misgivings over his perceived policy missteps.

The Senate on Thursday voted to clear a hurdle to Ben Bernanke's nomination to serve a second four-year term at the head of the Federal Reserve, a strong indication the votes are in place for final approval.

The Senate on Thursday looked poised to narrowly approve Ben Bernanke's nomination to a second term running the world's most powerful central bank, despite misgivings over perceived policy missteps.

The Senate on Thursday looked poised to narrowly approve Ben Bernanke's nomination to a second term running the world's most powerful central bank, despite misgivings over perceived policy missteps.

The U.S. Senate on Thursday looked poised to narrowly approve Ben Bernanke's nomination to a second term running the world's most powerful central bank, despite misgivings over perceived policy missteps.

Bank of America Corp's new chief executive, Brian Moynihan, will receive a base salary of $950,000 this year, according to a source familiar with his employment agreement.