MARKETS / FINANCE

EBay Inc said on Friday that private investors looking to buy Skype had agreed to settle litigation with Skype's founders, who will get a 14-percent stake in the Internet phone service in the transaction.

U.S. stocks were little changed in choppy trading on Friday as brokerage upgrades offset data showing the unemployment rate soared to 10.2 percent last month, its highest in more than 26 years.

For his role in turning Apple into a groundbreaking technology leader and the most valuable company in Silicon Valley, Fortune Magazine has named Steve Jobs its CEO of the Decade.

Bank of America Corp's CEO search could last until Thanksgiving, the New York Post reported on Friday.

The U.S. jobless rate unexpectedly jumped to a 26-1/2-year high of 10.2 percent last month, adding to pressure on the Obama administration to do more to tackle unemployment even as signs of recovery mount.

U.S. stocks rose on Friday as investors took heart after the government said monthly payroll losses slowed, even as unemployment rose above 10 percent.

The U.S. unemployment rate unexpectedly jumped to 10.2 percent in October, breaching the politically sensitive double-digit barrier for the first time in 26-1/2 years, even though the pace of job losses slowed.

U.S. employers cut a deeper-than-expected 190,000 jobs in October, government data showed on Friday, driving the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, the highest in 26-1/2 years.

Japanese Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii said on Friday he wants to discuss the world economy with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner next week.

The U.S. government guaranteed as much as $4.3 trillion in financial assets last year, making such backstops the biggest and riskiest part of Washington's response to the financial crisis, a bailout watchdog panel said on Friday.

Censorship of the Internet is open to challenge at the World Trade Organization as it can restrict trade in services delivered online, a forthcoming study says. A censorship case at the WTO could raise sovereignty issues, given the clear right of member states to restrict trade on moral grounds -- for example, by blocking access to child pornography websites.

European shares turned negative in afternoon trade on Friday after data showed U.S. employers cut 190,000 jobs in October, more than expected and driving the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, the highest in 26-1/2 years.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a nearly 1 percent drop at the open on Friday as U.S. unemployment reached a more than 26-year high and topped the psychologically important 10 percent level.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a nearly 1 percent drop at the open on Friday as U.S. unemployment reached a more than 26-year high and topped the psychologically important 10 percent level.

Gold held steady around $1,090 an ounce on Friday after its rally to a record high this week on anticipation of renewed central bank demand came to a halt, with investors looking to economic data for direction.

U.S. employers cut a deeper-than-expected 190,000 jobs in October, government data showed on Friday, driving the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, the highest in 26-1/2 years.

U.S. employers cut a deeper-than-expected 190,000 jobs in October, government data showed on Friday, driving the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, the highest in 26-1/2 years.

Global stocks and commodities gained on Friday, buoyed by firm U.S. data the previous session, lifting risk appetite ahead of hotly anticipated jobs data which will give more evidence on the state of the global economy.

News, details on corporate bond issues in the European markets on Friday:

Banks led European stocks higher on Friday, following quarterly results from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L), while investors also awaited key U.S. employment figures later in the day.

Britain's leading share index was up 0.2 percent approaching midday on Friday with a rally by banks offsetting weakness in oil majors in thin trade as investors await the key U.S. October jobs report.

U.S. stock index futures rose slightly on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

U.S. stock index futures rose slightly on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

American International Group Inc , the insurer bailed out by the U.S. government, posted its second straight quarterly profit on Friday, helped by recovery in the value of its investments.

The Group of 20 leading nations will agree this weekend it is too early to pull the plug on emergency support for the global economy and launch a new system of checks to help rebalance world growth and prevent future crises.

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

California Public Employees' Retirement System, knew it was paying uncompetitive rates on foreign-exchange trades as early as 2003, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a consultant who advised the largest U.S. public pension fund.