MARKETS / FINANCE

News Corp, which is trying to stem newspaper revenue declines, could charge for access to its news websites by the middle of next year, and might break off its relationship with Amazon.com Inc's Kindle e-reader if it cannot get better terms.

The European Central Bank kept interest rates on hold at a record low on Thursday as it waits to see the impact of efforts so far to revive the economy and credit flows.

The Bank of England took a far bigger step than expected to boost Britain's recession-hit economy on Thursday, expanding its quantitative easing program to 175 billion pounds from 125 billion.

The Bank of England extended its quantitative easing programme on Thursday, raising the size of its bond purchase scheme to an unexpectedly large 175 billion pounds from 125 billion, and held interest rates at 0.5 percent.

U.S. stock index futures edged slightly higher on Thursday with investors eyeing a government report on weekly jobless claims and more corporate earnings, one day after Wall Street ended a four-day rally,

The European Central Bank is expected to keep interest rates on hold at a record low on Thursday as it waits to see the impact of efforts so far to revive the economy and credit flows.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher opening on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.22 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.26 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.08 percent at 4:45 a.m. EDT.

The European Central Bank and Bank of England appeared set on Thursday to keep interest rates unchanged, prompting equity investors to extend their five-month rally but keeping currency and bond markets edgy.

Asian stocks edged up close to 11-month highs on Thursday on strength in resource-related shares, while the Australian dollar gained after a surprise rise in employment prompted increased bets on higher interest rates.

A U.S. federal judge has refused to approve Monday's settlement between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Bank of America Corp related to the acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co.

Stocks in Shanghai dropped 3 percent on Thursday, weighed by speculation China may take more steps to rein in liquidity, slashing the Australian dollar's gains, while copper slid from 10-month highs after disappointing U.S. services data.

Wall Street banks and lawyers could collect nearly $1 billion in fees from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and American International Group Inc to help manage and break apart the insurer, The Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday, citing its own analysis.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission should fund itself directly from industry fees to be able to invest more in technology and personnel, Chairman Mary Schapiro told the Financial Times on Wednesday.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission plans to issue more subpoenas and give people more incentives to cooperate with investigations as it works to tighten oversight of financial markets.

Bank supervision and consumer protection should not be separated, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said in a letter to a U.S. lawmaker obtained by Reuters on Wednesday regarding the Obama administration's proposal to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

U.S. private employers cut more jobs than expected last month and the vast services sector contracted again, stoking concern about the strength of a U.S. recovery, data showed on Wednesday.

The U.S. government has queried Goldman Sachs Group Inc about its compensation practices and credit derivative instruments, the firm said on Wednesday.

Subprime auto lender AmeriCredit Corp posted a fourth-quarter profit, helped by lower provision for bad loans and expenses.

Prudential Financial , the second-largest U.S. life insurer, on Wednesday reported its first quarterly net profit in a year, and its shares rose more than 2 percent.

U.S. stocks slipped on Wednesday after weak data on the services sector and private payrolls cooled recent optimism the recession was retreating, but the market finished off its lows as investors ventured into riskier financial shares.

Shares of battered financial companies including insurer American International Group Inc and lender CIT Group soared on Wednesday, as investors rushed to buy shares to cover short positions in the companies.

U.S. stocks slipped on Wednesday after weak data on the services sector and private payrolls cooled recent optimism the recession was retreating, but the market finished off its lows as investors ventured into riskier financial shares.

James Lockhart, the U.S. regulator who nationalized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, will soon resign after more than three years as overseer for the mortgage finance companies, an administration official said on Wednesday.

U.S. stocks slipped on Wednesday after weak data on the services sector and private payrolls cooled recent optimism the recession was retreating, but the market finished off its lows as investors ventured into riskier financial shares.

Shares of battered financial companies including insurer American International Group Inc and lender CIT Group soared on Wednesday, as investors apparently rushed to buy shares to cover short positions in the companies.

The head of the federal agency, James B. Lockhart III, that controls Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is stepping down.

Oil rose on Wednesday, bolstered by a drop in U.S. distillate inventories and optimism that a slowdown in U.S. private job losses in July could signal a gradual turnaround in the economy.

A U.S. Senate vote to extend the popular cash for clunkers auto sales incentive could be pushed to Saturday if lawmakers cannot agree on the measure, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said.

The shares of battered insurer American International Group Inc rose strongly on Wednesday ahead of the release of second-quarter earnings, which are expected to stabilize for the first time in five quarters.