MARKETS / FINANCE

The United States may need a second fiscal stimulus worth $200-250 billion around the end of the year, but the worst of the economic and the financial crisis is already behind us, leading economist Nouriel Roubini of RGE Global Monitor said on Thursday.

Dell Inc on Thursday unveiled its all in one desktop, a stylish, scalable and secure design for small-medium businesses.

Near-zero U.S. interest rates forced Charles Schwab Corp to slash the asset management fees it charges clients, weighing on its profit -- and much more slashing is expected before year end.

The receiver charged with marshaling assets of accused swindler Allen Stanford said in court papers on Thursday he needs the help of a private equity adviser to manage the estate's web of investments which total about $650 million.

U.S. home builder sentiment in July jumped to its highest level since September as improved sales conditions boosted confidence in the market for new single-family homes, an industry group said on Thursday.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday pushed back against a White House plan to give some of its consumer protection powers to a new agency, arguing there was a compelling case for the central bank to keep them.

U.S. home builder sentiment in July jumped to its highest level since September as improved sales conditions boosted confidence in the market for new single-family homes, an industry group said on Thursday.

Stocks were little changed on Thursday as the latest economic data clouded investors' views on the prospects for a recovery even as the corporate earnings season got off to a strong start.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Thursday before lawmakers that he saw no evidence of any illegal actions as he testified on Capitol Hill over the government's role in Bank of America, Merrill Lynch merger. In prepared remarks submitted to the panel, he says he acted appropriately in December when Charlotte-based BofA threatened to back out of the deal.

Stocks slipped on Thursday as a strong start to the earnings season was countered by mixed economic data, sparking caution after a robust three-day run-up.

Nintendo Co Ltd sold more than twice as many units of the DS game player last week in Japan as it did the week before, helped by the latest version of Square Enix's Dragon Quest game, a research firm said.

Oil fluctuated around $61 a barrel on Thursday as concerns about the strength of global fuel demand were offset by strong economic growth in China and better-than-expected U.S. banking results.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell sharply last week to the lowest level since January, but the seasonally adjusted data was again distorted by an unusual pattern of automotive industry layoffs that amplified the drop.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell sharply last week to the lowest level since January, but the seasonally adjusted data was again distorted by an unusual pattern of automotive industry layoffs that amplified the drop.

The Dow industrials and Nasdaq dipped into negative territory while the S&P 500 fell further after a survey showed factory activity in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region contracted for a 10th consecutive month in July, adding to worries about the economy's strength.

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Stocks opened lower on Thursday as investors turned cautious following a jump in quarterly profit at JPMorgan Chase & Co and a steep fall in jobless claims, a day after Wall Street tallied its biggest three-day gain since March.

JPMorgan Chase & Co posted a higher quarterly profit on Thursday, topping Wall Street estimates, as strength in its core consumer and investment banking businesses offset a jump in credit losses.

JPMorgan Chase & Co said record investment banking fees helped drive a 36 percent rise in quarterly profit, topping Wall Street forecasts, but warned that credit quality in consumer mortgages and credit cards is deteriorating faster than it expected.

Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Thursday as investors turned cautious following a jump in quarterly profit at JPMorgan Chase & Co and a steep fall in jobless claims, a day after Wall Street tallied its biggest three-day gain since March.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell sharply last week to the lowest level since January, the government said on Thursday, but the data was distorted by an unusual pattern of automotive industry layoffs that amplified the drop.

Stock futures on Thursday pointed to a Wall Street open that was little changed as investors paused to assess the sustainability of the market's recent run-up.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for state jobless benefits fell sharply latest week to the lowest level since January as many auto layoffs were postponed, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Oil dipped below $61 a barrel on Thursday after gaining more than 3 percent in the previous session, as investors remained cautious about the pace of economic recovery despite strong growth numbers from China.

CIT Group Inc , a lender to hundreds of thousands of small and mid-sized U.S. businesses, said bailout talks with the government had ended, a development that could ultimately drive the company into bankruptcy.

Stock index futures slipped on Thursday as a jump in quarterly profit at JPMorgan Chase & Co was overshadowed by investor angst about the future of lender CIT Group Inc and caution ahead of a key report on the labor market.

JPMorgan Chase & Co said investment banking and trading drove a larger-than-expected 36 percent jump in quarterly profit despite a surge in credit card and loan losses that could worsen.

Stock futures were little changed on Thursday as a jump in quarterly profit at JPMorgan Chase & Co was overshadowed by investor angst about the future of lender CIT Group Inc and caution ahead of a key report on the labor market.

Jim ChristieCalifornia Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers failed on Wednesday night to agree to balance the state's budget by closing a $26.3 billion deficit, but officials said talks would continue.