IBT Staff Reporter

Gold eased back toward $1,200 an ounce in Europe on Friday as a slight recovery in the dollar prompted traders to cash in gains after the previous day's run-up to record highs.

Boeing Co is urging airlines to carry out a major retrofit on over 220 of its 777 jets in the light of a series of potentially dangerous incidents of overheating and chronic structural damage to engine parts, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Federal prosecutors investigated Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam on suspicions of insider trading more than a decade before he was charged with securities fraud, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing legal filings.

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday ahead of the key monthly jobs report for November.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a flat open on Wall Street on Friday following the previous session's drop, as investors await all-important monthly jobs figures.

World stocks slipped slightly and the dollar was steady on Friday as investors waited for U.S. jobs data, the latest signal about how far the U.S. economy is recovering.

Goldman Sachs Chief Lloyd Blankfein is weighing plans to increase the share of compensation paid out in equity to executives in a bid to quell public anger over the probability of large pay-outs, the Financial Times said.

Japan's All Nippon Airways said it and fellow StarAlliance members United Airlines and Continental Airlines plan to apply for antitrust immunity to allow closer cooperation on transpacific routes.

Bank of America Corp's board is set to meet next Tuesday and is expected to discuss the appointment of a new chief executive, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

Asian stocks held most of the week's gains before monthly U.S. jobs data on Friday, although property and bank shares fell in many markets as soft U.S. data raised concerns about the pace of economic recovery.

General Motors Co, battling for survival for much of the past year, has cut loose designers to sketch out a vision of the ultimate youth car of the future -- a virtual one-wheeled wonder that would match wits with its driver.

The United States may be emerging from recession but some firms are canceling holiday parties for a second year in a row and others are bragging about having fun on the cheap.

China has maintained a consistent allocation of its foreign exchange reserves across different currencies, a senior official said on Friday, suggesting that any diversification away from the dollar has been gradual.

Teenagers who are addicted to the Internet are more likely to engage in self-harm behavior, according to an Australian-Chinese study.

Comcast Corp struck a deal to buy a majority stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co, creating a media superpower that would control not just how television shows and movies are made, but how they are delivered to the home.

Talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, headed to the White House on Thursday for an interview with the president and his wife ahead of airing a Christmas Special.

Welcome to an orchestra of the 21st century. iPhones are being used as musical instruments in a new course at an American university.

Friendster, one of the world's earliest social networking sites, will be sold to an Asian buyer by the end of December for at least $100 million, a source familiar with the matter said.

Following much date-guessing from bloggers and Apple fans about when the highly rumored “Apple Tablet” would debut, now a top industry analyst predicts it will debut next year. Frank Gens, chief analyst at IDC, said it's a “no-brainer” that it will be released in 2010.

President Barack Obama asked leaders in various capacities today how companies could start hiring again in opening remarks that were part of a business forum convened in Washington today.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, making his case for a second term, defended his record on Thursday before a skeptical Senate that criticized the central bank for failing to prevent the financial crisis.

Friendster, one of the world's earliest social networking sites, will be sold to an Asian buyer by the end of December for at least $100 million, a source familiar with the matter said.

Friendster, one of the world's earliest social networking sites, will be sold to an Asian buyer by the end of December for at least $100 million, a source familiar with the matter said.

U.S. lawmakers told President Barack Obama's top advisers on Thursday not enough was being done to combat corruption in Afghanistan, singling out allegations against the Afghan president's brother, whom Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged was a problem.

The British university of East Anglia announced Thursday to probe into allegations that its scientists manipulated data about global warming.

Bank of America Corp will sell nearly $19 billion in equity later on Thursday amid strong investor interest as it races to shed government regulatory curbs that have bedeviled its CEO search.

Obama's Job Challenge; Strong Demand for BofA; Big Growth in Mobile

An excerpt of the Chris Brown interview with 20/20 was aired today on Good Morning America where he apologized a second time for assaulting his former girlfriend Rihanna.

Bank of America Corp sold more than $19 billion of equity on Thursday amid strong investor interest as it races to shed government regulatory curbs that have bedeviled its CEO search.