IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. stocks were mixed on Friday on news of the biggest drop in nonfarm payrolls in nearly five years while semiconductor and financial shares gained. Chip maker Intel Corp rose 1.9 percent to $20.25 after falling earlier in the week after it cut its quarterly gross margin forecast, helping to boost the tech-heavy Nasdaq index. Both the Dow Jones and Standard &Poor's Index were in the red in morning trading.

Microsoft is in talks with Sony to bring the Japanese company's next generation Blu-Ray drive to its Xbox 360 game console.

Apple posted the highest growth rates in terms of shipments, among the top 6 computer vendors according to research released this week.

Whoopi Goldberg expressed concern and support for her friend Patrick Swayze after hearing of his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, while his publicist said his career is not slowing down.

Soybeans declined on Thursday amid speculations that harvests for March and April in Brazil and Argentine may reduce demand for U.S. exports.

Walt Disney Co. said Thursday it will team up with several Japanese studios to produce animated features targeting Asian markets as it moves to adapt to regional tastes, the company said.

Copper futures fell from a record high on Thursday as investors locked in profits and a report of rising U.S. mortgage foreclosures raised concerns of weakinging demand.

Treasuries rose on Thursday as concerns over the credit and housing markets sent investors to the protection of safe-haven investments, including government bonds.

The dollar found no reprieve in the Thursday session ahead of tomorrow’s closely watched February labor report – stumbling to fresh all-time lows against the euro just shy of the 1.54-mark and a 3-year low versus the yen at 102.56.

Apple Inc said on Thursday it will start supporting Microsoft Corp's Exchange product for corporate email, opening a potential new market for the popular iPhone.

Crude oil futures prices dropped as traders sold contracts to gain profits from a record high near $106. Other investors bought oil to compensate for a falling dollar.

A low-order explosive device was thrown at the recruitment center in New York's Times Square early today, authorities said on Thursday.

The dollar fell to a fresh low versus the euro on Thursday after the European Central Bank and Bank of England decided to key their benchmark interest steady.

Gold futures made a steep tumble on Thursday after hitting a record high over $995 an ounce in the previous session, as traders cashed in gains.

U.S. stocks dropped to a six-week low Thursday on renewed concern about the credit markets after U.S. home foreclosures rose to a record, increasing market worries about the sagging economy.

Microsoft released a test version of its latest web browser, Internet Explorer 8, on Wednesday.

Gold futures closed with strong gains, after briefly soaring to a new record just below $1,000 an ounce after the dollar tumbled lower and crude oil continued to rally, boosting the metal's appeal as hedge against inflation.

Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is undergoing treatment, but contrary to published reports, his publicist and doctor said Wednesday he is not expected to die from the disease within weeks.

Bill Gates lost the top position as the richest man to Warren Buffet an American investor who runs Berkshire Hathaway stock.

Apple is planning to hold a press event at its headquarters on Thursday and comments made as recently as Wednesday suggest the company will make its iPhone more popular with enterprise users.

Finland's GeoSentric unveiled on Wednesday its mobile social-networking service GypSii for Apple's iPhone.

Cocoa, sugar and coffee gained in London after the dollar dropped against the euro, increasing demand from investors for commodities as an alternative investment.

Corn increased on Wednesday amid speculations that investors will boost holdings of commodities to overcome inflation following the gain of crude oil and other commodities.

U.S. copper rallied more than 4 percent today as the dollar extended its decline against the euro on worries about the health of the economy in the United States.

The FTSE 100 share index rose on Wednesday by 85.8 points to 5,853.5 after dropping for five consecutive days.

Hollywood saw record sales in the U.S. and abroad in 2007, while noting that the Internet is just short of becoming as influential as television and radio as a marketing medium.

U.S. crude prices rose to a record above $104 today after OPEC held oil production steady at a meeting in Vienna and U.S. fuel inventories declined for the first time in eight weeks.

Tokyo stocks slightly dropped back Wednesday as investors wait for new U.S. economic data.

Shares of struggling bond insurer Ambac Financial Group, Inc fell after it announced a plan to raise $1.5 billion in capital to protect its valuable top-level credit rating following heavy losses linked to the subprime mortgage loans.