DOWN

Britain's top share index was down 0.6 percent mid-session on Thursday, dragged lower by heavyweight commodity and banking stocks, which offset gains made by defensive stocks as risk appetite waned.

U.S. stock index futures were down on Thursday, as a stronger dollar pressured commodities and ahead of the release of weekly jobless claims data.

Neemia Tialata and Cory Jane can expect a talking to from All Blacks coach Graham Henry after revealing on the social networking site Twitter they had been left out of the New Zealand to play England this weekend.

In the latest U.S. government housing report for the month of October, building permits issued in October rose compared with September, while construction starts fell and the number of completed homes rose.

Vancouver will modify powerful audio equipment that critics say could be used as a sonic gun against protesters at next year's Winter Olympics, and stop any chance of using the device as a weapon, Vancouver police said on Tuesday.

Gold fell on profit taking on Wednesday after reaching a record high on economic uncertainties and the downtrend in the dollar, while Asian stocks edged higher as hunger for risk stayed high as the year end approached.

Off-price retailer TJX Cos Inc reported a higher-than-expected profit in the third quarter as cash-strapped consumers continued to flock to its stores for lower-cost apparel and home goods.

Britain's top share index was 0.5 percent lower in mid-session trade on Tuesday as investors paused for breath after a four-day winning streak, with falls in banks and miners offsetting gains in some defensive issues.

World stocks rose on Monday while gold, oil and other commodities rallied as upbeat economic data and a weakening dollar underpinned raw material prices and related shares.

Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Chen Jian on Sunday played down talk of a shift in the central bank's currency policy as well as mounting expectations of a rise in the yuan's exchange rate.

Sales of video game equipment and software in the United States tumbled 19 percent in October to $1.07 billion, research group NPD said on Thursday, troubling figures as the industry heads into the most important selling weeks of the year.

After more than an hour talking about how awful business has been of late, Pete Van Straten, 52, jerks a thumb at the telephone sitting on the desk behind his younger brother, George.

U.S. stock index futures fell on Thursday as an earnings forecast from retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc sowed doubt about consumer spending for the rest of 2009, threatening to end a six-session rally for the Dow.

Stock index futures fell on Thursday as investors awaited earnings from retail giant Wal-Mart after the Dow and the Standard & Poor's 500 index closed at 13-month highs in the previous session.

American International Group Inc Chief Executive Robert Benmosche said he and the company's board are frustrated about restrictions on pay and are in discussions with the U.S. government about them, according to an employee letter obtained by Reuters.

Initial public offerings in Europe are gaining momentum, with three major IPOs set to launch before year-end and about $10 billion that could be raised in the next six months as volatile equity markets calm down.

Department store operator Macy's Inc forecast earnings for the fourth quarter, which includes the crucial holiday shopping season, far below Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, sending shares down 7 percent.

Stock index futures edged lower on Tuesday as investors paused after the market hit a 13-month high in the previous session on expectations for prolonged low interest rates.

Stock index futures edged lower on Tuesday as investors paused after the market hit a 13-month high in the previous session on expectations for prolonged low interest rates.

Outsourcing company CGI Group Inc reported a stronger quarterly profit on Monday, but its revenue came in lower than analysts had expected and its shares fell.

Energy firm Petro-Diamond Risk Management Ltd said on Monday it will close its global derivatives operations, looking to end its role as market maker in the volatile oil trade hedging business.