NEW YORK CITY

Technology shares led Wall Street's drop on Friday after National Semiconductor's disappointing results, but a rise in defensive sectors like healthcare limited losses in the Dow and S&P 500.

The French Budget Ministry has made European Union carbon emissions permits and Kyoto offsets exempt from value-added tax, emissions exchange BlueNext said, adding that spot trade will remain halted until Wednesday morning.

U.S. stocks flip-flopped throughout Friday's session, with the major indexes ending split as investors paused to consider conflicting signals in monthly U.S. jobs data.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp is aiming at a shake-up of Citigroup Inc's top management, including replacing Chief Executive Vikram Pandit, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Express Scripts Inc said on Tuesday it was offering 23 million of its shares to the public to raise money to finance its acquisition of WellPoint Inc's drug benefits unit.

Citigroup Inc told about five former top executives that they will not be paid tens of millions of dollars in promised severance payouts, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday, sending the S&P 500 to its highest close in seven months, as reassuring economic data reinforced hopes that demand will stabilize, while General Motors' long-expected bankruptcy filing ended uncertainty about the automaker's fate.

General Motors Corp's bankruptcy will forever be tied to one dealership in an often-ignored neighborhood due to the quirks of U.S. bankruptcy law.

Stocks were mostly flat on Friday as rising oil prices lifted energy stocks and investors digested a mixed bag of data, including regional business activity and consumer sentiment.

Tiffany & Co posted a 62 percent drop in quarterly earnings on Friday, worse than Wall Street had expected, as jewelry sales languished in the recession.

Tiffany & Co said quarterly earnings fell a worse-than-expected 62 percent as jewelry sales suffered amid the recession.

Tiffany & Co posted a lower-than-expected quarterly profit on Friday as shoppers avoided jewelry, but the upscale retailer kept its full-year forecast, citing a smaller sales decline so far in May.

American International Group Inc said on Thursday that Chief Executive Edward Liddy plans to step down, signaling the end to a short and tumultuous tenure running the government-rescued insurer.

American International Group, Inc, under government pressure to revamp its board with a majority of new independent directors, announced on Tuesday six nominees who will be voted on by shareholders at the company’s annual meeting on June 30.

Vornado Realty Trust’s Michael Fascitelli has officially taken on chief executive officer role after a vote by the firm’s board. Fascitelli, 52, succeeds Steven Roth, 67, who retains the Chairman title.

The CEO of AIG tried to reassure the U.S. Congress on Wednesday that the bailed-out insurer will be able to repay taxpayer aid within three to five years if the economy permits.

The chief executive of American International Group Inc told Congress on Wednesday that the bailed-out insurer will repay all its taxpayer aid in three to five years if the economy permits.

Media mogul David Geffen tried to buy a stake in the New York Times Co from hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners, but was rejected, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Monday.

Citigroup Inc investors withheld more than 20 percent of their votes for the reelection of four directors, after critics said the board's lack of oversight contributed to a series of government bailouts and $37.5 billion of losses over 15 months.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein sounded a guardedly optimistic forecast for an economic recovery during the bank's annual meeting on Friday.

New York Federal Reserve Chairman Stephen Friedman resigned on Thursday in the wake of conflict of interest accusations, defending his purchases of Goldman Sachs Group, Inc shares last year.