ALISTAIR DARLING

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

The Group of 20 leading nations will agree this weekend it is too early to pull the plug on emergency support for the global economy and launch a new system of checks to help rebalance world growth and prevent future crises.

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited monthly payrolls data and the unemployment rate, key indicators to determine the strength of the economic recovery.

The Group of 20 leading nations will agree this weekend it is too early to pull the plug on emergency support for the global economy and launch a new system of checks to help rebalance world growth and prevent future crises.

Global stocks and commodities gained on Friday, buoyed by firm U.S. data the previous session, lifting risk appetite ahead of hotly anticipated jobs data which will give more evidence on the state of the global economy.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Friday as investors braced for the all-important monthly payrolls figures and unemployment rate, due at 8:30 a.m. EST.

Britain's economy contracted in the third quarter of this year, quashing hopes the downturn was ending and instead marking the longest recession on record.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Sunday he would not roll over before the next election, which polls suggest he will lose badly, and dismissed gossip that his health was too poor to fight a strong campaign.

Finance leaders clashed on Friday over how to stop banks plunging the world into another crisis.

Mortgage woes dominate the business page headlines of both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal today.

G20 policymakers will this weekend promise to keep economic support packages in place until recovery is certain and seek to reassure financial markets they have credible plans to withdraw the stimulus when appropriate.

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The British government is prepared to tighten the laws on bankers' pay and bonuses if companies continue to reward excessive risk-taking, finance minister Alistair Darling told the Sunday Times newspaper.

The Bank of England took a far bigger step than expected to boost Britain's recession-hit economy on Thursday, stunning markets by expanding its quantitative easing plan to 175 billion pounds from 125 billion.

There is a strong chance the United States and other leading economies will start growing again over the next few quarters, but big risks to the outlook remain, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Monday.

There is a good chance that the United States and other leading economies will start growing again over the next few quarters, but significant risks to the outlook remain, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said.

Germany will press G8 finance ministers to start working on how to return policy to normal after months of crisis at a meeting in Italy on Friday, although hopes the world economy has turned the corner are still fragile.

Chancellor Alistair Darling will press his G8 colleagues this weekend to speed up clearing up toxic assets from their banks' balance sheets.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sought to fend off a challenge to his authority on Friday, reshuffling his cabinet to secure the loyalty of several ministers and averting a government collapse.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown backed down from replacing his finance minister on Friday in a bid to hold his government together and end a political crisis that has knocked sterling.

A second British cabinet minister announced she was resigning Wednesday, undermining Prime Minister Gordon Brown's authority and his future as leader of the increasingly out-of-favor Labor Party.