FALL

Sales at retailers fell for a second month in June, pulled down by weak receipts at automotive dealers and gasoline stations, according to a government report on Wednesday that added to evidence the economic recovery was proceeding at a moderate pace.

Palladium's surplus is set to shrink by 62 per cent this year following an increase is car sales across the globe. The excess supply of platinum will also increase. Palladium demand will fall short of supply by 217,000 ounces this year, down from 578,000 ounces in 2009, said analysts. Consumption by the car industry will advance 15 per cent to 4.6 million ounces, they predicted. Palladium is used in catalytic converters in cars to reduce pollution.

Yum Brands Inc , parent of the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains, issued a disappointing full-year earnings outlook and said it expects labor costs to rise in its key China market, sending its shares down 3.2 percent.

Yum Brands Inc , parent of the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains, reported better-than-expected profit on Tuesday but shares fell 3.6 percent after its new 2010 earnings target missed analysts' view.

Sales at U.S. wholesalers fell unexpectedly in May for the first time in more than a year, lifting inventories to their highest level in 11 months, a government report showed on Friday.

Wholesales sales fell unexpectedly for the first time in more than a year, lifting inventories to their highest level in 11 months, a government report showed on Friday.

Palladium, which was expected to gain this year due to the high growth in auto ales in China and India, may in fact decline by 12 per cent to about $395 an ounce in the coming weeks.Palladium is hugely used in catalytic converters in cars. Palladium has been the worst-performing precious metal last quarter.

Family Dollar Stores Inc forecast a quarterly profit below analysts' estimates, sending its shares down 8 percent, as it faces an uncertain economy and increased discounting by rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc .

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday as investors worried global growth was faltering, while the euro held near a 7-week high as investors pared long positions in the dollar on doubts about the resiliency of the U.S. recovery.

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday as investors worried global growth was faltering, while the euro held near a 7-week high as investors pared long positions in the dollar on doubts about the resiliency of the U.S. recovery.

Toyota Motor Co's Canadian unit said on Monday its June sales were down 13.8 percent from a year earlier, while General Motors Co GM.ULsaid its Canadian sales rose 15.2 percent.

Asian stocks slipped on Tuesday on growing investor concerns of slower economic growth in the United States and China, the main pillars of the world economy, and fading risk appetite sent the yen up against the dollar and the euro.

Employment fell for the first time this year in June as thousands of temporary census jobs ended and private hiring grew less than expected, dealing a blow to President Barack Obama who has identified job creation as a key priority.

Private payrolls rose less than expected in June and overall employment fell for the first time this year as thousands of temporary census jobs ended, showing the economic recovery is failing to gain traction.

Now that China is staying true to its word and letting the yuan trade a bit more freely, analysts and investors outside the mainland may not be prepared for one potential outcome: a yuan drop. China is showing a determination to let the yuan be more volatile against the dollar within its daily 0.5 percent trading band and go with the market flow, contrary to some expectations for another steady rise as happened between 2005 and 2008.

Gold rebounded 1 percent in Europe on Friday as physical buyers in particular took advantage of the previous day's price fall to buy into the market, with traders now looking ahead to a key U.S. jobs report due later.

Stock index futures fell on Thursday after soft Chinese manufacturing data and a day after Moody's warned of a potential downgrade for Spain and Wall Street ended its worst quarter since the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open for Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the Dow Jones down 0.2 percent, for the S&P 500 down 0.3 percent and for the Nasdaq down 0.4 percent by 0906 GMT.

Asian stocks and commodities fell while U.S. Treasury futures rose to a 14-month high on Thursday, after manufacturing data showed China's rapid economic growth was slowing, increasing fears of a global double dip.

Asian stocks and commodities began the second half of the year on a sour note on Thursday, with Japanese stocks sliding to a seven-month low after manufacturing data showed China's rapid economic growth was slowing.

U.S. stocks staggered to the end of a dismal second quarter on Wednesday in another low volume session as investors found little reason to take on risk after conflicting economic data.