FALL

Video game retailer GameStop Corp said on Thursday its first-quarter profit rose 13 percent, driven by sales of popular titles like Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV, but same-store sales fell more than expected.

Japan's Nikkei stock average lost 1.5 percent on Thursday, with Honda Motor Co and other exporters down as the yen climbed to a 2-month high on the dollar after the Federal Reserve cut its outlook for the U.S. economy.

The Dow and S&P 500 slipped on Tuesday as financial shares sank and on disappointing housing data, but the Nasdaq rose as investors snapped up technology shares ahead of results from Hewlett Packard .

Home Depot Inc reported higher-than-expected quarterly earnings as massive cost cuts offset weak sales, but its shares fell as investors found the results disappointing in comparison with those of smaller rival Lowe's Cos Inc .

The Obama administration's budget chief said on Sunday there are signs that the free-fall in the economy seems to have halted.

Japan's Nikkei stock average lost 2.9 percent on Monday, briefly touching its lowest point since May 1, as Sony Corp and other exporters fell in the wake of an advancing yen.

The Obama administration's budget chief said on Sunday there are signs that the free-fall in the economy seems to have halted.

The Obama administration's budget chief said on Sunday there are signs that the free-fall in the economy seems to have halted.

Shares in Rio Tinto Ltd dived as much as 12.5 percent to a three-week low on Thursday, partly as investors bet the miner would scrap or alter a planned $19.5 billion Chinese tie-up in favor of a discounted rights issue.

U.S. mortgage application demand slid to the lowest level since mid-March, driven by a drop in requests to refinance loans even as borrowing costs dipped toward record lows last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.

General Motors Corp stock plunged more than 22 percent to a 76-year low on Tuesday, a day after GM's top executives dumped their shares as the automaker heads toward a bankruptcy or a restructuring that would all but wipe out existing shareholders.

U.S. employers cut a smaller-than-expected 539,000 jobs in April, the smallest amount since October, according to government data on Friday that hinted at some improvement in the labor market and the recession-hit economy.

Warner Music Group on Thursday posted a wider quarter loss as recorded music sales declined more than expected.

Planned layoffs at U.S. firms fell for a third consecutive month in April, hitting their lowest since last October and providing yet another sign that the world's largest economy may be bottoming out.

Legg Mason Inc's quarterly loss widened as it pared toxic assets from its books and cut its quarterly dividend 88 percent to 3 cents per share, sending the money manager's shares down 14 percent.

Ford Motor Co on Friday posted a 31.6 percent decline in U.S. sales for April as the economic downturn continued to pressure the industry.

Mexico started a five-day shutdown of most offices and businesses on Friday to try to halt the spread of a deadly flu strain, and officials said they were encouraged by signs the number of new cases was dropping.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment aid fell unexpectedly last week, suggesting the pace of layoffs was easing, even as benefit rolls in mid-April swelled to another record high.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment aid fell unexpectedly last week, suggesting the pace of layoffs was easing, even as benefit rolls in mid-April swelled to another record high.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment aid fell unexpectedly last week, suggesting the pace of layoffs was easing, even as benefit rolls in mid-April swelled to another record high.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, but the weak job market continued to pressure incomes and spending in March, government data showed on Thursday.