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Asian stocks tumbled Friday as ballooning European debt and a rise in U.S. unemployment claims added to fears the global recovery could slip back into recession....

Rising oil prices and better-than-expected earnings from Exxon Mobil boosted energy companies.

North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire near their disputed sea border on Wednesday, the second time in three months the rivals have clashed and briefly sending prices down on jittery Seoul financial markets.

Concerns over China's lending and Japan's debt eased by midday in New York as Wall Street moved out to session highs.

Stocks retreated Friday for a third straight day on fresh concerns about President Barack Obama's proposed restrictions on banks....

New year optimism on the financial markets helps to push the FTSE 100 share index to a fresh 16-month high.

Dow futures were up 30 points. The S&P Case-Shiller home-prices indexes showed U.S. home prices decreased at a slower annual rate in October, but prices were flat compared to September.

Wall Street is likely to make a strong showing in the final week of 2009 as the bulls gear up to toast the first annual advance for U.S. stocks in two years on hopes of more economic stability in 2010.

Santa arrived early for Apple Inc. shareholders: The stock surged $6.94, or 3.4%, on Thursday to close at a record high of $209.04. That topped the previous closing high of $207 on Nov. 17.

The buzz continues to build about the company's widely anticipated -- albeit unconfirmed -- tablet computer. The Financial Times reported that Apple has rented a stage at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in late January, most likely for a product announcement.

U.S. stock futures rose as better-than-expected earnings reports from Research In Motion and Oracle late Thursday reinforced confidence in the ability of companies to increase profits next year.