Downloadable applications available for new cellphones can be fun, quirky and even useful.

In tough economic times, bypassing the agencies can make good sense.

Oil prices fell more than 4 percent on Friday, starting 2009 on a weak note as Asian traders bet that Wednesday?s late-day rally that drove prices up 14 percent was overdone.

Asian shares rise on the first day of trading in 2009 after record falls last year but analysts say the gains might not continue.

With gold hovering near record-high prices, the financial woes of the rest of the country are a distant concern in the mining town of Battle Mountain.

The final closure of the remaining Woolworths stores is to be delayed by one day, as some stock remains to be sold.

Airline Flybe offers free insurance to its customers, allowing them to claim refunds on travel costs if they lose their jobs.

Mortgage approvals fell in November to their lowest level for at least nine years, says the Bank of England.

Supermarket chain Waitrose reports a 41% surge in sales for Christmas week, despite the economic slowdown.

European and Asian indexes rose, but trading volumes remained light ,with many traders not back at their desks until next week.

Chinese dairy firms involved in the tainted milk scandal beg for forgiveness in a New Year text message sent to millions.

The average UK house price falls to August 2004 levels after slumping 16.2% in 2008, the Halifax says

A gas supply dispute between Russian and the Ukraine raises fears that UK energy firms may delay price cuts.

Reuters - Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Friday ahead of the first trading session of the year, but volumes were expected to be thin with a few investors at work following the New Year break and ahead of the weekend.

Reuters - The Treasury Department's inspector general is examining the decision to award bailout funds to City National Corp's City National Bank, the Los Angeles Times reported.

AP - House prices in Britain fell in 2008 at their fastest rate for at least 25 years, the country's biggest mortgage lender said Friday, stoking market expectations that the Bank of England will cut borrowing costs further next week.

December data from some of the world?s top economies heralded more pain for consumers and businesses.

The management of Bank Medici, which has emerged as one of the largest victims of the Madoff scandal, resigned, leaving day-to-day operations in the hands of an overseer.

Downloadable applications available for new cellphones can be fun, quirky and even useful.

Austria takes control of Bank Medici after the private bank was hit by the Bernard Madoff investment scandal.

Russian gas giant Gazprom accuses Ukraine of 'stealing' gas meant for other European countries, amid growing tensions.

Reuters - Stocks opened modestly higher on their first trading day of the new year on Friday, as investors looked for more details about President-elect Barack Obama's infrastructure stimulus proposal and awaited new economic data.

The steel industry, a bellwether for the state of the nation?s economy, is looking to the government for a $1 trillion investment program over two years.

New reports from the world?s leading economies showed manufacturing continuing to slump amid the worst slowdown since the Great Depression.

Following a recent pattern of muted reaction to bad economic data, investors brushed off a weaker-than-expected manufacturing report and sent shares higher.

GMAC will give up its exclusive agreement to provide financing incentive programs for G.M. vehicle sales and will no longer be obligated to provide financing for G.M. leases.

Indian authorities unveil a fresh economic stimulus package, including another cut in the country's main interest rate.

US manufacturing activity fell in December to a fresh 28-year low, latest data suggests.

Reuters - Stocks started 2009 by extending their recent rally to a two-week high on Friday on hopes that the worst of the market rout was over, and General Motors Corp. jumped 10 percent after a rescue loan from the government.

Reuters - The pending sale of failed mortgage lender IndyMac hit a snag as mortgage giant Fannie Mae negotiates with federal regulators over the value of about $1 billion in obligations it believes IndyMac owes it, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Reuters - Stocks continued their recent advance on the first day of trading in 2009 as gains in large caps pushed main indexes up about 2 percent while energy and consumer discretionary were the leading sectors in the S&P 500.

Reuters - Steelmakers, which are pressing President-elect Barack Obama for an aggressive stimulus plan to revive the sagging market, could soon see an increase in demand as buyers move to restock shrinking inventories.

Investors began the new year optimistically, brushing off a weaker-than-expected manufacturing report and sending stocks soaring.

If a family puts too much money in stocks, it could easily lose a year?s worth of tuition in a matter of months.

Facebook sues the start-up social networking portal for accessing its site without authorization.

Semiconductor sales dropped to $20.8 billion in November from $23.1 billion a year earlier, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported.

Reuters - Stocks rose further on Friday with the Nasdaq Composite briefly notching a 3 percent gain as large companies in the technology sector led the way in the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq.

Reuters - The Treasury said on Friday said it will consider financial institution rescues and asset guarantees similar to those it provided Citigroup on a case-by-case basis.

AP - The safety net is almost gone, the nest egg is cracking.

Reuters - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, in a statement on its Website, says it signed a letter of intent to sell Indymac Federal bank operations to thrift holding company controlled by IMB Management Holdings LP.

Wall Street began 2009 in optimistic territory it had not seen since the day after Election Day: above 9,000 after a 2.9 percent jump.

A holding company led by Steven Mnuchin, co-chief executive of the private equity firm Dune Capital Management, has agreed to buy the failed lender.

Downloadable applications available for new cellphones can be fun, quirky and even useful.

Were the measures used to evaluate Wall Street trades flawed? Or was the mistake ignoring them?

Reuters - U.S. stocks started the new year with a big jump on Friday as investors looked beyond yet another piece of grim economic data on hopes that a recovery is on the horizon after a disastrous 2008.

Many professional forecasters are heading into the new year declaring that the worst may soon be over. Others are pessimistic.

Credit card companies are rushing to settle even if that means forgiving a portion of some borrowers? debts.

Oil markets started 2009 with crude climbing above $46 a barrel, but prices are still roughly half those of a year ago.

The management of Bank Medici, which has emerged as one of the largest victims of the Madoff scandal, resigned, leaving day-to-day operations in the hands of an overseer.

Researchers have found that uncertainty can sometimes take a greater toll than bad news.

Semiconductor sales dropped to $20.8 billion in November from $23.1 billion a year earlier, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported.

Reuters - Chrysler LLC said on Friday it has received an initial $4 billion emergency loan from the government.

A request seeks unusual authority to subpoena witnesses and documents, citing the alleged Ponzi scheme?s scale.

Stores and automobile dealerships are adopting virtually any tactic that might grab the attention of frightened consumers.

Oil markets started 2009 with crude climbing above $46 a barrel, but prices are still roughly half those of a year ago.

A holding company led by Steven Mnuchin, co-chief executive of the private equity firm Dune Capital Management, has agreed to buy the failed lender.

The United States may not need the rest of the world to get a recovery started and keep it going.

Gregory D. Wasson, the president of the Walgreen Company, discussed the changes in his industry and new initiatives he hopes mean continued profitability.

The department-store company will stop matching contributions to its workers? retirement plans on Jan. 31.

The country?s trade surplus narrowed to a six-year low in 2008, propelled by a deepening economic slowdown that curbed demand for exports.

The agreement settles claims in California that the company had engaged in deceptive marketing of loans to customers against their expected tax refunds.

Belarus?s central bank sharply devalued the country?s ruble to help stop the hemorrhaging of its reserves.

The units were fined for failing to have proper procedures to detect trades that might be used to launder money, regulators said.

Gazprom, the Russian gas monopoly, accused Ukraine on Friday of diverting fuel intended for Europe and using it within Ukraine.

Russian gas giant Gazprom tells the BBC that it can no longer depend on Ukraine as a transit route to the EU.

What's behind Russia's decision to cut gas to Ukraine?

Reuters - Chrysler LLC on Friday received an initial $4 billion emergency loan from the U.S. government, two days after the government completed a parallel payout to its larger rival General Motors Corp.

Many economists are heading into the new year declaring that the worst may soon be over. Others are pessimistic.

In 60 of the last 80 years, the performance of the S.& P. 500 in January has accurately predicted whether stocks would end higher or lower for the full year, one analyst said.

Oil markets started 2009 with crude climbing above $46 a barrel, but prices are still roughly half those of a year ago.

Representative Charles B. Rangel agreed to a tax change that would benefit A.I.G. after asking it to donate to a school being built in his honor.

Kosta S. Kovache, charged with aiding Marc S. Dreier in a Ponzi scheme that collapsed last month, lacks regular employment or a permanent address.

US car manufacturer Chrysler receives a $4bn (£2.75bn) emergency government loan to help stave off collapse.

Romania's runaway economy hits the buffers