Reuters - The dollar pushed back toward two-year highs against the euro and the yen on Friday, shaking off a bout of profit-taking as investors see the U.S. currency extending its rally driven by a widening interest rate advantage.

Reuters - Wall Street looked set to open little changed on Friday, despite oil prices holding below $57 a barrel, after mixed earnings tempered the optimism that lifted the Nasdaq to near a 4-1/2 year high in the previous session.

Reuters - AnnTaylor Stores Corp. said on Friday third-quarter net income more than doubled and beat Wall Street estimates, helped by strong sales and improved inventory management.

AP - Stock prices are higher in early trading Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average is up 35.06 to 10,755.28, the Nasdaq Composite is up 6.97 at 2,227.43, and the Standard & Poor index has climbed 4.46 to 1,247.26.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Global indicators were overwhelmingly positive for North American stock markets Friday while crude oil and gold prices both moved up.

AP - U.S. stock market futures were higher Friday amid a host of corporate news, with General Electric opting to get out of the reinsurance business, Cisco Systems Inc. reportedly nearing a $6.6 billion acquisition and Hewlett-Packard posting quarterly sales above Wall Street's forecast.

AP - A pair of multibillion-dollar acquisitions and upbeat earnings from Hewlett-Packard Co. helped Wall Street extend its rally Friday, with lower oil prices lessening worries about a drop in consumer spending.

AP - The New York Stock Exchange confirmed that Citigroup Inc. will conduct another review of the Big Board's planned acquisition of electronic-trading concern Archipelago Holdings Inc.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto stock market made modest gains Friday morning as gains in base-metal and financial stocks cancelled out losses in the oilpatch.

Reuters - AnnTaylor Stores Corp. on Friday said quarterly profit more than doubled as an improved line of its dressier women's apparel helped avoid the drastic discounts that crushed last year's results, and its shares rose to their highest level in more than a year.

AP - Hewlett-Packard Co. shares rose more than 3 percent in early trading on Friday, after the company reported a drop in fourth-quarter earnings that still came in higher than Wall Street estimates.

AP - Stocks were mostly lower Friday after Wall Street gave back gains fed by a pair of multibillion-dollar acquisitions and upbeat earnings from Hewlett-Packard Co.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Stock markets struggled to find direction Friday morning as lower energy stocks pressured the TSX while New York was flat against a backdrop of positive earnings, outlooks and major acquisitions.

AP - Two major acquisitions and upbeat earnings from Hewlett-Packard Co. lifted stocks modestly Friday as Wall Street fought to prolong its latest rally.

Reuters - The list of the top-performing U.S. initial public offerings of 2005 includes some obvious themes, like pharmaceutical development and China.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto stock market hovered around the unchanged mark Friday afternoon as lower energy stocks put pressure on the main index.

AP - A late rebound gave Wall Street modest gains Friday as two acquisitions and upbeat earnings from Hewlett-Packard Co. helped lift the major indexes to four-year highs. The major indexes had their fourth straight winning week.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto stock market closed flat Friday despite gains in base metals and technology stocks as the energy sector was punished by lower oil prices.

AP - Online brokerage company Ameritrade Holding Corp. said Friday it will restate its earnings for 2003, 2004 and the first three quarters of 2005 to correct certain accounting transactions.