TechWeb - Revenue from AdSense continues Google's momentum as the company looks forward to acquiring DoubleClick.

AP - Just like its Internet-leading search engine has a knack for finding the information people ask for, Google Inc. keeps giving Wall Street what it wants — scintillating earnings growth that eclipses analyst estimates quarter after quarter.

FT.com - Alliance Boots shares were the talking point in early London trading on Friday after it agreed to a £10.6bn bid.

FT.com - European equities recovered some of the previous session's losses as bid speculation in the banking and utilities sectors overshadowed concerns over China's likely actions to stem excessive growth.

FT.com - The euro crept closer to its all-time high against the dollar, extending its two-year peak as stock markets steadied after Thursday's anxious session.

Reuters - U.S. stocks looked poised to edge up on Friday, helped by strong earnings on Thursday from Web search firm Google Inc. , but gains may be limited by uncertainty over the economic outlook.

Reuters - U.S. stocks were seen opening higher on Friday, jolted up by a spate of unexpectedly strong earnings from companies such as Google Inc. and heavy-equipment maker Caterpillar Inc.

AP - McDonald's Corp. said Friday its first-quarter earnings climbed 22 percent, boosted by surging sales in Europe and strong demand for its new U.S. menu items.

AP - Xerox profits jumped by nearly 17 percent in the first quarter of the year, to $233 million, with a lower than expected restructuring charge for Fuji Xerox Co., the office equipment manufacturer announced Friday.

AP - Staffing firm Manpower Inc. said Friday its first-quarter profit increased 13 percent, benefiting from stronger-than-expected revenue growth and a weak U.S. dollar, which made its services more attractive globally.

Reuters - Xerox Corp. , the world's largest supplier of office printers, copiers and related services, said on Friday that quarterly profit rose a better-than-expected 17 percent, driven by sales of service contracts and supplies.

AP - Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, said Friday its profit fell 18 percent in the first quarter, hurt by one-time charges and disappointing sales of diabetes drug Exubera. Adjusted results beat Wall Street expectations by a wide margin.

AP - Diversified industrial conglomerate Honeywell International Inc. said Friday first-quarter earnings jumped 21 percent as sales and profits rose across all of its segments.

AP - Oilfield services provider Schlumberger Ltd. said Friday its profit spiked 63 percent in the first quarter, boosted by strong revenue growth in international markets and continued high demand for its seismic services.

Reuters - (Corrects earnings before special items, in 3rd paragraph, to 26 cents from 22 cents)

AP - Treasury bond prices were fell Friday morning, as stocks surged and the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a record high.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Friday, with the Dow closing in on 13,000 points, as investors welcomed strong earnings from companies such as Google Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. .

AP - China's benchmark index bounced back Friday on a fresh inflow of funds as the market recovered from its plunge a day earlier caused by worries that the nation's economy was overheating.

AFP - Europe's main stock markets rebounded strongly on Friday following two days of losses, as fervent takeover activity struck the pharmaceutical and banking sectors.

AP - Schlumberger Ltd., the world's largest oilfield services provider, said Friday its profit spiked 63 percent in the first quarter, boosted by strong revenue growth in international markets and continued high demand for its seismic services.

AP - Caterpillar Inc., the world's largest construction equipment maker, said Friday its first-quarter profit fell 3 percent, as strength in the company's overseas business could not overcome a weak U.S. home building market and a sharp decline in engine sales.

AP - McDonald's Corp. said Friday its first-quarter earnings climbed 22 percent, boosted by surging sales in Europe and strong demand for its new U.S. menu items. Its stock touched an all-time high.

AP - Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, said Friday its profit fell 17.5 percent in the first quarter, hurt by one-time charges and disappointing sales of diabetes drug Exubera. Adjusted results beat Wall Street expectations by a wide margin.

AP - Xerox profit jumped by nearly 17 percent in the first quarter of the year, to $233 million, with a lower than expected restructuring charge for Fuji Xerox Co., the office equipment manufacturer announced Friday.

Reuters - U.S. stocks rose sharply on Friday, with the Dow coming within 50 points of the 13,000 mark, helped by stronger-than-expected earnings from companies such as Google Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. .

FT.com - The pound bursting through $2. Inflation at 10-year highs. Interest rates heading upwards. There was plenty to damp sentiment in the UK stock market this week. Yet the FTSE 100 actually ended higher than it started.

Reuters - The dollar edged up against the euro on Friday, after touching a two-year low overnight, helped by rallying U.S. stock prices and as dealers squared their positions before the weekend.

FT.com - Relentless bid and merger speculation and some encouraging corporate results helped push European stocks to fresh six-and-a-half year highs this week.

Reuters - U.S. stocks rose sharply on Friday, with the Dow coming within 50 points of the 13,000 mark, boosted by stronger-than-expected earnings from companies including Google Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. .

NewsFactor - Using the term "global" to describe Google's growth these days might be an understatement. Google posted its second consecutive $1 billion earnings quarter on Thursday, blowing away the yearly projections of several more-mature media companies.

FT.com - Next was among the leading performers Friday as the FTSE 100 bounced back after three sessions of losses.

AP - Wall Street bounded higher Friday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrial average to a record close approaching 13,000 as investors celebrated a week of surprisingly strong earnings reports. The major indexes all had their third straight winning week, their longest such streak since October.

Reuters - Nasdaq Stock Market Chief Executive Robert Greifeld received an $18.4 million compensation package for 2006, a year that the largest U.S. electronic stock market's profit more than doubled but its shares fell.

Investor's Business Daily - The U.S. drug industry held a party last week, but someone forgot to invite the biggest kid on the block.