Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Investors hope that employment reports from Canada and the United States on Friday will give an indication of where the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve are heading on interest rates.

Canadian Press - (AP) - Many financial markets around the world were closed Monday in observance of New Year's Day.

AP - U.S. stock market futures were surging to a strong start in 2006, with views on the interest-rate cycle right back at the forefront ahead of the release of Federal Open Market Committee minutes. The health-care sector also is likely to draw attention Tuesday after an upgrade of Johnson & Johnson and another biotech pact inked by Wyeth.

AP - U.S. stock futures pointed to a pause on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve-inspired rally from the previous session, with a decline in crude-oil futures helping to limit any profit taking.

Reuters - Japan's Nikkei average hit its highest close in more than five years on Thursday as investors bought technology shares such as Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) and Hitachi Ltd. (6501.T) after rises in their U.S. counterparts.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - North American stock markets looked to open higher early Friday even as jobless data in Canada and the U.S. missed expectations.

Reuters - The nascent rally in U.S. stocks could find nourishment in the taste of corporate earnings reports trickling forth on Monday and Tuesday.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Investors will likely enjoy another week of solid gains on equity markets following a strong start to 2006 trading that saw the Toronto Stock Exchange break into record territory.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - After a record-shattering week on the Toronto Stock Exchange, global indicators were mostly positive for North American markets early Monday ahead of corporate earnings reporting season.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average ended down 1.85 percent on Tuesday, its biggest percentage fall in four weeks, as a stronger yen prompted selling of exporters like Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average reversed morning falls to firm 0.51 percent on Wednesday, bolstered by gains in chip stocks after news of chip-equipment maker Tokyo Electron Ltd.'s stronger-than-expected quarterly orders.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average ended at its highest in more than five years on Thursday as big investment plans announced by Sharp Corp. and Fujitsu Ltd. raised profit prospects for technology firms.

AP - Japanese computer chip maker Elpida Memory slashed its earnings forecasts for the October-December quarter Friday, blaming the faster-than-expected slide in memory-chip prices.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Stock markets could be in for further gains this week after a strong first few days of '06 trading gave way to caution last week, as investors look to fourth-quarter earnings to set direction.

Reuters - Japan's Nikkei share average fell 1.14 percent on Monday as a technology rally fizzled out ahead of earnings in Japan and the United States, while a Deutsche downgrade weighed on consumer finance companies.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average posted its biggest percentage loss in nine months on Tuesday, falling 2.84 percent as news that prosecutors searched the offices of Internet firm Livedoor Co., prompted investors to take profits in rivals such as Softbank Corp.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average fell 2.94 percent on Wednesday before the Tokyo Stock Exchange halted trade 20 minutes earlier than usual, as a flood of orders on world's second-largest stock market taxed its computer system.

Reuters - Swiss computer mouse maker Logitech International SA said its quarterly profit rose 11 percent, below analysts' expectations, but increased its full-year sales growth guidance.

AP - General Electric Co. reported Friday its fourth-quarter profit fell 46 percent as the huge industrial products, financial services and media conglomerate took a charge for losses as it sold off its insurance business.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Stock markets could find it tough to gain traction this week as earnings expectations decline, but the prospects of a Conservative win in Monday's election and a looming interest rate hike could drive the loonie higher.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Global indicators were mostly negative for North American stock markets early Monday before Canadians voted in a federal election and Ford Motor Co. gave details of its plan to cut thousands of jobs.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average rose 1.88 percent on Tuesday, with Softbank Corp. (9984.T) and other recently battered stocks rebounding as concern over the fallout from an investigation into Internet firm Livedoor Co. (4753.T) subsided.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average rose 0.01 percent on Wednesday, losing almost all its early gains as the first trading in Livedoor Co. (4753.T) in more than a week late in the session made investors wary of the impact on the Tokyo bourse's trading systems.

Reuters - The Nikkei average rose 1.53 percent on Thursday, returning to a level before an investigation into Internet firm Livedoor Co. triggered a sell-off, as brokerages gained and Sony Corp. and Advantest Corp. advanced ahead of quarterly earnings.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average rose 3.58 percent on Friday, posting its highest close in more than five years as Sony Corp.'s (6758.T) surprisingly strong earnings a day earlier raised hopes for good results at other tech firms.

TechWeb - Analysts pondering Microsoft's latest quarterly corporate earnings report say flat profits for Microsoft Office reflect Microsoft's problem in growing the sales of its market-dominate productivity suite.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Stock markets look set for another week of gains following strong advances last week on good earnings news from the likes of Canadian National Railway, Petro-Canada, Microsoft and Procter & Gamble.

Reuters - The dollar hovered just below a three-week high against the yen on Monday as traders waited for a Federal Reserve policy meeting to see how much more the U.S. currency's interest rate advantage will widen.

Reuters - The dollar held near a four-week high against the yen on Tuesday as the Federal Reserve was poised to raise interest rates for a 14th straight time and investors awaited hints on the monetary tightening outlook.