AP - Stocks closed out a solid first quarter with a modest decline Friday despite lower oil prices and a round of temperate economic data that mitigated concerns about inflation and higher interest rates. The major indexes finished mixed for the week, but were higher for the month and the quarter.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto stock market is poised for further gains this week after two back-to-back record high closes, even as profit taking and a drop in oil prices at week's end yielded only a flat finish for the week. That's because the TSX is tilted toward a concentration in commodities and analysts think prices in energy and metals will not only hold firm but likely trend higher.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Amid a flurry of mergers, North American stock markets looked set for a positive start Monday.

AP - U.S. stock market futures were stuck in neutral Tuesday, though Computer Sciences may see activity on a report it will cut jobs and is in talks to be sold.

Reuters - Japan's TOPIX index reversed morning gains to close lower on Wednesday as profit-taking trimmed rises in Toyota Motor Corp., Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and other leading firms, and steel makers slid on concerns about higher raw material costs.

Reuters - Japan's TOPIX index marked its highest close since November 1991 on Thursday, rising 1.70 percent as bank shares such as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and other top firms gained on earnings prospects.

Reuters - The Nikkei rose 0.42 percent on Friday to close above 17,500 for the first time since July 2000 as technology stocks rose on earnings hopes and metal stocks gained on high copper prices.

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto Stock Exchange is well on its way to hitting a year-end target of 13,200 points, according to a bullish outlook from CIBC World Markets. Chief strategist Jeff Rubin predicts that Canada's benchmark stock index, which just rocketed through yet another record-smashing week, will continue to ride high in 2006 on robust energy and materials stocks.

Reuters - The Nikkei fell 0.61 percent on Monday, with shares in Sony Corp. and other recent gainers declining after stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data fueled concerns about further interest rate increases in the world's largest economy.

Reuters - The Nikkei average fell for the second straight session on Tuesday, giving up 0.22 percent as shares in Advantest Corp. (6857.T) and other chip-related firms lost ground after a brokerage downgrade.

Reuters - The Nikkei average fell for a third straight session on Wednesday, dropping 0.96 percent by midafternoon as shares in electronics firms such as Advantest Corp. tracked losses by their U.S. counterparts.

Reuters - The Nikkei average snapped a three-day losing streak on Thursday, rising 0.21 percent as Tokyo Electron Ltd. (8035.T) advanced on news of increased product orders and prompted a rebound among chip-related firms' shares.

AP - Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea's largest company, said Friday its first-quarter net profit rose 26 percent from the year before amid strong demand for large-size flat screen televisions.

Reuters - The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) said it was in talks regarding an acquisition or strategic alliance, in a further sign major world exchanges are getting ready to consolidate the sector.

Reuters - The New York Stock Exchange said it was in talks regarding a strategic transaction, and a source familiar with the situation said on Saturday that the London Stock Exchange is one of the parties to the discussions.

Reuters - Regions Financial Corp. , a large southeastern U.S. bank, on Monday posted a 22 percent rise in first-quarter profit, helped by stronger net interest income and record earnings at Morgan Keegan.

Reuters - The Nikkei share average rose 1.37 percent on Tuesday as investors returned to recently battered financial stocks, while Nippon Mining Holdings Inc. and other resource-related shares rose on higher oil prices.

Reuters - The Nikkei rose 0.68 percent on Wednesday as Canon Inc. and other exporters climbed after U.S. stocks posted their biggest gains in a year on expectations the U.S. interest rate-hike cycle may be near an end.

Reuters - The Nikkei average was virtually flat by midafternoon on Thursday as record high oil prices lifted energy firms such as Nippon Oil Corp. (5001.T) but hurt Oji Paper Co. Ltd. (3861.T) and others sensitive to fuel costs.

AP - Oilfield services conglomerate Halliburton Co. said Thursday that first-quarter net income rose 33 percent, a boost driven largely by increased sales and robust rig activity in North America.

AP - Investors will likely enjoy another round of solid earnings reports this week, but those numbers could be easily ignored as the market shifts its focus back to the economy.

Reuters - Shares on Wall Street headed for a mixed start on Monday as oil prices within sight of new record highs rekindled inflation worries, offsetting what was expected to be another batch of mostly solid corporate earnings.

Reuters - Canon Inc. is expected to post a solid rise in quarterly profit on robust sales of digital cameras and color copiers and a weak yen, keeping Japan's top precision equipment maker on track for a record year.

Reuters - Baker Hughes Inc. on Wednesday said its first-quarter profit almost doubled on sharply higher revenues for its drilling and production services for the oil and gas industry.

AP - Booming digital camera and color copier sales lifted Canon's net profit 16 percent in the first quarter to a record 108.3 billion yen ($942 million), keeping Japan's top precision equipment maker on track for a seventh year of record earnings.

TechWeb - The report indicates that the tough competitive landscape among telecommunications infrastructure suppliers is intensifying across-the-board in the sector.

AFP - Jet Airways, India's largest private airline, has said full-year net earnings rose 15 percent on air-traffic growth and profit from the sale and leaseback of planes.

AP - Major stock indexes held above five-year highs last week, even as a slumping U.S. dollar and soaring oil prices raised inflation concerns. But a raft of economic reports this week could upset this glass-half-full optimism if they suggest the economy has too much momentum, analysts said.