TESTS AHEAD: A spectacular rise in Chinese shares that seems to indicate a bubble ready to burst and rumors of capital gains restraint pose a key risk, one analyst warned
The extraordinary streak on Wall Street set fresh records for blue chips over the past week, even as analysts said the frenzy may be setting the stage for a correction, or something worse.

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CASH IN HAND: Thomson Corp freed up cash on Friday by agreeing to sell education and publishing-related properties after its aggressive bid for Reuters Group last week
The Thomson Corp, which has proposed paying more than US$17 billion for British financial news provider Reuters Group PLC, freed up cash on Friday by announcing that it agreed to sell education and publishing-related properties for US$7.75 billion.

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European stock markets ended the week in positive territory on Friday, powered by takeover talk and a recovery on Wall Street.

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PULLBACK: Seoul bucked the regional trend as bargain hunters pushed the KOSPI index higher, contrasting with sharp drops in benchmarks around Asia on Friday
Asian stocks closed lower on Friday with investors taking their lead from Wall Street, where weak economic data sparked another bout of jitters over the state of the US economy.

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GOLD MINE: In a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Google said its Adwords platform accounted for 98 percent of annual revenues
A judge on Friday set a November date to pick jurors for a US civil trial focused on whether Google violates other companies' trademarks with its hugely lucrative online advertising platform.

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Health authorities ordered two types of toothpaste pulled from shelves for fear they contain a chemical that killed at least 51 people in the Central American country last year.

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Oil prices rose above US$62 a barrel on Friday after a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) raised concerns about the market's ability to meet an expected jump in demand for oil-based products.

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The US dollar fell against the euro on Friday following reports on US retail sales and wholesale price trends that appeared to increase chances of an eventual US interest rate cut.

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LANDMARK DECISION: The project would raise gas pipeline capacity along the Caspian Sea by at least 12 billion cubic meters per year by 2012
The presidents of Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan agreed to a landmark gas pipeline deal yesterday to increase energy exports from the region, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

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German steel manufacturing giant ThyssenKrupp AG chose Alabama over Louisiana on Friday for a US$3.7 billion steel plant, described by steel industry experts as the first large-scale project of its kind in the US in decades.

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Two Indian officials were released unharmed early yesterday after being held hostage for 10 hours by activists who oppose expansion plans by the South Korean steel company they work for, police said.

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■ AVIATION
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