A Quick Glance at News

v  European stock-index futures gained as China reported the slowest expansion in three years, fueling speculation policy makers will add to stimulus measures. Asian stocks and U.S. index futures advanced.
v  Italy auctions as much as 5.25 billion Euros ($6.4 billion) of a new three-year bond and three longer-dated securities. Moody’s Investors Service cut the country’s bond rating and reiterated its negative outlook, as the euro area’s third- biggest economy faces higher funding costs, slower growth, and contagion risk from Greece and Spain.
v  The yen traded 0.3 percent from the strongest level in six weeks against the euro as signs global growth is slowing boosted demand for haven assets
v  Oil traded near the highest close in a week in New York, heading for a weekly gain, as investors speculated China’s government will boost the nation’s economy and the U.S. tightened sanctions on Iran.
v  Gold traded nearly flat on Friday, but remained on course for a second consecutive week of losses as worries about the euro zone debt crisis and the absence of stimulus measures in the United States buoyed the dollar and its safe haven appeal.
v  U.S. Sanctions Iranian Tankers to Tighten Oil Noose, The Obama administration sanctioned the National Iranian Tanker Co. and four alleged front companies for Iran’s oil trade, the latest salvo in a U.S.-led campaign to curtail Iran’s petroleum sales until it abandons illicit aspects of its disputed nuclear program.v  Abu Dhabi is exporting oil for the first time in three decades through a pipeline that circumvents the Strait of Hormuz as Middle Eastern producers seek to nullify Iranian threats to block the shipping chokepoint.
v  U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, hit by more warnings in the technology sector, while a rally in Procter & Gamble (PG.N) helped the blue-chip Dow cut its loss.
v  Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) eliminated several hundred jobs, mostly in advertising sales and marketing, as part of a review of staff tied to the start of a new fiscal year, a person familiar with the matter said.
 v  Boeing Co. (BA) won another big order for the stretch version of its 737 jet, biting back at a challenge from Airbus SAS, which modified the wings of its A321 to make it more competitive.
v  Treasury yields were four basis points from the least ever as slowing economic growth in China and Singapore added to concern the global expansion is flagging, driving demand for the relative safety of U.S. debt.
v  Bank of America Corp. cut its earnings estimates for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index for 2012 and 2013, citing concern that lower commodity prices and slower global growth will weigh on corporate profits.
v  Marriott International Inc., the biggest publicly traded U.S. hotel chain, cut its forecast for growth outside North America.v  Merck & Co. Inc. on Thursday drew an upgrade to buy from neutral at Citi after the drug maker set plans to close an advanced clinical trial of its odanacatib osteoporosis drug.