AP - WASHINGTON ? Buffeted by soaring fuel prices and tighter credit, consumers increased their spending at the weakest pace in six months. In other signs of trouble, applications for unemployment benefits last week soared by the largest number since Hurricane Katrina.

Reuters - Stocks ended higher on Thursday after
a major bond insurer reassured investors about its stability,
fueling a rebound by financial shares hammered recently by the
prospect of crumbling credit markets.

Reuters - Pharmaceutical wholesaler McKesson
Corp reported on Thursday that its quarterly profit
fell 17 percent as results were hurt by lower profit margins on
certain generic drugs and charges taken.

Reuters - Motorola Inc , the world’s No.
3 mobile phone maker, said on Thursday it is exploring
strategic alternatives including a possible separation of its
mobile devices business from other units.

FT.com - Vodafoneon Thursday made an aggressive push to generate more revenue from mobile internet services by slashing prices in the UK, one of its core European markets.

Reuters - Standard & Poor’s on Thursday cut its
“AAA” ratings on FGIC Corp’s bond insurance arm, and placed its
top ratings on the bond insurance arm of MBIA Inc on
review for downgrade.

Reuters - Google Inc reported a
lower-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday and predicted
further spending to shore up its operations, sending its shares
down as much as 9.5 percent.

Reuters - Home Depot Inc , the world’s top
home improvement retailer, said on Thursday it will cut 500
jobs at its Atlanta store support center, or about 10 percent
of the headquarters staff.

FT.com - London equities rallied at the close to finish higher after spending much of the day in negative territory.

AP - It took years for Andrzej Solyga to muster the courage to invest in mutual funds.