New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Stocks fell Friday morning on reports that several euro-region countries may face credit downgrades by Standard & Poor’s and of JP Morgan’s less than impressive earnings.

Just after 10 a.m. on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 107 points, the Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 10 points and the NASDAQ dropped 17 points.

Weighing on stocks in the U.S. was an earnings report from bellwether JP Morgan that showed earnings inline with expectations, but revenues that fell short.

Also dragging stocks lower was a release that revealed the U.S. trade deficit widened more than forecast in November as Americans exports declined and companies stepped up imports of crude oil and automobiles.

Downgrades in the credit ratings of a number of European governments as early as Friday could come from Standard & Poor’s. The rumors sent overseas stocks down.

European markets across the board were lower in afternoon trading and Asian stocks ended mixed.

In commodities, oil dropped 72 cents to $98.25 a barrel and gold lost $6 to $1,640.40 a troy ounce.

U.S. stock markets will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – U.S. stocks reacted negatively to the slight dip in unemployment numbers Friday morning.

Just after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was lower by 71 points, the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index was down 8 and the NASDAQ was off 15 points.

Only 80,000 jobs were added in October, but it was enough to dip the unemployment rate to 9 percent from 9.1 percent. Disappointing investors was news from the Labor Department that showed hiring slowed in October, and job growth was much stronger in August and September.

Trading will be choppy as investors keep a sharp eye on Greece, and as the G20 summit comes to an end in Cannes, France.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou faces a confidence vote in the Greek Parliament Friday, one day after he backed away from plans to hold a referendum on Greece’s bailout fund.

Oil was trading slightly lower at $93.15 a barrel and gold was lower by $5.50 to $1,760 a troy ounce.

Looking perky was Starbucks. The coffee giant jumped $2.53 to $43.93 after the company brewed solid third quarter earnings.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – U.S. stocks rallied Friday morning on the heels of strong gains in Europe. Investors were buoyant and hopeful this weekend’s European Summit would lead to some sort of resolve to stem the region’s threatening sovereign debt crisis.

By 11 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up about 200 points, the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index rose almost 20 points, and the recently battered NASDAQ climbed 40 points.

Overseas, Europe was widely higher overall as the Stoxx Europe 600 jumped 1.9 percent. Even though an agreement to expand the euro zone’s bailout fund will not be reached by Sunday as was previously believed, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a joint statement promising to produce a comprehensive plan by Wednesday.

Both U.S. markets and those abroad have been hinging on any news regarding the euro zone bailout, and with no economic news releases set for Friday, stocks reacted strongly to the hope of some sort of resolution overseas.

Gold futures glittered, climbing over $30 an ounce and oil advanced by $2.40 to $88.47 a barrel.

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Bernard and Ruth Madoff’s last possessions confiscated in criminal cases will be auctioned over two days staring June 3 in Miami Beach and simulcast online.

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Mogadishu, Somalia (AHN) – The administration of the Banaadir region of southern Somalia on Saturday ordered the closure of all business centers in the capital Mogadishu during Friday prayers every week.

The order was issued during a three-party meeting between the justice and religious affairs minister, the mayor of Mogadishu and representatives from the business community in the capital.

“We are telling you that all businesses must be closed during Friday prayers, this is an obligation which has to be applied—we have ordered our security forces to take hard steps against anyone whose business center is found open during Friday prayers,” Mogadishu mayor Mahmoud Ahmed Nur, who is also the governor of the Banaadir region, announced during the meeting.

“We will not accept any justification. I am telling you that from next Friday the order will come to effect,” the mayor added.

For his part, justice and religious affairs minister Abdullaahi Abyan Nur urged the business community to take the orders seriously and know that what they were told was a religious article.

He called on Imams at Mogadishu mosques to implement more religious awareness programs that he said would pave the way for preventing Somali youths from falling into crimes.

This is the first such order from Somalia’s transitional federal government, which is lead by President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the former chief of the Islamic courts who came to power two and half years ago.

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Verizon Wireless said Friday it will hold a news conference Tuesday, reigniting rumors that it will become the second U.S. carrier to sell Apple’s iPhone.

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Although online retailers have been offering deals for several weeks now–just like Black Friday–Cyber Monday still reigns supreme.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States (AHN) – Minnesota-based restaurant Tinucci in cooperation with Twin City radio station ESPN 1500 will hold a “fun-based” promotion dubbed “Free Lunch, Homey,” serving the same menu dissed by wideout Randy Moss last week.

Gus and John Tinucci, owners of Tinucci restaurant chain in Minnesota, will offer a free lunch buffet to the first 50 people who surrender Moss’ old Vikes jersey from noon to 2 p.m. Friday at Tinucci’s Newport branch.

Moss, who joined the Tennessee Titans after being waived by the Minnesota Vikings this week, reportedly mocked the chicken, beef, and ribs spread served by the Tinucci’s catering business in a post-practice lunch last Friday.

An advertisement posted on Tinucci’s website indicated the restaurant will serve the same menu ridiculed by the Pro Bowl wideout in exchange for his No.84 jersey, which will be donated to Nashville’s Boys and Girls club.

Those who don’t have Moss jersey can avail of the lunch special for $8.40, another promotional gimmick aimed at No.84.

Tinucci believed Moss really intended to spoil the good lunch his teammates had last Friday.

“All the other Vikings players appreciated it, they seemed to like our food,” Tinucci told the Woodburry Bulletin Friday “But got one bad apple and he was on a mission to ruin the bunch.”

Tinucci added Twin City radio ESPN 1500 convinced them to stage the event, insisting it’s about promoting the business.

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Oil jumped above $87 a barrel Friday in Asia, reaching its highest since early May, as the Federal Reserve’s plan to buy $600 billion of Treasury bonds to stimulate the U.S. economy continued to send

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