AP - Gap Inc.'s sales are slumping and shoppers appear unlikely to spend more anytime soon, but the clothing retailer still boosted its first-quarter profit by 40 percent by managing inventory and cutting costs.

Reuters - General Motors Corp said on Friday the just-ended strike at supplier American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc and separate strikes by the United Auto Workers at its own plants had reduced its earnings by a total of $2.8 billion.

Reuters - Apparel and jewelry retailers surprised Wall Street with better-than-expected earnings on Thursday as cost-cutting measures and inventory controls offset the impact of the weak economy.

AP - Barnes & Noble Inc. appears to be getting more serious about buying chief rival Borders Group Inc., confirming Thursday that it put together a management team to study the "feasibility" of a combination.

AP - Gap Inc.'s sales are slumping and shoppers appear unlikely to spend more anytime soon, but the clothing retailer still boosted its first-quarter profit by 40 percent by managing inventory and cutting costs.

Reuters - Barnes & Noble Inc reported a wider quarterly loss on Thursday, hurt by a charge, and the bookseller cut its forecast for full-year sales at existing stores, citing the difficult retail environment.

AP - Barnes & Noble Inc. appears to be getting more serious about buying chief rival Borders Group Inc., confirming Thursday that it put together a management team to study the "feasibility" of a combination.

Reuters - Children's Place Retail Stores Inc reported a greater-than-expected rise in quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by a robust increase in sales, sending its shares up as much as 18 percent.