AP - Japanese stocks dropped for a seventh day to a two-month low on Friday as sentiment turned downbeat on an overnight tumble on Wall Street and skyrocketing global oil prices.

Reuters - S&P 500 futures rose 0.2 percent, Dow Jones industrial average furtures were up 0.2 percent and futures for the Nasdaq 100 were up 0.2 percent early on Friday. U.S. benchmark indexes (.DJI) (.SPX) (.IXIC) fell 3 percent on Thursday.

AP - Asian stock markets tumbled Friday amid growing alarm as oil prices spiked above $141 a barrel for the first time and Wall Street plummeted overnight.

AFP - European stocks mostly fell on Friday as oil prices shot to record levels, but losses were less than falls on other global markets hit by soaring crude costs and a weak US economy.

AP - European stock markets were mixed Friday in the wake of steep falls on Asian and U.S. exchanges as oil prices hit a record $142 a barrel.

AFP - Oil prices struck record highs above 142 dollars on Friday as the US currency weakened and stock markets tumbled at the end of a volatile week for investors worldwide.

Reuters - Oil prices rose to a record near $143 a barrel on Friday as a drop in global equities markets sent fresh investors into commodities.

Reuters - The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) of stocks slid on Friday into bear market territory as investors fretted about the impact of record oil prices and mounting credit losses in the financial sector.

Reuters - Stocks fell sharply on Friday, as concerns about the impact of record oil prices on the economy and fears of more credit losses in the bank sector rattled investors.

AP - Wall Street pared its losses late Friday as the approaching end of the quarter had investors picking up stocks to close out their portfolios — the practice widely known as window dressing.

AP - A barrage of bad news including yet another record high for oil drove stocks sharply lower Thursday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 360 points to their lowest level in almost two years.

Reuters - Stocks plunged on Thursday, with the Dow sliding about 360 points to a 21-month low as oil hit a record and Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs urged investors to sell bank and automaker shares, escalating concern about the outlook for profits.