4:20 pm : The market closed mixed Friday as a disappointment from Microsoft sidelined recent optimism on the earnings front while renewed geopolitical tensions and mixed economic data further underpinned a sense of nervousness among investors.
Kicking off the last trading day of April on a downbeat note was a trifecta of discouraging news from Microsoft (MSFT 24.15 -3.10). As if missing Q3 (Mar) forecasts by a penny wasn't enough, the tech bellwether also warned for the current quarter and said its will spend roughly $2.0 bln more in fiscal 2007 than analysts expected in
Appetizer, Please! The bread basket is filled with empty calories that could add up to 100 calories or more per typical roll. To avoid filling up on the bread in restaurants, ask the waiter for an appetizer right away when he/she comes for your drink order.
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NATALEE'S UNCLE SAYS 'RE-ARREST DEEPAK!'
Natalee Holloway's uncle is demanding that suspect Deepak Kalpoe be re-arrested in the 10-month-old mystery of the pretty blonde honor student who disappeared in Aruba. Deepak, his brother Satish and Joran van der Sloot were with the Alabama teen, pictured center, when she was last seen leaving a bar on the island in the early hours of May 30. Her uncle Paul Reynolds told The National Enquirer that he believes Deepak, 21, should be the chief suspect instead of van der Sloot, 18. Reynolds also... STAR JONES CHEATS DEATH AS SHE UNDERGOES PLASTIC SURGERY A WILD NIGHT OUT FOR JESSE & HIS PARTY PAL LINDSAY
Star Magazine
KATIE HOLMES: FEARING FOR HER TOMKITTEN
Katie Holmes was already worried about the upcoming birth of her baby. According to the tenets of 43-year-old fiancé Tom Cruise's religion, Scientology, she'll have to be silent (not even a moan!) during the delivery, lest the trauma be imprinted in her baby's brain. Plus, a source says, "Only Tom and a few Scientology supporters will be in the room — not Katie's mother!" And Scientology advocates separating the baby from its mother for at least the first 24 hours after birth. Now... IT'S OVER! KRISTIN CHEATS ON NICK WITH HER EX! ANGELINA PILOTING HER PLANE AT 7 1/2 MONTHS: IS SHE CRAZY?
al-Qaida Leader Sees 'Broken' U.S. in Iraq This is an undated image made from a video released Friday, April 28, 2006 of al-Qaida's No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri. al-Zawahri said the terror network's branch in Iraq had succeeded in "breaking the back" of the U.S. miltary with hundreds of suicide bombings, in a video that was the latest in a string of new messages by al-Qaida's leaders. This image was provided via the IntelCenter, which is a private contractor working for intelligence agencies. In the bottom right corner is the logo in Arabic and English of Al-Sahab, an al-Qaida video production company. (AP Photo/via IntelCenter)
1:27 pm PT Gerdau AmeriSteel announces 53% Sheffield Steel shareholder agreement (GNA) 10.54 +0.53 : Co�announces that it has amended its previously announced merger agreement with Sheffield Steel. Sheffield shareholders owning�53% of the outstanding shares of Sheffield have agreed to vote in favor of the amended merger agreement which increased the purchase price�to $94 mln in cash plus the assumption of�$94 mln of debt. The deal is�expected to close in Q2.
1:24 pm PT Ford Motor to resume production at seven plants (F) 6.95 -0.15 : On Monday, co says it will resume building vehicles at seven assembly plants that were shut down for a day due to a parts issue that has been resolved.
1:06 pm PT Amtech Systems names Bradley C. Anderson CFO (ASYS) 8.63 -.26 : Co announces it has appointed Bradley C. Anderson, C.P.A., as vice president and chief financial officer. Anderson succeeds Robert T. Hass, who continues to serve as the co's chief accounting officer.