Asia stocks hit 4-month high in cautious rise (Reuters)

Reuters - Asian stocks rose to a four-month high on Friday, some investors inspired by positive U.S. economic data to pick out bargains, with the cautious shift toward risk reining in yen strength.

BP delays Q3 results due oil spill complexities (Reuters)

Reuters - BP Plc said it would delay the release of its third quarter results by a week because of added complexities in its accounts due to costs associated with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Nokia says Microsoft's Elop to be new CEO (Reuters)

Reuters - Nokia (NOK1V.HE), the world's top cellphone maker, said Stephen Elop, the head of Microsoft's Business Division, was to be its new chief executive, leading a renewed effort to compete in the smartphone market.

China's imports leap, cutting trade surplus (Reuters)

Reuters - China's imports leapt in August, boding well for a strengthening of domestic demand in an economy that has become a major driver of global growth.

SEC probing certain investment advisory firms: report (Reuters)

Reuters - The securities regulator is investigating investment advisory firms that channel investors' money into hedge funds, the Wall Street Journal reported.

U.S. crude jumps on Canada-U.S. pipeline shutdown (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. crude for October jumped to near $75 on Friday after a leak forced Enbridge to shut down the biggest pipeline supplying Canadian oil to refineries in the Midwest and to a key storage hub in Oklahoma.

India vehicle sales remain strong (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - Aug. car sales in India rose 33.2% from a year ago, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. The gain was impressive considering supply constraints have pushed up vehicle prices. Ford expects India to be the world's No. 3 auto market by decade's end, and is pushing hard to gain market share from rivals such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors . Ford plans to launch 8 more models in India. Meanwhile, Tata's domestic sales of its key medium and heavy commercial vehicles rose 34%.

IMF to sell 400 million dollars' worth of gold to Bangladesh (AFP)

AFP - The International Monetary Fund on Thursday announced it would sell 10 metric tons of gold to Bangladesh, worth around 403 million dollars.

US lawmakers to quiz Geithner on China currency (AFP)

AFP - US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will face a key US House committee's questions on possible new steps to press China over its currency policy, the panel's chairman said Thursday.

Mortgage rates edge up; Housing market still slow (AP)

AP - Record-low mortgage rates failed to pull the housing market out of its funk. Now rates are inching higher, but don't blame them if home sales stay sluggish.

Homeowners, Beware Association Costs (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - House and condo owners may face extra costs as their homeowner associations struggle with unpaid assessments, the legacy of neighbors hit by job losses and foreclosures.

Shoe seller DSW's operator says 2Q profit jumps (AP)

AP - Retail Ventures Inc., which operates the DSW shoe store chain, posted a 67 percent jump in second-quarter net income as a key revenue figure improved.

Analysis: Obama has tenuous grip on Democrats over taxes (Reuters)

Reuters - Democrats in Congress are distancing themselves from President Barack Obama's push to let taxes rise for the wealthiest Americans, fearing it will further harm them in November's mid-term elections.

Wal-Mart US merchandising now headed by four execs (Reuters)

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc will remain without a chief merchandising officer for its U.S. stores for now, instead naming four new product heads to take over that responsibility, the retailer said on Thursday.

Irish bonds rebound, banks hold ground after Anglo (AP)

AP - Investors welcomed Ireland's plan to split up its most debt-crippled bank, Anglo Irish, by bidding strongly Thursday for government bonds. Ireland's battered bank shares also held their ground.

Web Impostors May Face Prison in California (BusinessWeek)

BusinessWeek - California Web impostors beware: You may soon be breaking the law, even if you aren't one of the perpetrators targeted by the state's "e-personation" bill.

SEC says proposed Citi settlement is fair (Reuters)

Reuters - The top securities regulator defended its proposed $75 million settlement with Citigroup , saying the penalty reasonably accounts for the seriousness of the bank's alleged misconduct, according to a document filed in court on Wednesday.