Chase drops arbitration from card contracts (AP)
JPMorgan Chase & Co. said Friday it is dropping a clause from its credit card contracts that required disputes with customers to be handled through binding arbitration, a move that could lead to consumers filing class-action and other lawsuits. Stocks fall for 3rd day as dollar strengthens (AP)
The stock market ended a down week with light selling as investors grew uneasy about a rising dollar and spiking demand for the safest government debt. GE, Vivendi talks over NBC Universal stretch on (AP)
A deal for Comcast Corp. to buy a controlling stake in NBC Universal and create one of the most powerful media companies in the world is taking longer than expected as the current owners tussle over price. More states add jobs, but many for temporary staff (AP)
In a sharp improvement, more than half of U.S. states added jobs in October, though economists said many of the gains likely occurred in temporary employment. D.R. Horton sees 26 perecent spike in 4Q orders (AP)
Homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc., saw new home orders spike 26 percent from a year ago in the latest quarter as buyers raced to close deals and take advantage of a federal tax credit. But a wider-than-anticipated loss fueled by write-downs sent shares tumbling 16 percent Friday. Natural gas plunges 12 percent this month (AP)
Natural gas prices have dropped by more than 12 percent in the past month as the country continues to sip at its energy reserves and a balmy November allowed homeowners to leave the heat off. ALL BUSINESS: Economics 101, by way of toy hamster (AP)
In a world full of economic indicators, the best one during the holiday season may prove to be a furry toy hamster. Zhu Zhu Pets are the must-have hit for the holidays. They're out of stock in lots of places, and retailers are flying in the robotic hamsters from China in a desperate attempt to replenish their store shelves. J.M. Smucker 2nd-quarter profit soars on coffee (AP)
J.M. Smucker Co. nearly tripled its profit in the second quarter as the addition of Folgers coffee gave a jolt to its lineup and lower commodity prices fattened its profit margins. EU extends Oracle/Sun review deadline until Jan 27 (AP)
European Union regulators said Friday that they have extended until Jan. 27 a deadline to wrap up their antitrust review of Oracle Corp.'s planned $7.4 billion takeover of Sun Microsystems Inc.