Reuters - Asian stocks slipped on Friday as record high crude oil prices threatened to jeopardize earnings and curb consumer spending, with the uncertain economic outlook following U.S. jobs data boosting safe-haven government bonds. This week has been punctuated by stagflation fears and deteriorating sentiment after the Dow Jones industrial average slipped into a bear market this week, down more than 20 percent from October highs, joining Asia markets and pushing investors into safety-first mode.

Reuters - U.S. employers cut workers for a sixth straight month in June for the longest such streak since 2002 and the country's vast service sector unexpectedly contracted, underscoring the economy's frailty.

Reuters - Phillip Bennett, the former chief executive of Refco, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Thursday for fleecing investors of more than $2.4 billion in a fraud that destroyed the world's largest independent commodities broker.

Reuters - It will be tough for Wall Street to shake off the bear market blues next week if the price of oil keeps rising and the earnings season kick-off from Alcoa and General Electric disappoints investors.

Reuters - Hedge fund swindler Samuel Israel III faced a fresh charge of bail jumping on Thursday and was ordered to jail immediately, one day after his mother convinced him to end a high-profile run from justice.

AP - The nation lost jobs for a sixth month in a row in June, a storm of pink slips drenching this year's July Fourth holiday for more than 60,000 Americans and leaving thousands more worried about the future.