Mark Brooks

Many economists say the Ukrainian economy is heading toward recession due to waning demand for the country's main export, steel.

In other trading Friday, the British pound fell to $1.6121 from $1.6153.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its final 2012 crop report on Friday.

In December, tax revenue rose 12 percent to $270 billion. Spending fell 17 percent to nearly the same amount.

The news is a boon for the financially troubled city of East Providence and the town of North Providence, which face unfunded pension liabilities in the tens of millions of dollars.

A report issued this week by the state Commission for the Prevention of Corruption accused Jansa and Jankovic of serious graft, creating a political crisis in a Balkan state already suffering economic problems and setting off widespread calls for both men to face legal and political consequences.

The Houston-based company said in its weekly report Friday that 1,323 rigs were exploring for oil and 434 for gas.

Benchmark oil dropped 57 cents to $93.25 a barrel in afternoon trading in New York.

The tech blog Mashable reported early Friday that some users trying to message Zuckerberg are offered the option to pay $100 to ensure that their missive reaches the Facebook CEO's inbox.

Mutual funds investing in U.S. stocks attracted $4 billion in net deposits during the weeklong period that ended Wednesday, and funds investing primarily in foreign stocks took in about $3.5 billion, according to preliminary data from Lipper.

The report gave no details of when Cook thought China might pass the United States.

Gold for February delivery rose $22.50, more than 1 percent, to $1,678 per ounce.

A series of Herbalife's executives looked to refute Ackman's allegations during an analyst and investor meeting earlier in the day, laying out everything from how the business operates to who its customers are.

Data released Thursday showed China's export growth in December more than quadrupled from the previous month's level to 14 percent.

Forecasters say ample oil supplies and weak U.S. demand will keep a lid on prices.

The president says he feels "bittersweet" about losing Lew as his White House chief of staff but says "my loss will be the nation's gain."

Wal-Mart has conducted an internal investigation into the matter.

The government will run out of cash in about two months. The Obama administration will need congressional approval to borrow more money or face a first-ever federal default, threatening global, economy-rattling consequences.

Obama will nominate Lew on Thursday afternoon, continuing to put a second-term imprint on his Cabinet by choosing yet another close ally to a key government post.

ECB President Mario Draghi says that all members of the central bank's policy committee agreed to keep rates unchanged.