(Site: Yahoo! Finance: US Market News)

• Ahead of the Bell: Fannie Mae (AP)
  An analyst said Thursday that Fannie Mae's recent shake up of its management team -- it replaced three top executives -- is a move to demonstrate its ability to deal with current operational challenges.
• Stock futures lower ahead of GDP, jobs data (AP)
  Wall Street headed for a lower open Thursday as investors awaited key government readings on U.S. economic growth and unemployment.
• Ahead of the Bell: Precision Castparts expands (AP)
  Precision Castparts Corp. shares could see increased activity Thursday after the aircraft components maker said it will to enter the fluid fastener business by purchasing Airdrome Holdings LLC.
• Futures slip as oil rises (Reuters)
  Stock index futures fell on Thursday as the price of oil rose for a fourth day, overshadowing optimism among financial companies about the largest U.S. mortgage finance company Fannie Mae .
• Ahead of the Bell: Starbucks quashes exec raises (AP)
  Shares of Starbucks Corp. may garner extra attention Thursday after the coffee retail giant disclosed that Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz and other executives won't receive salary increases in the next fiscal year.
• Ahead of the Bell: Jobless claims (AP)
  Government data due out Thursday is expected to show that the number of newly laid off people filing jobless benefit claims dropped as the impact of a federal outreach program wanes.
• Ahead of the Bell: GDP seen rising in 2Q (AP)
  Government data is expected to show the economy picked up some steam in the second quarter, helped by sales of U.S. exports to foreign buyers and the bracing impact of government tax rebates on shoppers.
• Ricoh shares up on Ikon acquisition, Canon slides (Reuters)
  Shares of copier and printer maker Ricoh Co Ltd jumped nearly 4 percent on its $1.6 billion acquisition of U.S. distributor Ikon Office Solutions , while rival Canon Inc slid to a four-month low on concerns the deal would hurt its business.
• Sector Wrap: Insurance stocks rise (AP)
  Shares of insurance companies rose Wednesday, along with the broader market, after a better-than-expected report on durable goods orders alleviated some of investors' concerns about the economy.
• Sector Wrap: Regional bank stocks mostly rise (AP)
  Shares of regional banks mostly rose Wednesday, after a better-than-expected report on durable goods orders helped boost investor sentiment.
• Fannie Mae shakes up management team (AP)
  Mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae shook up its executive ranks Wednesday, after shares in it and sibling company Freddie Mac rose for a third straight day as investors appeared less certain a government bailout of the two troubled companies is imminent.
• Business Highlights (AP)
  Mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae shook up its executive ranks Wednesday, after shares in it and sibling company Freddie Mac rose for a third straight day as investors appeared less certain a government bailout of the two troubled companies is imminent.
• Sector Wrap: PC makers mixed (AP)
  Shares of Dell Inc. closed Wednesday higher ahead of the computer maker's earnings report, scheduled for Thursday, as an analyst reiterated an "Outperform" rating on the stock.
• Movers roundup: Talbots, Lehman Brothers (AP)
  Shares of The Talbots Inc. surged nearly 30 percent on Wednesday, after the women's apparel retailer said its second-quarter loss widened, but added the cost of closing down some businesses will be much less than expected.
• Movers roundup: J. Crew, AbitibiBowater (AP)
  Shares of J. Crew Group Inc. hit an all-time low on Wednesday, after it reported its second-quarter profit fell and cut its full-year forecast and an analyst downgraded the apparel retailer.
• Sector roundup: National banks, meat producers (AP)
  Shares of national banks mostly rose Wednesday as a report showing a larger-than-expected increase in durable goods orders helped ease investors' concerns about the economy.
• Stocks rise following gain in durable goods orders (AP)
  Wall Street posted a sizable advance Wednesday after the government reported a larger-than-expected increase in orders for big-ticket manufactured goods that indicated the economy could be stronger than some investors thought.
• Chico's shares rise on better-than-expected profit (AP)
  Shares of women's clothing retailer Chico's FAS Inc. rose sharply Wednesday, a day after the company beat analyst expectations with its second-quarter earnings.
• Brown Shoe shares fall on reduced outlook (AP)
  Shares of Brown Shoe Co. Inc. fell Wednesday following the company's announcement that its second-quarter profits dropped almost 80 percent and that it was sharply reducing its outlook for the year.
• Quiksilver shares up after group bids on Rossignol (AP)
  Shares of clothing and shoe maker Quiksilver Inc. rose more than 11 percent Wednesday after the company announced it will sell its Rossignol ski gear business.