AFP - The US economy shed more jobs than expected in July, the Labor Department said Friday, heightening fears that the world%27s largest economy will take years to fully recover from a crippling recession.

Reuters - The dollar was on the defensive and Japanese stocks fell after weak U.S. jobless claims figures heightened worries that Friday%27s payroll data could paint a bleak picture of the U.S. economic recovery.

AP - CRUMMY JOBS NUMBER: Stocks were sharply lower for much of the day after the Labor Department reported disappointing job numbers for July. Private employers added only 71,000 jobs, far below the level needed to reduce unemployment.

AP - Adding a net 71,000 private-sector jobs a month to the economy might sound like a lot. But that%27s a tiny fraction of the number of people unemployed in the U.S. It%27s not even enough to keep pace with the nation%27s population growth.

Reuters - Stocks fell on Friday after government data showed a larger-than-expected drop in July payrolls, giving investors a stark reminder the economic recovery remains slow.

AFP - The dollar rose slightly against the euro and yen on Friday as investors avoided big bets before the release of US jobs data that may indicate a slowdown in the world%27s biggest economy, analysts said.