Reuters - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to pass a proxy access rule that would give large shareholders the right to directly nominate directors on corporate ballots alongside the company%27s choices, with the cost being borne by the company, the Wall Street Journal said.

AP - World stock markets were mostly higher Friday as investors looked to monthly employment figures for clues about the strength of the U.S. economic recovery.

Reuters - China may need to replace more than half of its housing stock in the next 20 years, a researcher at the housing ministry said in remarks published on Friday.

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.