NEW YORK (Reuters) - Major U.S. stock indexes pointed to a drop of about 2 percent at the open on Friday as a possible debt default at a Dubai state-owned conglomerate sparked fears of renewed global financial turmoil.

  DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - Banks outside the Gulf played down their exposure to Dubai debt on Friday after fears of default shook global markets, and European leaders said the world economy was now strong enough to cope with the setback.

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans headed to stores in droves to kick off the holiday shopping season on Friday, though many said they were being more selective about what they buy and paring back what they spend.

  LONDON (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirate (UAE) has total debt amounting to $184 billion at the end of 2009, according to estimates by Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, which said the region faces a heavy redemption schedule until 2013. Dubai's shock announcement this week that it is seeking to suspend payments on debt of its state-owned conglomerate Dubai World and property subsidiary Nakheel has roiled global markets, raising fears that the emirate which funded a spectacular building boom on a m

  (Reuters) - Most big U.S. banks may be forced to make public offerings soon if the Treasury demands payback of the funds it issued under the Troubled Assets Relief Program, veteran banking analyst Richard Bove said.

  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan stepped closer to currency intervention on Friday than at any time in the last five years by checking exchange rates with commercial banks as the yen rallied to a 14-year high against the dollar.

  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - ING priced a rights issue intended to raise 7.5 billion euros ($11.2 billion) at a steep discount, hoping to reduce its dependence on state aid by tapping shareholders made warier by Dubai's debt crisis.

  LONDON (Reuters) - Gold prices tumbled nearly 5 percent to a one-week low below $1,140 an ounce on Friday as investors fearing debt default in Dubai sought safety in dollars and cash.

  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices sank to six-week lows below $75 a barrel on Friday as fears that Dubai could default convulsed financial markets and the dollar rose as investors moved into safer assets.

  LONDON (Reuters) - Dubai debt default concerns continued to send shockwaves across the world on Friday, with heightened risk aversion pushing global equities sharply lower and prompting investors to take refuge in government bonds.