Business

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp shares fell as much as 5 percent on Friday, a day after the software company reported a dip in its Windows operating system sales. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Microsoft

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a big win for business, the Treasury proposed on Friday to exempt commonly used foreign exchange swaps and forwards from the most onerous new rules for the derivatives market. Full Story »

NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) - Former SAC Capital Advisors LP analyst Jonathan Hollander reached a settlement with U.S. securities regulators over allegations he engaged in insider trading in his personal account, while working at Steven A. Cohen's $12 billion hedge fund. Full Story »

BOSTON (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc recorded a fivefold profit surge and raised its 2011 profit forecast as customers bought new heavy equipment to replace old machines that aged during the economic downturn. Full Story »

Pfizer Inc., which reports first-quarter results before the stock market opens Tuesday, likely will focus on a recent acquisition, promising data on some experimental drugs and efforts to improve its business portfolio under CEO Ian Read, who took over in December. Full Story »

BRUSSELS - The European Union's competition watchdog is investigating the practices of some of the world's largest banks, as well as a clearing house and a financial data firm, in the market for credit default swaps. Full Story »

BOSTON - Think positive. The pain you're feeling at the pump from $4-a-gallon gas may become a little easier to bear once you receive your next quarterly mutual fund statement. Full Story »

GENEVA (AFP) - The Doha round of global talks aimed at expanding free trade is on the brink of failure, World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy warned on Friday, with experts signalling that a collapse could even threaten the WTO. Full Story »

• Slideshow: World Trade Organization

NEW YORK - The CEO of discount retailer Target Corp. received a pay package in 2010 worth $23.9 million, 83 percent more than he made in 2009, because he became eligible for enhanced pension benefits and his stock awards rose as the company's performance improved, according to documents Target filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Full Story »

Here's the good news: smaller homes are selling much faster in this market than the jumbling McMansions of 10 years ago. The bad news? Although buyers want a small home, selling one can be something of a challenge. Full Story »

The average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. is now within a dime of $4. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Oil Industry

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan said on Thursday he supports cutting tax breaks for the oil industry as lawmakers search for ways to battle rising gasoline prices. Full Story »

SANTA ANA, Calif. - A federal judge said Friday that he will deny another request from Toyota Motor Corp. to dismiss lawsuits filed by car owners who claim sudden-acceleration defects caused the value of their vehicles to drop. Full Story »