SINGAPORE, April 26- London copper climbed to a nine-day peak on Friday and was on track for its biggest weekly gain in seven months, as hopes that the European Central Bank would next week usher in another round of global easing burnished the allure of risky assets.

TOKYO, April 24- The Bank of Japan is set on Friday to project that it will meet its 2 percent inflation target in two years, a forecast analysts say may be too optimistic and could put the bank's credibility on the line.

TOKYO, April 26- Japan's core consumer prices fell 0.5 percent in March from a year earlier, down for a fifth straight month, government data showed on Friday, suggesting the Bank of Japan faces a tough task to achieve its 2 percent inflation target.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25- Amazon.com Inc's first-quarter revenue jumped 22 percent to $16.07 billion, propelled by growing sales of digital content, cloud-computing services and gains in its main retail business.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25- Amazon.com Inc reported solid first-quarter profits as the world's largest Internet retailer controlled shipping expenses and other costs, but international revenue growth slowed. Amazon, which has been on a spending spree in recent years, posted declines in net income and operating profit, year over year.

JetBlue profit of 5 cents/ shr vs. estimate 10 cents. April 25- Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways on Thursday reported profits for the first quarter, long the weakest period for carriers, but industry leader United Continental failed to follow suit, posting a loss, as operational costs weighed.

April 25- Starbucks Corp reported higher quarterly profit on Thursday that matched Wall Street estimates and it raised its full-year earnings forecast. Still, Starbucks shares fell 2.5 percent in after hours trading.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25- Amazon.com Inc's first-quarter revenue jumped 22 percent to $16.07 billion, propelled by growing sales of digital content, cloud-computing services and gains in its main retail business.

HOUSTON, April 25- Quarterly results from Exxon Mobil Corp and ConocoPhillips on Thursday showed that while overall growth remained elusive, output rose in key basins in the United States where the oil and gas companies are spending heavily to grow crude production.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25- Baidu Inc, China's largest search engine, posted its slowest profit growth in more than four years, missing Wall Street targets as higher traffic acquisition costs ate into profit margins and the company consolidated results from its money-losing online video unit.

April 25- Safeway Inc on Thursday reported first-quarter sales below analysts' forecasts, sending the supermarket operator's shares tumbling as much as 20 percent in morning trading.

A CBOE spokeswoman said that she had no information on when CBOE would open. The delayed open means investors cannot trade CBOE's exclusive options on the S&P 500 Index and the CBOE volatility index. CBOE is run by CBOE Holdings Inc..

WASHINGTON, April 25- U.S. Senate leaders are looking at ways to stop widespread airline flight delays with legislation that could be voted upon as early as Thursday, a Senate aide said. The legislation could be attached to an unrelated Internet sales tax bill currently being debated in the Senate, according to the aide.

*3 M Co falls after earnings, outlook. NEW YORK, April 25- U.S. stocks edged higher on Thursday, as investors digested a raft of earnings and a drop in initial jobless claims, though declines in Dow components ExxonMobil and 3 M Co capped the advance. But declines in ExxonMobil and 3 M Co briefly dragged the Dow into negative territory and curbed gains on the S&P 500..

The company, which operates Safeway, Vons and Dominick's supermarkets, said it earned $118.9 million, or 49 cents per share, in the first quarter ended March 23, up from $72.9 million, or 27 cents per share, a year earlier.

April 25- Bristol-Myers Squibb's first-quarter earnings plunged 45 percent on generic competition for its drugs, but surprisingly low taxes enabled the company to meet Wall Street's forecast. The company said on Thursday that it earned $609 million, or 37 cents per share, compared with $1.1 billion, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier.

*1st- quarter EPS of $2.94 beats Wall Street view of $2.39. April 24- WellPoint Inc's quarterly profit came in far above Wall Street expectations, helped by expansion of individual health insurance plans and Medicaid membership, as well as lower medical costs from plans sold to small businesses.

*EPS $2.12 vs Street's $2.05. April 25- Exxon Mobil Corp said on Thursday its quarterly profit edged up, helped by higher earnings in its chemicals business but oil and gas production fell. First-quarter profit for the world's largest publicly traded oil company totaled $9.5 billion, or $2.12 per share, compared with $9.45 billion, or $2 per share, a year earlier.

April 25- Exxon Mobil Corp said on Thursday its quarterly profit edged up, helped by higher earnings in its chemicals business but oil and gas production fell. First-quarter profit for the world's largest publicly traded oil company totaled $9.5 billion, or $2.12 per share, compared with $9.45 billion, or $2 per share, a year earlier.