Stocks finished lower Friday, despite a last-ditch attempt to rally, as technology shares took yet another hit — this time it was weak earnings from PC maker Dell. Still , for the week, the Dow gained about 50 points.

Stocks declined Friday as technology shares took yet another hit — this time it was weak earnings from PC maker Dell. Merck was among the few gainers today as investors moved into classically safe bets like health care, consumer staples and utilities.

Stocks opened lower Friday as technology shares took yet another hit — this time it was weak earnings from PC maker Dell.

Stock index futures were slightly lower ahead of trading Friday, with technology shares pressured by a weak earnings report from PC maker Dell.

General Electric and Vivendi are at least $1 billion apart in their valuation of the French group's stake in NBC Universal, the Financial Times said on Thursday.

Vivendi is close to selling its stake in U.S. media group NBC Universal (NBCU) but its board has not yet made a decision as the situation is "complex," its chief financial officer said on Thursday.

General Electric and Vivendi are making slow progress in talks for the French media company to shed its 20 percent stake in NBC Universal, but a deal is still expected in the next 10 days, sources told CNBC.

Europe's largest entertainment group Vivendi delivered a better than expected 5.1 percent rise in its third-quarter underlying profit on Thursday, and said it was sticking to its 2009 forecast.

Comcast and General Electric have agreed to make NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker the head of their proposed joint venture, but the structure of a new board is still being negotiated, sources familiar with the matter said.

General Electric and the cable giant Comcast have moved closer to a deal giving control of NBC Universal to Comcast, and a formal announcement could be made sometime next week, people briefed on the talks said Sunday.

Of the world’s biggest media companies, the one that might seem in the best position to ride out the recession is Vivendi, whose headquarters in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe oversees a sprawling empire of music, pay television, video game and mobile phone businesses.

General Electric and Comcast are discussing a deal in which GE would spin off its NBC Universal unit and merge the  new company with the content assets of  Comcast, CNBC has learned.  The deal is far from certain.

Vivendi's CEO said no decision has been made on whether the company will seek to exit a partnership it's been in since it sold NBC its Universal Studios and accompanying assets in 2003.