Shares of Sony Corp fell to their lowest in nearly four months on Friday after the electronics maker announced a new business strategy that failed to encourage investors of its growth prospects.

In this market, you want to be in the “junkiest of the junk,” Greg Peters, head of fixed income research at Morgan Stanley, told CNBC.

About one quarter of the companies that cut contributions to their employees' 401(k) retirement-savings plans recently have restored the match or plan to do so over the next year, a study by Fidelity Investments has found.

The retailer posted a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss, helped by the first increase in same-store sales at its Kmart unit in four years.

Microsoft has been ordered by a Chinese court to stop selling versions of its Windows operating systems that include fonts designed by a local company, citing a violation of licensing agreements.

Autodesk shares tumbled in late trading Wednesday, even through the company beat its third quarter earnings forecast, as the software firm gave an outlook that disappointed investors.

Business software maker Salesforce.com Tuesday reported a slowdown in new business ahead of its busiest quarter of the year, sending its shares lower after hours.

Hedge fund manager Edward Lampert cut his stakes in housing and financial stocks during the third quarter, possibly suggesting he does not see a quick recovery following last year's financial crisis.

U.S. network equipment maker Cisco raised its bid for Norwegian video conferencing equipment maker Tandberg and said it was backed by holders of more than 40 percent of its shares after few warmed to its previous offer.

Stocks advanced Friday as Disney's earnings beat and JCPenney's outlook helped offset worries about a drop in consumer sentiment. For the week, the Dow gained 2.5 percent, finishing at its highest level since Oct. 2008.

Insurance giant Marsh and McLennan, rocked by a bid-rigging scandal five years ago, will pay $435 million to settle two class action suits in the case.

Stocks clawed higher Friday as solid earnings from Disney and JCPenney helped offset worries about a drop in consumer sentiment. It was a wobbly morning but by midday, the  Dow was up more than 100 points, or 1 percent.

Stocks wobbled Friday as investors juggled a drop in consumer confidence against solid earnings from Disney and JCPenney. They started the day higher, then retreated, then made another push higher.

Discount retailer Dollar General Corp priced shares in its initial public offering at $21 each, at the low end of expectations, in the latest effort by a private equity firm to unload a portfolio company in a market that has become unreceptive to such deals.

Thursday's losses notwithstanding, Wall Street's major averages enter the Friday session with a chance to finish off their second consecutive week of gains.