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[AP] - The U.S. service sector, the nation's predominant job generator, expanded for the eighth straight month in August although the pace of growth slowed, according to a trade group survey.

[AP] - Unlike the blast that led to the massive BP spill, the latest oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico killed no one and sent no crude gushing into the water.

[AP] - A weakened Hurricane Earl delivered only a glancing blow to North Carolina's Outer Banks early Friday on its way up the East Coast, flooding the narrow vacation islands and knocking out power but staying farther offshore than feared.

[AP] - U.S. Agriculture Department employees worked full-time at two Iowa egg farms at the center of a salmonella outbreak and massive recall, but two former workers said they ignored complaints about conditions at one site.

[AP] - Goldcorp Inc. said Friday that it has agreed to buy Andean Resources Ltd. for about 3.6 billion Canadian dollars in a deal that would give it access to an Argentinian mining project said to contain a significant amount of gold and silver.

[AP] - Swedish investment bank Carnegie AB Friday said it will buy competitor HQ Bank AB, which had its banking license revoked by the financial watchdog last week.

[AP] - Oil prices fell below $75 a barrel Friday ahead of closely watched U.S. employment report that will inform traders about the strength of future energy demand from the No. 1 economy.

[AP] - Canada's Goldcorp Inc. says it has agreed to buy Andean Resources Ltd. for about 3.6 billion Canadian dollars .

[AP] - Canada's Goldcorp Inc. says it has agreed to buy Andean Resources Ltd. for about 3.6 billion Canadian dollars .

[AP] - Stock futures inched higher Friday, continuing a rally ahead of the government's monthly employment report. Moves were modest because traders don't typically make big bets before such an important reading on the nation's economy.