NEW YORK (Reuters) - Normally a big decline would set up Wall Street for a technical rebound. But that may not be the case this week, even after the market posted its worst weekly loss for the year and the S&P fell for six straight sessions. With the corporate earnings season drawing to an end and recent U.S. economic data raising doubts about the pace of growth, the S&P 500, which is down 7.3 percent so far in May, could decline further this week as concerns about the financial health of Europe persist. ...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Normally a big decline would set up Wall Street for a technical rebound. But that may not be the case next week, even after the market posted its worst weekly loss for the year and the S&P fell for six straight sessions. With the corporate earnings season drawing to an end and recent U.S. economic data raising doubts about the pace of growth, the S&P 500, which is down 7.3 percent so far in May, could decline further next week as concerns about the financial health of Europe persist. ...

Credit rating service Moody's on Friday upgraded its ratings on health insurer Amerigroup based on strong first-quarter earnings and the recent repayment of $260 million in debt.

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian iron ore miner Vale is confident it will win a dispute over taxes the government claims the company owes on earnings abroad, CEO Murilo Ferreira said on Friday. The government has ordered Vale to pay 30.5 billion reais ($15.19 billion) in tax on profits from its foreign subsidiaries. The company said it already paid the taxes to foreign governments and that Brazil's claim is a form of illegal double taxation. Vale, along with other companies and industry associations, is disputing the back taxes in Brazil's highest court. ...

Major companies tentatively scheduled to report quarterly earnings next week:

Zumiez Inc.'s shares fell nearly 8 percent on Friday, after the company's second-quarter earnings outlook fell short of Wall Street's expectations.

North Dakota's newly created trust fund for oil taxes has had thin earnings, but the results are in line with a conservative investment philosophy that excludes stocks, money managers said Thursday.

Home-improvement chain Lowe's Cos. is set to report its fiscal first-quarter earnings result before the market opens on Monday, and analysts will be watching for evidence that shows consumers' willingness to spend on their homes as the spring season kicked off.

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's white sandy beaches look set to have fewer visitor footprints meandering over them this year. While this may be good news for Europeans seeking escape from economic storms at home, it is bad news for Suresh Sofat's tour firm and other Kenyans hoping to cash in on hard currency earnings - especially after 2011 was year of plenty for them. Sofat, 73, who runs Somak Travel, a 44-year old family business, now sees a difficult time ahead after the euro crisis and deadly attacks blamed on al Qaeda-linked militia have seen travel bookings fall sharply. ...

LONDON (Reuters) - The owners of Bristol Airport may have to stump up some cash to help with the refinancing of 515 million pounds ($814 million) of debt which falls due next year, banking sources said on Friday. The western England airport, owned 50 percent by Macquarie's European Infrastructure Fund 1 and 49 percent by the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP), with Sydney Airport holding the remaining 1 percent, has started talks with lenders but the level of debt relative to earnings makes it too risky for banks to agree a straightforward loan extension or refinancing, the sources said. ...

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's white sandy beaches look set to have fewer visitor footprints meandering over them this year. While this may be good news for Europeans seeking escape from economic storms at home, it is bad news for Suresh Sofat's tour firm and other Kenyans hoping to cash in on hard currency earnings - especially after 2011 was year of plenty for them. Sofat, 73, who runs Somak Travel, a 44-year old family business, now sees a difficult time ahead after the euro crisis and deadly attacks blamed on al Qaeda-linked militia have seen travel bookings fall sharply. ...

Manchester United revealed the financial impact on Thursday of its early exit from the Champions League, with earnings dropping and cash reserves being halved in the first three months of the year.

The momentum that Gap Inc. is building is real, an analyst said Friday, as the clothing company's first-quarter revenue climbed and it raised its full-year earnings guidance.

(Reuters) - Gap Inc raised its yearly profit forecast, prompted by first-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street estimates and rising sales, and its shares rose 8 percent after hours. For the full year, Gap estimated earnings of $1.78 to $1.83 a share, above the $1.75 to $1.80 it forecast in February. "It's important to remain measured in our outlook given that our biggest selling seasons are still ahead of us," said Chief Financial Officer Sabrina Simmons. Given the first quarter beat, "the current forecast does appear to be conservative," said Betty Chen, an analyst with Wedbush Securities. ...

Shares of Chinese travel agency Ctrip.com International Ltd. rose on Thursday after the company's first-quarter earnings topped expectations despite disappointing revenue.

Toshiba shares surged almost six percent Thursday after saying it had stopped making televisions in Japan where a strong yen has hurt exports as slow demand and falling prices also ate into earnings.

Stocks slipped Thursday after a couple of downbeat economic reports from the U.S. and unease over Europe overshadowed positive earnings from the largest American retailer and an encouraging jobs report.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African stocks slid nearly 1 percent on Thursday, as investment bank and asset manager Investec was hit after reporting a 26 percent drop in full-year earnings. While overall sentiment was bruised by deepening turmoil in Greece and Spain, gold miners rose, due to a recovery in the price of bullion. Shares of Investec fell 2.3 percent to 42.35 rand, after the bank reported full-year earnings that were down by a quarter, hit by exposure to Australia and a weak investment banking unit. ...

Trans World Entertainment Corp. returned to a profit in its fiscal first quarter as expenses declined. Its stock soared to a new high after the earnings were released.

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya posted a 41 percent rise in quarterly pretax profit, helped by higher revenue and a smaller provision for bad debt. "Consumer banking income momentum has continued while wholesale banking has also had a strong start to the year with a record performance in client income," chief executive Richard Etemesi said on Thursday. "Both the businesses enter the second quarter with good momentum, but we remain vigilant about the global outlook and the uncertainties within the political and economic environment in Kenya. ...