TOP STORIES 
 
AMAZON REPORTS LOSS DESPITE STRONG SALES GROWTH

Amazon.com posted a 23% increase in revenue to $19.34 billion but failed again to turn a profit, reporting a loss of $126 million, or 27 cents a share. Shares fell more than 7% after hours.

 
STARBUCKS POSTS HIGHER PROFIT, REVENUE

Starbucks said its quarterly earnings rose 23% to $512.6 million, or 67 cents a share, on stronger sales and customer traffic. Revenue increased 11% to $4.15 billion. Results beat estimates, and the company raised the low end of its per-share earnings estimate for the current quarter by two cents a share.

 
U.S. STOCKS END MIXED; S&P 500 AT RECORD

The S&P 500 eked out a record high, but major indexes ended little changed after conflicting reports on jobless claims and the housing market. The Dow industrials fell three points to 17084. The Nasdaq shed two points to 4472 while the S&P 500 edged up a point to 1988.

 
VISA EARNINGS GAIN ON STRONG GLOBAL PAYMENTS VOLUME

Visa said its fiscal 3Q earnings rose 11% to $1.36 billion, or $2.17 per Class A share, helped by what it called "strong" global payments volume and processed transactions. Revenue increased 5% to $3.16 billion.

 
GM'S PROFIT TUMBLES WHILE FORD'S CLIMBS

GM reported an 80% drop its net profit, with earnings hit by charges related to vehicle recalls and a compensation plan for victims, while rival Ford Motor reported stronger quarterly results ahead of a critical product launch.

 
IMF CUTS 2014 GLOBAL GROWTH FORECAST TO 3.4%

Weaker growth in the U.S., China and several important emerging markets forced the IMF to downgrade its forecast for the global economy. The fund said the world economy should expand by 3.4% this year, down from its April forecast of 3.7%.

 
PANDORA LOSS WIDENS ON HIGHER COSTS

Pandora Media said its 2Q loss widened to $11.7 million, or six cents a share, as higher costs offset the Internet radio provider's continued revenue growth. Shares fell 8.5% late as its third-quarter profit outlook was mostly lower than analysts' views.

 
AIR ALGERIE FLIGHT LIKELY CRASHED IN MALI

An Air Algérie jetliner with 118 people onboard lost contact with ground controllers and likely crashed in northern Mali, the airline and French officials said.

 
ESPIRITO SANTO FINANCIAL GROUP SEEKS CREDITOR PROTECTION

Troubles at Portuguese conglomerate Espírito Santo intensified after another of its units filed for creditor protection and the group's main figure, former Banco Espírito Santo Chief Executive Ricardo Salgado, was detained in a money-laundering investigation.

 
WAL-MART'S U.S. CHIEF SIMON TO LEAVE

Wal-Mart Stores reshuffled its top ranks after U.S. chief Bill Simon stepped down, at a time when the retailer is struggling to lift sales in the face of tough competition from dollar stores and online rivals.

 
NEW-HOME SALES TUMBLED 8.1% IN JUNE

The market for newly built homes weakened in the first half of the year, a development that's likely to impede economic growth and could hold back job creation in 2014.

 
 
 
 
  ======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES ======= 
 
 
The Wall Street Journal 
U.S. SAYS RUSSIAN ARTILLERY FIRING  INTO UKRAINE

The U.S. believes Russia is firing artillery across its border at Ukrainian military positions, the State Department said, an assertion that Moscow is playing a more direct role in the Ukrainian conflict.

 
The Wall Street Journal 
IDENTIFICATION OF BODIES FROM MH17 COULD TAKE MONTHS

Officials leading the operation to identify the bodies of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash warned that the process could take months and that there was no certainty they would all be positively identified.