BC-Business News Preview

Among the stories Thursday from The Associated Press:

TOP STORIES:

OIL PRICES-GLOBAL IMPACT

NEW YORK — A sudden plunge in the price of oil after years of stability is sending economic and political shockwaves around the world. Oil exporting countries such as Russia, Venezuela and Iraq are bracing for potentially crippling budget shortfalls while importers like China, India and Europe are benefiting from the lowest prices in four years. U.S. consumers are enjoying lower prices too, but they could put the brakes on the U.S. oil boom. By Jonathan Fahey. SENT: 970 words, photos, graphic.

APPLE-NEW IPADS

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple is expected to unveil new iPads as the company tries to drive excitement amid slowing demand for tablet computers. Apple may also announce a new Mac operating system and possibly new Mac computers. Watchers also await a possible launch date for Apple Pay, the company's new system for using iPhones to make credit and debit card payments at retail stores. By Brandon Bailey and Anick Jesdanun. SENT: 840 words, photos. UPCOMING: will be updated from 1 p.m. event, photos.

MARKETS & ECONOMY:

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid dropped to the lowest level in 14 years last week, the latest signal that companies are cutting fewer workers and hiring could remain healthy. By Christopher S. Rugaber. SENT: 480 words, photo, glance.

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION

WASHINGTON — U.S. manufacturing output rises in September, led by gains for aerospace products, furniture, clothing and plastics. By Josh Boak. SENT: 610 words, photo.

BUILDER SENTIMENT

WASHINGTON — U.S. homebuilders' confidence falls in October after four months of gains which had pushed the indicator to the highest point in nine years. By Martin Crutsinger. SENT: 310 words, photo.

PHILLY FED

WASHINGTON — Factories in the Philadelphia region expand at a weaker pace in October as shipments and hiring slow. By Christopher S. Rugaber. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 350 words by 10 a.m.

MORTGAGE RATES

WASHINGTON — Average U.S. mortgage rates tumble this week, with the 30-year loan hitting its lowest level since June 2013 as Treasury bond yields mark new lows. By Marcy Gordon. SENT: 130 words, photo. UPCOMING: 350 words by noon.

FINANCIAL MARKETS

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks open sharply lower, following declines in European markets and extending losses from a wild market swing the day before. By Alex Veiga. SENT: 400 words, photo. UPCOMING: 700 words by 5 p.m.

INDUSTRY:

CHRYSLER-RECALLS

DETROIT — Nearly 907,000 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep SUVs and cars are being recalled for alternators that can fail and heated power mirror wiring that can short and cause minor fires. It pushes the total number of recalls so far this year to over 500, covering more than 51 million vehicles. That's a full-year record on both counts, due mainly to massive General Motors recalls of more than 30 million vehicles. By Tom Krisher. SENT: 470 words, photo.

— MATTEL'S GONE GIRL-BARBIE — Mattel's got girl problems and her name is Barbie. Sales of the iconic doll continue to slide and a surprising drop in sales of its American Girl toys could become another headache for the toy company as it heads into the crucial holiday season. SENT: 300 words, photo.

— ABBVIE-SHIRE — AbbVie's board is telling shareholders vote against its own $55 billion takeover bid for the Irish drugmaker Shire after the U.S. made reincorporating overseas a less lucrative tax maneuver. SENT: 360 words, photo.

PRIVATE STUDENT LOANS

WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans still struggle with high-cost private student loans, with many tumbling into default because the companies servicing the loans aren't offering reasonable options for improved terms, a new report says. Distressed borrowers are receiving scant information or help when they run into trouble with their private student loans, and affordable repayment options aren't available, the report released Thursday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says. By Marcy Gordon. SENT: 670 words.

CASINO-BETS WITH FRIENDS

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Sure you love matching little candy pieces with each other, or spelling out words with your pals. But New Jersey gambling regulators want to let you do it for real money. The state says it's seeking game developers' proposals to conduct real-money gambling on skill-based games, which would make New Jersey a nationwide laboratory for a betting phenomenon many have predicted will become the next big thing. By Wayne Parry. SENT: 780 words, photo.

— BRITAIN-TESCO — Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway reduces its stake in British retailer Tesco to under 3 percent, offering a fresh slap to the struggling company. SENT: 140 words.

— ARTISINAL CIDER — With hard cider making a hardcore comeback across the country, apple growers are tapping a juicy new revenue stream by establishing farmstead cideries and planting varieties too tart or tannic for the lunchbox but perfect for smashing and fermenting into distinctive artisanal brews. SENT: 700 words, photos, video.

— SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY-SHALE ACQUISITION — Southwestern Energy will spend about $5.38 billion to acquire drilling assets in West Virginia and southwest Pennsylvania now owned by Chesapeake Energy. SENT: 250 words.

— NETHERLANDS-KLM — KLM says Pieter Elbers is replacing Camiel Eurlings as president and chief executive officer of the Dutch airline with immediate effect. SENT: 120 words.

— JAPAN-JET — The first made-in-Japan passenger jet in four decades reaches a development milestone later this week. A "rolling out" ceremony in Nagoya, central Japan on Saturday will unveil the long awaited Mitsubishi Regional Jet, or MRJ, a fuel-efficient lightweight carbon-fiber composite passenger plane. SENT: 520 words, photos.

— DETROIT BANKRUPTCY — Detroit has agreed to demolish the home of the Detroit Red Wings and give the land to a creditor as part of a major settlement in the city's bankruptcy case. SENT: 140 words. UPCOMING: Will be updated after 8:30 a.m.

EARNINGS:

— EARNS-DELTA — Delta Air Lines says third-quarter profit fell 74 percent on one-time costs such as retiring older planes, although the results excluding those items beat expectations. SENT: 380 words, photo.

— EARNS-GOLDMAN — Goldman Sachs says its third-quarter profit jumped 48 percent as revenue from trading bonds and currencies rose. The bank also raised its dividend by a nickel to 60 cents per share. SENT: 110 words.

— EARNS-PHILIP MORRIS — Philip Morris International's third-quarter profit drops 8 percent as cigarette sales fell in the overseas markets that it serves and it was hurt by foreign exchange rates for the U.S. dollar. SENT: 520 words.

— EARNS-UNITEDHEALTH — UnitedHealth Group's third-quarter earnings inches up 2 percent but that was enough to help the nation's largest health insurer trump Wall Street expectations and raise its 2014 forecast for the first time this year. SENT: 340 words, photo.

— SWITZERLAND-EARNS-ROCHE — Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG posts flat sales for the first nine months of 2014, but said the results show strong demand for its cancer drugs and emerging new products. SENT: 290 words.

— SWITZERLAND-EARNS-NESTLE — Nestle S.A., the world's biggest food and drink company, reports a 3-percent drop in group sales for the first nine months of the year, impacted by weakness in currencies against the Swiss franc and other costs. SENT: 210 words.

TECHNOLOGY & MEDIA:

— AMAZON-HOLIDAY HIRING — Amazon is hiring 80,000 seasonal workers for its distribution centers as it aims to more efficiently ship packages during the crucial holiday season. That's up 14 percent from last year as Amazon has opened more centers. SENT: 280 words, photo.

— CBS-STREAMING — CBS is jumping on the cord-cutting bandwagon, launching a stand-alone digital streaming service for $5.99 a month that will offer subscribers access to its current and older shows. SENT: 280 words.

— FACEBOOK-SAFETY CHECK — Facebook is launching "Safety Check," a tool that lets users in areas affected by natural disasters notify friends and family that they are safe. SENT: 200 words, photo.

— FOOD-DINNER DELIVERY — Think of it as Hamburger Helper for the Amazon.com era. A bevy of new online services is angling to be your virtual kitchen assistant, giving you the chance to outsource the tedious aspects of cooking — the shopping, sorting, washing and prepping — so you can focus on the more satisfying assembling and eating parts. SENT: 800 words, photos.

— ATTORNEY GENERAL-AIRBNB — New York state's attorney general says nearly three-quarters of the New York City listings offered by the short-term rental service Airbnb violate city or state laws. SENT: 140 words.

INTERNATIONAL:

— GERMANY-FRANCE — German Chancellor Angela Merkel says there can be no exceptions to European Union rules on national deficit targets. Her comments in a speech to Parliament were a clear message to France. SENT: 390 words, photo.

— GREECE-ECONOMY — The European Union's executive commission vows continuing financial support for Greece as markets punish the bailed-out country's stocks and bonds. SENT: 490 words, photos.

— RUSSIA-UKRAINE-GAS — The European Union's top energy official says he's cautiously optimistic about chances of a deal to secure gas supplies this winter for Ukraine and Europe as he prepares for new talks with Kiev and Moscow. SENT: 140 words.

— EBOLA-PASSENGER SCREENING — European Union nations are promising to reinforce passenger screening for Ebola at the airports in the hardest-hit West African nations and coordinate a common approach for the deadly virus at EU entry points. SENT: 140 words, photo.

— SPAIN-ECONOMY — Spain sells fewer 10-year bonds than it had hoped in an auction, amid broader jitters in financial markets. SENT: 120 words.

— FRANCE-KAZAKH BANKER — Russian chess master and political activist Garry Kasparov says a Kazakh dissident banker is in danger if a court rules he should be extradited from France. SENT: 270 words, photos.

— INDIA-LABOR LAWS — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces a series of labor reforms aimed at transforming Asia's third-largest economy into an international manufacturing hub. SENT: 300 words, photos.