A mixed catch this morning ahead of the New York bell and garnering plenty of interest on the net was a story about Starkist Co.
The private company has become embroiled in a controversy about the price of canned tuna.
Reportedly, the firm has agreed to plead guilty to a charge of price-fixing, the US Justice Department said on Thursday.
Starkist now faces a potential fine of $100 million in connection with an agreement to fix prices of the popular fish that ran from at least late 2011 to late 2013.
In other news, house-hold goods firm Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE: PG) saw shares rise over 4% to $83.49 as its first quarter earnings topped expectations.
The Cincinnati-based company, which sells such goods such as Crest toothpaste and Charmin loo paper, said it had net income of $1.22 per share (EPS. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were $1.12 per share.
The consensus estimate from analysts was for earnings to come in at $1.09 per share.
The group's sales were about flat at $16.69 billion compared with $16.65 billion a year ago.
Shoe firm Skechers USA Inc (NYSE:SKX) saw shares surge 8.73% to $28.40 in pre-market deals on Friday after its third quarter earnings beat profit estimates.
Revenue, though, did not meet expectations, with the group reporting $1.18 billion, while Wall Street had expected $1.22 billion.
Also at the end of the week, oil services giant Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) put out third quarter earnings, which beat consensus estimates. Shares in the global titan slicked around 1% higher at $59.02.
Quarterly earnings came in at $0.46 per share, while the consensus estimate was for $0.45 a share.