The market for initial public offerings is thawing, but retail investors shouldn't expect to find access to this notoriously exclusive market any easier -- though a few back doors are open for those who know where to look.

Speculation about a correction in oil prices -- potentially on a scale of $10 to $15 a barrel -- hangs over energy stocks, which extend their losses from Thursday's session.

Coal producer Cloud Peak Energy Inc. fell 2.2% to $14.69 in its stock market debut on Friday on the New York Stock Exchange.

U.S. stock futures on Friday pointed to a weaker start, hurt in part by Dell's worse-than-forecast profit drop as traders moved toward safer securities like bonds. See Indications.

Asian markets ended mostly lower Friday as technology shares sagged after their U.S. peers took a beating, while an overnight pullback in commodity prices weighed down resource stocks.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by WallStSense.com

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Ridgewater Equity (RWE).