Amazon

Amazon launching new standalone video-streaming service

The online-retail giant is letting customers subscribe to its video-streaming service by itself for the first time, CNN Money reports — creating a standalone service that acts as a direct competitor to Netflix.

Amazon has been heavily investing in its digital-content business in recent years. But until now, it has only ever been available as part of Amazon Prime, Amazon's subscription service that also includes free one-day delivery.

But now customers will be able to subscribe on a month-by-month basis just to the video options — straightforwardly named Amazon Video.

US stocks edge mostly lower; Amazon soars on surprise profit

With corporate earnings in full swing, several big companies were making sharp moves Friday after reporting their results.

Most notable was Amazon, which jumped 17 percent after surprising investors with a profit.

Elsewhere, Capital One sank 10 percent and Biogen plunged 17 percent after their results fell short of what analysts were expecting.