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The fate of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's $150 million accord with Bank of America Corp over the Merrill Lynch & Co takeover hung in the balance as a federal judge sought help in resolving striking inconsistencies in events leading up to the merger.

Bank of America Corp fired its general counsel in December 2008 to keep Brian Moynihan, now its chief executive, from leaving the bank, and not because of legal advice concerning the takeover of Merrill Lynch & Co, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.

Investors have not yet given up on the 11-month-old world markets recovery and there is little evidence so far this year of a retreat to safe-haven bunkers in the face of mini-shocks from Greek debts, China's monetary tightening and U.S. regulatory threats.

The percentage of Americans falling behind on credit card bills stabilized in January, according to data from the six major lenders, signaling that U.S. consumer credit woes may be leveling off.

Bank of America Corp has won a court judgment barring a self-described cybersquatter from using the bofaml.com and mlbofa.com Internet domain names following the bank's acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co.

A federal judge weighing a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $150 million settlement with Bank of America Corp has demanded more details on why bank shareholders were left in the dark about problems at Merrill Lynch & Co before approving that company's takeover.

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Bank of America Corp to answer questions about their proposed $150 million settlement to resolve the regulator's two lawsuits over the Merrill Lynch & Co takeover.

A rally for U.S. stock markets stalled on Monday after a German official rejected reports that the nation's lawmakers had decided to offer aid for Greece.

China Investment Corp , the country's $300 billion sovereign wealth fund, has made its biggest U.S. equity bets in natural resources and financial stocks.

A federal judge expressed skepticism about the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's $150-million settlement with Bank of America Corp over the Merrill Lynch takeover, questioning whether the regulator was too tame in setting forth facts to help him decide.

The Dow industrials closed below 10,000 for the first time since November on Monday as investors sold bank shares due to heightened concerns about the euro zone's sovereign debt troubles.

The Dow industrials closed below 10,000 for the first time since November on Monday as investors sold bank shares due to heightened concerns about the euro zone's sovereign debt troubles.

Stocks fell on Monday on fears that possible fallout from the euro zone's sovereign debt troubles might force banks to raise capital, diluting the holdings of existing share owners.

CIT Group Inc has hired former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain as its new chief executive, the commercial lender said late on Sunday, wagering that the well-traveled executive can guide its post-bankruptcy turnaround.

Wells Fargo & Co's brokerage expects to add more than 1,400 financial advisers this year through a combination of poaching from rivals and training rookie brokers.

New York's attorney general charged Bank of America Corp , former Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis and former Chief Financial Officer Joe Price with fraud for allegedly misleading shareholders about the acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co.

New York's attorney general charged Bank of America Corp , former Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis and former Chief Financial Officer Joe Price with fraud for allegedly misleading shareholders about the bank's acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co.

Bank of America has embarked on a major hiring spree across Asia, aiming to expand in the fast growing region and revive the investment banking franchise that Merrill Lynch built before the financial crisis.

Investors should consider stepping into equities linked to countries that are the first to raise interest rates, Bank of America Merrill Lynch's chief global equity strategist said on Wednesday.

Bank of America Corp has approved more than $4 billion in 2009 pay for its investment bankers and traders, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The second of two U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuits against Bank of America Corp over the Merrill Lynch & Co takeover may be ready for trial as soon as this summer, with a trial on the first lawsuit set to begin on March 1.

Bank of America Corp's new chief executive, Brian Moynihan, will receive a base salary of $950,000 this year, according to a source familiar with his employment agreement.

Tech stocks dropped in morning trading on Thursday as financials struggled to keep gains, S&P 500 edges down.

Bank of America Chief Executive Brian Moynihan will be paid $950,000 a year for his new job, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Bank of America has dropped plans to exit Merrill Lynch's Asia property funds business and will instead help it raise new money, cashing in on a recovery in the real estate sector, sources said.

Markit, a data provider and index administrator, said private equity firm General Atlantic had agreed to take a minority stake in the company.

Trust in business worldwide rebounded modestly last year, after plummeting in the face of a severe recession, but informed adults believe companies will revert to their old ways as memory of the downturn fades.

Charles Schwab Corp added a record number of wealth adviser teams as clients last year, benefiting from a wave of breakaway brokers leaving traditional firms to launch their own shops.

Shares of several major U.S. financial institutions fell on Friday along with the broader market a day after President Barack Obama's proposals to further restrict banking activity.