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Moody's Investor Service warned Thursday it could downgrade the credit ratings of 17 global banks and securities firms due to more fragile funding conditions, increased regulatory burdens and a more difficult operating environment.

An important leading indicator on the state of national manufacturing revealed a high level of optimism in that economic category, suggesting the recovery underway in that sector could become a rolling trend.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Monday were: Ultra Clean Holdings, Insight Enterprises, Perfect World, TripAdvisor, SunPower Corp and Education Management Corp. The top after-market NASDAQ losers Monday were: Seattle Genetics, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Smith & Wesson Holding, IPG Photonics, Imperial Sugar Co. and Fastenal Co.

India's headline inflation slowed to its lowest level in more than two years in January as food prices fell, sparking hopes that the RBI will start cutting interest rates sooner rather than later to battle the country's economic slowdown.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Friday were: Meru Networks, Energy XXI, Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Fortinet and Achillion Pharmaceuticals. The top after-market NASDAQ gainers losers: Neurocrine Biosciences, Smith Micro Software, FriendFinder Networks and Dunkin' Brands Group.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said his company might benefit from the collapse of the AT&T bid for T-Mobile USA.

British bank Barclays warned it may miss its medium-term profitability target after it ended 2011 with its worst quarter for three years as the euro zone debt crisis hit bond trading, dragging its annual profit down on the year before.

The euro and Asian shares pulled back Friday as investors remained concerned about prospects of restructuring Greece's debt and global lenders demanded more steps even after it struck a long-awaited deal on fiscal reforms.

PepsiCo Inc Chief Executive Indra Nooyi laid out a plan to turn around the company's North American soft drink business that includes ramping up advertising, cutting thousands of jobs and a bigger-than-expected decline in near-term earnings.

Asian shares struggled but the euro recovered on Thursday, as markets were left without a clear direction after Greek political leaders failed again to conclude a deal for a bailout package, which Athens needs to avoid a messy debt default.

Asian shares and the euro struggled Thursday, as sentiment grew cautious after Greek political leaders failed to conclude a deal for a bailout package crucial to avoiding a messy debt default.

Foreign and U.S. banks warned lawmakers on Wednesday that broad application of U.S. swaps rules could undermine U.S. competitiveness abroad, increase the cost of hedging and even provoke brinkmanship among international regulators.

BP Plc won a court order Wednesday keeping several potentially damaging e-mails out of a scheduled trial to determine responsibility for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico disaster.

U.S. borrowers tacked on $19.6 billion in revolving -- mostly credit card-related -- debt in December, according to preliminary data from the Federal Reserve. Non-revolving credit was also up. Borrowing grew across all categories -- be it charges on commercial credit cards, student promissory notes, auto loans of fixed-term mortgages.

Money market accounts could soon be joining "free checking" in the dustbin of retail banking history. That's what various portfolio managers who make up a large chunk of the industry are saying could happen if certain regulatory provisions being discussed in Washington are enacted.

Surging capital inflows, booming stock markets and a fast-appreciating currency suggest the India story is again shining after a dismal 2011.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Friday were: K-V Pharmaceutical, 3D Systems, General Growth Properties, Toll Brothers and Post Holdings. The top aftermarket NYSE losers: Jones Group, Royal Caribbean Cruises, HCA Holdings, Goodrich Petroleum Corp and Edwards Lifesciences Corp.

Asian shares rose Monday as surprisingly robust U.S. jobs data bolstered investor risk appetite, overshadowing worries about a lack of progress in Greek debt restructuring talks that are vital to containing the euro zone debt crisis.

With worries growing over computer hacking, data theft and the risk of digital attacks destroying essential systems, western states and their allies are co-operating closer than ever on cyber security.

When the New York Giants and New England Patriots battle in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, they'll be playing in a stadium that was largely financed by taxpayers. Some critics dispute the positive economic benefits of stadiums, which have received around $20 billion in subsidies in the last two decades.

Asian shares and the euro fell on Friday as debt restructuring talks between Greece and its creditors dragged on, undermining sentiment, and investors sat tight ahead of U.S. jobs data that will offer more clues on the health of the world's top economy.

Asian shares and the euro fell Friday as caution set in ahead of key U.S. jobs data, which will offer more clues over the state of the world's largest economy, while Greek debt restructuring talks dragged on and undermined sentiment.

Asian shares and major currencies were stuck in ranges Friday ahead of key U.S. jobs data, which will offer more clues over the state of the world's largest economy, while Greek debt restructuring talks dragged on.

Facebook filed for an initial public offering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday, for the first time doing a public financial strip tease.

China Telecom subsidiary Beijing Telecom announced in a local news release and as reported by various media outlets that the CDMA version of Apple Inc.'s iPhone 4S would likely become available in late February or early March.

Facebook unveiled plans for the biggest ever Internet IPO that could raise as much as $10 billion, but made it clear CEO Mark Zuckerberg will exercise almost complete control over the company, leaving investors with little say.

JPMorgan Chase & Co has agreed to drop almost all of a $710 million claim against Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc's bankruptcy estate, freeing up more money to be distributed to creditors, Lehman said on Wednesday.

JPMorgan Chase & Co has agreed to drop almost all of a $710 million claim against Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc's bankruptcy estate, freeing up more money to be distributed to creditors, Lehman said on Wednesday.

Many analysts remain bullish on gold and expect it to continue to rally in 2012.