MARKETS / FINANCE

Asian stocks hit a 10-month high for a seventh day on Tuesday as investors were lifted by improving corporate earnings, though the non-stop pace of the rally caused some to wonder if it was overdone.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is planning to issue a report next month that suggests that wild swings in oil prices were significantly driven by speculators, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Tuesday.

Putnam Investments plans to cut fees on some mutual funds, not wanting pricing to hinder growth, the Wall Street Journal said, citing an interview with the company's head of global marketing Jeffrey Carney.

Visa Inc , the world's largest credit card network, announced a management reorganization on Monday that includes the departure of its president, even as it said performance is meeting or exceeds its forecast.

Senior U.S. housing officials and leading mortgage companies on Tuesday will make a fresh commitment to help troubled borrowers keep their homes and will promise to expand foreclosure-prevention aid, sources familiar with the plans said.

Sales of new single-family homes in the United States rose more than expected in June, while the inventory of homes for sale fell to a more than 11-year low, government data showed on Monday.

U.S. regulators have begun investigating possible manufacturing violations by Mylan Inc , the world's third-biggest generic drugmaker.

Stocks rose slightly on Monday in a late rally as investors rotated into financial shares, which had lagged in the recent two-week run-up.

Congress will consider steps to curb speculation in the $39 trillion credit default swaps market and could prohibit investors from speculating on a borrower's credit quality, according to a U.S. House of Representatives Committee document obtained by Reuters.

Stocks rose slightly on Monday in a late rally as investors rotated into financial shares, which had lagged in the recent two-week rally.

Stocks rose late to finish Monday's session with a small gain following two strong weeks as investors bought bank shares that had lagged in the recent rally.

A former AXA Advisors LLC broker was permanently barred from the U.S. securities industry for running a more than $600,000 Ponzi scheme whose victims included members of his own church, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority said.

In response to the extraordinary number of candidates sending their résumés to the ‘Dear Sam' mailbox, seeking insight into why they are not getting calls for interviews,

The chairman of the House of Representatives financial services committee said on Monday that Congress can complete a regulatory reform overhaul by the end of this year.

Seeking to reduce market manipulation, U.S. securities regulators today made permanent a temporary rule to reduce the potential for abusive “naked short selling.”

Stocks edged lower on Monday as corporate results from companies, including Verizon and Honeywell International , failed to entice investors following two weeks of gains that lifted all major indexes about 11 percent.

December Gold- Our charts are showing that the market could and should attempt to take out the 1,000 level in the next few weeks or at least months.

Cost-cuts helped RadioShack Corp beat estimates in the second quarter, but its shares fell 8 percent on fears the electronics retailer might not be able to sustain profits by merely controlling expenses.

Western Digital on Monday has begun shipping its first 1TB Serial ATA hard disk drive for $250 with 333GB per platter technology.

U.S. stocks declined on Monday as disappointing reports from Verizon and Aetna Inc prompted profit taking after the Dow and the S&P 500 touched 8-month closing highs.

Debate over controversial EU laws on hedge funds shifted to the United States on Monday as a key industry body warned of protectionist aspects of the rules which have prompted Washington to lobby for changes. The Alternative Investment Management Association said the planned laws on alternative investment funds create potentially major difficulties and loss of business for funds and investors...

Honeywell International Inc is counting on the payoff from cost cutting to boost its fourth-quarter results and allow it to hit its lowered 2009 profit target, the diversified U.S. manufacturer's chief financial officer said on Monday.

Stocks dipped on Monday as profit-taking and worrying outlooks from companies such as Aetna Inc overshadowed data that hinted the housing market was stabilizing.

Debate over controversial EU laws on hedge funds shifted to the United States on Monday as a key industry body warned of protectionist aspects of the rules which have prompted Washington to lobby for changes. The Alternative Investment Management Association said the planned laws on alternative investment funds create potentially major difficulties and loss of business for funds and investors...

Economy Watch: New Home sales, manufacturing reports, construction activity

Stocks were poised to open little changed on Monday as reduced outlooks from diversified manufacturer Honeywell Inc and health insurer Aetna Inc sparked caution.

The retirement income specialist appointed Geoff Shanks as chief financial officer. Shanks joins from Zurich Financial Services.

Stock index futures were little changed on Monday as reduced outlooks from diversified manufacturer Honeywell Inc and health insurer Aetna Inc sparked caution.

A U.S. Treasury official overseeing compensation at firms that got big federal bailouts may renegotiate pay packages that he thinks are too generous, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Sunday.