IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. stocks opened higher on Monday as details of a financial rescue package for Greece provided relief and data showed a steady rise in consumer spending.

Apple Inc on Monday said it sold one million iPads in its first 28 days, and users of the tablet computer have already downloaded 12 million apps and 1.5 million digital books.

Warren Buffett on Sunday intensified his feisty defense of a controversial mortgage transaction marketed by Goldman Sachs Group Inc , saying the investment bank's behavior does not warrant public fury.

U.S. consumer spending rose in March for a sixth straight month as households pushed savings to a 1-1/2 year low, further evidence consumers were starting to take a bigger role in the manufacturing-led recovery.

U.S. consumer spending increased as expected in March for a sixth straight month as consumers dipped into their savings, a government report showed on Monday, confirming the robust spending growth experienced in the first quarter.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday as investors welcomed details of a fiscal aid package for Greece and focused on a merger that would create the world's largest airline.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday as investors welcomed details of a fiscal aid package for Greece and focused on a merger that would create the world's largest airline.

Small and medium-sized businesses in the United States are taking out more new loans and keeping up better with repayments on existing loans, both signs the economic recovery is gaining pace, PayNet Inc reported on Monday.

Dubai World's restructuring plan is very fair and could be signed by lenders in coming weeks, a senior executive at one of its major bank creditors said on Monday.

France will increase its debt issue plans for 2011, 2012 and a part of 2013 to finance a loan package for Greece, Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said in a newspaper interview published on Monday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has pledged to contribute about 22 billion euros to an aid package for debt-stricken Greece, dropping earlier resistance to help. Following are extracts from Monday editorials and articles in influential German newspapers on Greece and the euro zone crisis.

UAL Corp, parent of United Airlines, will buy Continental Airlines Inc for $3.2 billion, forming the world's largest carrier in a merger that further shrinks the embattled U.S. airline industry and could drive up air fares, sources said on Sunday.

Three greenfield International Exchanges of Financial Technologies Group, a leading global player in creating next-generation financial exchanges and ecosystem ventures, will be going live in 2010. SMX (Singapore Mercantile Exchange) will go live in August 2010, GBOT (Global Board of Trade, Mauritius) in September 2010 and BFX (Bahrain Financial Exchange) in October 2010.

The regulatory tussle between equities regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and commodities markets regulator, Futures Market Commission (FMC) over the launch of futures and options trading in gold ETF has come to a halt as the NSE had deferred its decision to introduce this investment product. FMC had raised objection to the SEBI's approval to an application filed by NSE to launch future and options (F&O) trading in gold ETFs on the regulatory grounds.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.31 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.16 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.3 percent.

Beautiful woman causes cortisol levels of men to rise leading them to numerous health risks.

The euro dropped on Monday and stocks fell on fears that a 110 billion euro bailout of Greece will face stiff political challenges, while fresh steps by China to cool its economy added to near-term uncertainty.

European nations aim to formally launch the biggest ever financial bailout of a country this week, hoping to calm markets wary that Greece's rescue may be the first of several, expensive measures to shore up other economies.

(Corrects fall in euro to more than 12 pct from 14 pct in paragraph 12)

World oil prices extended gains in the first day trade of this month mainly on possible US supply drop on Gulf of Mexico oil slick while Greek bailout deal also helped. Light sweet crude for June delivery was seen trading at $86.59 a barrel at 12.00 noon Singapore time while Brent crude was at $87.65 a barrel at the same time in London. Analysts said expectations that the huge oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico could lead to delays in the delivery of crude oil in the US helped the black gold.

Gold prices remained highly volatile in Asian trade Monday as bailout package for debt-laden Greece eased safe haven concerns. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $ 1177.64 an ounce at 12.00 noon Singapore time while June gold futures was at $ 1178.25 an ounce at the same time.

The euro sank nearly 1 percent on Monday and stocks fell on fears that a 110 billion euro bailout of Greece will face stiff political challenges, while fresh steps by China to cool its economy added to near-term uncertainty.

China on Sunday raised the proportion of deposits that lenders must keep in reserve at the central bank, another step in its months-old campaign to mop up excess cash in the economy at a time when inflation is on the rise. The People's Bank of China said it was lifting lenders' reserve requirement ratio by 50 basis points, effective May 10, its third increase of that magnitude this year.

Researchers from the University of Essex found that exposing five minutes of a green activity such as walking, gardening or cycling can boost mood and self esteem.

Perth - Under a new radical government policy, expectant mothers have to show that they are fit to care for their baby.

Australia's government girded on Monday for a battle with global miners over its plan to slap the industry with a new 40 percent profits tax, after two home-grown mining giants said the move would threaten investment.

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission yesterday ordered the Queensland Teachers Union -- which has refused Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard's instructions to hold the NAPLAN tests -- to go ahead with the national aptitude test between May 11-13.

Australia: The Australian Dollar fell on Friday's trading again on the back of weaker equity markets and talk increased that US investment bank Goldman Sachs might be the subject of a criminal prosecution by the US Justice Department in addition to the civil case recently brought by the SEC.

April's jobs report and a slew of other economic indicators may bolster U.S. stocks this week, but jitters over Greece's debt and investigations into Goldman Sachs will test the market's resiliency.