IBT Staff Reporter

On March 16 Peoples Bank, National Association (Peoples Bank) a subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc., announced plans to consolidate two banking offices into existing Peoples Bank locations.

The U.S. Treasury is expected to propose within days the creation of a systemic risk regulator, probably the Federal Reserve, to oversee banking and market problems that could threaten the economy.

U.S. bank stocks, which had their best week on record last week, powered higher amid optimism they can soon return to profitability, only to give back their gains after American Express Co said more credit card customers are missing payments.

Sudan's president said on Monday he wanted foreign aid groups to stop distributing aid in Sudan within a year, in an escalation in the country's defiant response to an international war crimes warrant against him.

On March 16, Ensign Group Inc. the parent company of the Ensign group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services and assisted living companies, announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo will subpoena American International Group inc for information about employees whom he said were sent bonuses March 13.

On March 16 for the second consecutive year, Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. worked with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to assess the global nominees for the WEF's Young Global Leaders for 2009.

On March 16 Pyramid research reported that mobile penetration in Kenya's telecom market will grow by 95 percent over the next five years.

Fitch rating on Monday has downgraded Six Flags Operations Inc, citing Issuer Default Rating (IDR), senior unsecured notes affirmed at 'C/RR6' to “C” from “CC”, and Six Flags Theme Park Inc, secured bank credit facility downgraded to 'CCC/RR2' from 'B-/RR2'.

Performers often scalp tickets to their own performances, using TicketsNow.com and StubHub.com as outlets, says Nine Inch Nails founder Trent Reznor in a blog posting.

Oracle’s said on Monday that its virtualization software racked up the world’s fastest performance on an industry standard benchmark.

The Hearst Corp plans to roll out the final print edition of its ailing Seattle Post-Intelligencer on Tuesday then move it online, ending speculation about the fate of the 146-year-old newspaper as crumbling advertising and the Internet wallop the industry.

JPMorgan Chase & Co must allow shareholders to vote on measures that would tie executive bonuses to the bank's long-term stock performance, U.S. regulators have ruled.

Intel Corp. accused Advanced Micro Devices Inc. of breaching the terms of a cross licensing agreement between the two rival chip makers, threatening the future of Globalfoundries, the joint venture recently set up by AMD to handle its manufacturing operation.

Stocks fell on Monday after American Express Co said the number of people struggling to make credit card payments grew, erasing earlier optimism that banks could return to profit in the downturn.

President Barack Obama voiced outrage on Monday over large bonus payments awarded to top employees of insurer AIG and ordered his treasury secretary to legally block them if possible.

Cisco Systems Inc will start to sell computer servers targeted at data centers, a move that pits the company against partners such as Hewlett-Packard Co and IBM.

Soldiers in Madagascar seized a presidential palace and the central bank on Monday in a show of force further isolating President Marc Ravalomanana in his power struggle with opposition leader Andry Rajoelina.

The Hearst Corp plans to transform its ailing Seattle Post-Intelligencer into an online business, ending speculation about the fate of the 146-year-old newspaper as crumbling advertising wallops the industry.

U.S. bank stocks, which had their best week on record last week, powered higher again on Monday amid optimism that banks are succeeding in efforts to restore profitability, and that a change to accounting rules might alleviate feared capital shortfalls.

Wells Fargo & Co's chairman lambasted the U.S. government for imposing new curbs on lenders that receive federal bailout money, and called the federal plan to subject big banks to stress tests asinine.

President Barack Obama is renewing pressure within his administration to find legal ways to block $165 million in bonus payments to American International Group employees after the government determined last week that the giant insurer was legally bound to give retention pay to workers.

President Barack Obama moved to boost U.S. job creation on Monday by making it easier for small business owners to borrow money and by spending up to $15 billion to ensure credit is available for small business loans.

Elvis Presley memorabilia including a performance jumpsuit and a grand piano he played at Graceland went on auction on Monday in a demonstration of his commercial appeal 31 years since the King left the building.

As many as 75 percent of U.S. doctors will be writing electronic prescriptions within five years, thanks to new federal spending to encourage e-prescribing, according to a forecast released on Monday.

No one yet has any real idea about when the global financial crisis will end, but one thing is certain: government budget deficits are headed into the stratosphere. Investors in the coming years will need to be persuaded to hold mountains of new debt.

As many as 75 percent of U.S. doctors will be writing electronic prescriptions within five years, thanks to new federal spending to encourage e-prescribing, according to a forecast released on Monday.

Stocks rose for a fifth day in a row on Monday after Barclays joined other major banks in saying it had a strong start for 2009, fueling hopes that the beaten-down sector may be stabilizing.

President Barack Obama moved to boost U.S. job creation on Monday by making it easier for small business owners to borrow money and by spending up to $15 billion to ensure credit is available for small business loans.