INVESTMENT

Asian stocks outside Japan struggled to hold on to early gains on Monday, as investors remained wary before a slew of corporate earnings and a Fed meeting this week expected to give a cautious readout on the health of the world's biggest economy.

Coffee and meat company Sara Lee Corp will this week weigh an offer from a group of private equity firms which values the company at up to $20 a share or nearly $13 billion, a source familiar with the situation said on Sunday.

Swiss bank UBS AG's Global Asset Management unit is very upbeat on the Middle East and is also a bit more bullish on opportunities in Europe than others, its head said on Sunday.

As the economy recovers, companies across industries indicate a cautious but definite return to attractive packages for its top bosses.

Auto industry executives are expected to see a rise in investment in new powertrain technology, new plants, alternative fuel technologies and high growth markets, merger and acquisition activity over the next five years, according to the 12th annual global automotive survey conducted by KPMG LLP.

Chinese President Hu Jintao headed home on Friday after a U.S. visit both sides declared a success, but which left questions over how the world's top two economic powers will manage future frictions.

Citigroup Inc (C.N) Chief Executive Vikram Pandit got a $1,749,999 raise on Friday.Pandit pledged in 2009 to receive an annual salary of $1 until the struggling Citigroup returned to sustained profitability.

Securities regulators on Friday called for a new uniform fiduciary standard for broker-dealers and investment advisers that would require them to put retail customers ahead of their own financial interests.

Job losses and fear about what lies ahead persists on Main Street America, despite official pronouncements that the 'Great Recession' ended over a year ago, the head of a U.S. mayors group said this week. The group was in Washington to lobby President Obama and federal officials for billions of dollars in grants and investments.

Below is a comprehensive professional biography of hedge fund manager David Tepper gathered from publicly available information:

Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff's sister-in-law Marion Madoff has listed her Palm Beach, FL home for $6.5 million.

The Kenyan shilling was barely moved against the dollar on Friday as traders squared positions but they said high oil prices were likely to stoke dollar demand and weigh on the local currency next week.

Chinese media praised President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States on Friday as a diplomatic masterstroke in easing tensions, but reports largely ignored thornier questions of currency and human rights.

By lunchtime in London – and compared with New Year 2011's record highs – the Gold Price in Dollars stood 6% lower, in Euros 7.5% down, and in British Pounds nearly 9% lower.

Gold touched a two-month low in Europe on Friday, pressured by a firmer appetite for assets seen as higher risk on expectations the economic recovery was gaining traction, but a retreat in the dollar prevented a steeper drop.

The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, supporting her fight for democracy.

Silicon Valley startup Bloom Energy announced a service under which customers pay only for the electricity consumed rather than buying its fuel cell energy servers.

Shares in Warner Music Group climbed over 20 percent in premarket trade on Friday.

Singapore Exchange will start operating the world's fastest trading engine on August 15 that can handle 1 million order book changes per second per partition, said a media report.

Ambulatory surgery centers operator NovaMed Inc. (NOVA) said it agreed to go private and be acquired by an affiliate of Surgery Center Holdings, Inc. for $13.25 a share in cash.

The companies that reported earnings before the markets open on Friday are: General Electric, Bank of America, Schlumberger, BB&T, Air Products and SunTrust Banks.