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U.S. stocks ended lower on Tuesday as mounting fears about Japan's escalating nuclear crisis sparked sell-offs in financial markets around the world, but positive remarks from the Federal Reserve helped the indexes rebound from the day’s lows.

U.S. stocks plunged in early trade on Tuesday, following sell-off in European and Asian stock markets amid fears of a nuclear disaster in Japan.

A government probe into the fall of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc has hit so many snags that enforcement officials fear they may never be able to bring civil or criminal charges against company executives, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

Goldman Sachs Group said it is part of a creditor group that may file an alternative plan for dividing up billions of dollars of Lehman Brothers' Holdings assets.

The launch of Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad 2 is pointing to an increasing risk of bubble burst in the tablet market in the second half of 2011, according to an analyst from JPMorgan.

Barclays Capital has cut its profit estimates of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, saying that low-end strength and aging products should lower average selling price.

Barclays Capital said its sales estimates for iPad 2 are likely conservative for Apple Inc.'s March quarter because of early shipment date. The brokerage still expects that competitors will find it tougher to compete with Apple in tablets than in phones given the integration of iTunes and Apple’s expertise in design and battery life.

IBM would be hosting its Analyst Day today at its Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York at 10 am EST that is likely to focus on 2015 roadmap, according to Barclays Capital.

New Barclays boss Bob Diamond and his two replacements as head of the investment banking arm were paid 28 million pounds ($45 million) last year, with the trio also receiving shares worth 40 million pounds for past performance.

Despite massive public indignation over bankers bonuses, the chief executive of Barclays plc (NYSE: BLS) will receive a £6.5-million bonus, according to reports, making him the highest paid bank boss in Britain.

Bob Diamond, the new chief executive of British bank Barclays Plc, was paid a bonus of 6.5 million pounds ($10.6 million) for last year and received a similar amount in shares under a long-term plan.

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya joined other banks that experienced high growth in 2010 by posting a 14 percent rise in 2010 pretax profit on increases in income and customer deposits on Monday.

As many investors know, gold is a safe-haven asset that can actually increase in value during stock market slides and times of recession. But what else do you really know about this commodity? Are you taking full advantage of it? Do you know how to work it into your overall investment strategy?

U.S. stocks rallied on Thursday as stronger than expected initial jobless claims data and an easing of oil prices after reports of a possible peace deal in Libya buoyed sentiment.

Futures on major U.S. indices point to a higher opening on Thursday ahead of economic data including key weekly jobless claims and non-farm productivity.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe threatened on Wednesday a state-backed take-over of foreign firms and a boycott of products to retaliate against Western sanctions placed on him and his ZANU-PF party.

The silver market has greeted the revival of forward sales by miners with sanguinity as prices sit at 31-year highs, but other signals suggest supply may really be scarce and investors are poised for more price gains.

Apple will hold an event on Wednesday that is likely to be the unveiling of its much-anticipated iPad 2.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: Novavax, Sonus Networks, SodaStream International, Akorn, and A123 Systems. The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market losers are: Central European Distribution, YRC Worldwide, Avago Technologies, Exterran Partners, and Partner Communications.

The top after-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: Novavax, Sonus Networks, SuperGen, Global Defense Technology & Systems, and SuperMedia. The top after-market NASDAQ stock market losers are: YRC Worldwide, Hickory Tech, Smith Micro Software, Exterran Partners, and VIVUS.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will likely remain skeptical about the strength of the economic recovery in testimony on Tuesday, despite recent data pointing to improvement, signaling the central bank is unlikely to cut short its $600 billion stimulus plan.

Barclays Capital said it is more constructive about U.S. corporate earnings for 2011, citing increased confidence in financial sector margins and lower economic uncertainty, and raised its full-year price target for the S&P 500 index <.SPX> to 1,450 from 1,420.

HSBC cut its profitability targets due to the cost of tougher banking regulations, joining rivals such as Barclays, and disappointed investors with below forecast 2010 earnings.

Hutchison Whampoa's ports unit is looking to raise as much as $5.8 billion in an initial public offering (IPO) in Singapore, allowing investors to tap into China's booming infrastructure business.

Asian stock markets advanced for the first time in five days on Friday as oil prices fell below $100 a barrel on easing concern about supply disruptions.

U.S. stock markets ended mixed in a volatile session on Thursday as oil prices eased and encouraging job data helped the market to stabilize in the final hours.

Motorola Xoom is making its debut today at Verizon Wireless stores. Many analysts hail the tablet to be first real competitor against Apple iPad. But iPad 2 unveiling which is expected to take place on March 2 can spoil Motorola Xoom dream debut if the analyst predictions come true.

Oil prices continue to rise amidst fears that violent unrest in Libya will not only cut off supplies from that nation, but perhaps spread to other, larger oil producers, including Saudi Arabia.

Apple Inc., which revolutionized the tablet market with its launch of iPad in April 2010, will be reportedly launching its new iPad 2 at an event in San Francisco, California on March 2 with a launch date on early April.