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Health insurer Cigna will buy HealthSpring for about $3.8 billion to jump-start its business selling Medicare plans for the elderly.

With the majority of the banking industry by assets having reported third quarter results, FBR Capital Markets believes that some of the dire scenarios discussed may have hit bank valuations harder than underlying fundamentals indicate.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc will no longer offer health insurance to new part-time U.S. employees who work fewer than 24 hours a week and will charge workers who use tobacco more for coverage as healthcare costs rise, the company said on Friday.

Are banks beyond repair? The largest U.S. financial companies did little to answer that question, delivering a mixed bag of quarterly results.

Rapper and entrepreneur Shawn Carter a.k.a. Jay-Z has invested in part of the New Jersey Nets, and now, actor Will Smith has become part owner of his hometown team: the Philadelphia 76ers.

American Express posts third-quarter earnings of $1.24 billion, up 13% year over year. Earnings per share were $1.03 from $0.90 a year ago, beating analyst consensus estimates.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, said banks' reasoning for imposing consumer debit card fees was "disingenuous."

Under the proposed terms of the settlement -- which could total $25 billion -- banks would get a broader relief from potential state civil lawsuits in exchange for refinancing underwater loans, those mortgages where borrowers owe more than their homes are worth, sources said.

Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith are among the new group of owners of the Philadelphia 76ers. The new CEO Adam Aron has already announced several changes to ticket pricing that will make it more affordable and a Web site has been launched for soliciting fans' feedback.

Confidence among home builders is up in October, although most still rate the market as poor.

Bank of America Corp posted a third-quarter profit on Tuesday, helped by accounting gains and asset sales, but the bank's main businesses showed signs of weakness as lending profits dropped and expenses rose.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) said its third quarter earnings grew 21 percent on improving credit quality. Its earnings came in above Street's view.

World stocks stumbled from the previous day's 1-1/2 month high on Tuesday and government bonds rose as slower-than-expected Chinese growth data and a warning on France's triple-A sovereign credit rating prompted investors to cut risks.

Officials and big banks are working on a plan that would make refinancing available to some borrowers whose houses are worth less than their loans, so long as they are current on mortgage payments, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Citigroup Inc reported higher quarterly earnings, helped by an accounting gain, but warned that developed markets could face weak growth for years, and the bank's shares fell.

Stocks suffered their worst loss in two weeks on Monday after comments from Germany's finance minister caused investors to fear Europe's solution to its debt crisis may not come fast enough.

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., wants Attorney General Eric Holder to probe banks and trade groups for potentially illegal collusion over new consumer debit card fees.

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Monday after the market's best two-week run since 2009 as Germany's finance minister said a forthcoming European summit would not yield a definitive solution to the region's debt crisis as many investors had hoped.

With one-third of the Dow components and crowd favorite Apple reporting results next week, U.S. stocks are setting the stage for another week of gains.

An economist who helped craft Cain's heavily-touted 9-9-9 tax plan said he does not think the large tax code overhaul could be implemented in the U.S.

Bank of America is set to lose nearly all the mortgage market share it gained by buying Countrywide Financial Corp in 2008, in the latest sign of how painful the acquisition has been for the bank.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris remains open to a deal with large U.S. banks in multi-state mortgage negotiations provided it involves a stronger proposal from lenders, the Wall Street Journal reported.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris remains open to a deal with large U.S. banks in multi-state mortgage negotiations provided it involves a stronger proposal from lenders, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Citi clients who hold the EZ Checking account will be charged $15 per month if they fail to maintain a minimum balance of $6,000

The iPhone 5 release frenzy has reached its zenith with barely hours left before Apple unveils the new gadget, but for the keener eye, the Tuesday event will be marked by how Apple lays out the iCloud and iOS 5. Many believe that being too engrossed with the specifications of upcoming iPhone 5 is equal to missing the wood for trees. The Tuesday event has more to do with Apple's long-term strategy than with gaining upper hand in the gadget market.

Starbucks announced Monday that it was teaming up with Opportunity Finance Network to launch Create Jobs for USA, which will pool donations for Starbucks customers, partners (employees) and concerned citizens into a nationwide fund for community business lending. This follows a trend that other companies, such as McDonald's, have taken to give back to the community while also boosting sales .

The state of California pulled out of multi-state mortgage negotiations with large U.S. banks, dealing a sharp blow to long-running efforts to secure a broad settlement over allegations of lending abuses.

The state of California pulled out of multi-state mortgage negotiations with large U.S. banks, dealing a sharp blow to long-running efforts to secure a broad settlement over allegations of lending abuses.

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) would now charge a $5 monthly fee for debit card usage as Dodd-Frank Act's Durbin amendment would become effective Oct. 1.