UNITED STATES

A former aide to ex-Alaska governor Sarah Palin is reportedly set to publish a tell-all book about the 2012 Presidential hopeful

The U.S. State Department has secretly been financing opposition groups in Syria who are protesting against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, according to diplomatic cables unveiled by WikiLeaks.

Citigroup Inc's first-quarter profit fell 32 percent, slightly beating expectations, as the bank lost less money on bad loans. The third-largest U.S. bank said it earned $3.0 billion, or 10 cents per share, down from $4.4 billion, or 15 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts on average had expected 9 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Lukewarm sales of the 3DS, released Feb. 26 in Japan, have fueled speculation that Nintendo's latest handheld may not see the success enjoyed by its predecessor.

U.S. homebuilder sentiment slipped a notch in April as home prices continued to fall in most areas of the country amid widespread foreclosures, a survey released on Monday showed.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's statements on Sunday that Congress will raise the U.S. debt ceiling in the coming months are in line with separate recently-proposed long-term plans by the Democratic and Republican leadership in Congress and the White House to increase the debt by trillions of dollars in the next decade.

U.S. stocks tumbled on Monday as Standard & Poor's downgraded the credit outlook of the United States, adding to worries about the global economy after China curbed liquidity.

Citigroup Inc's first-quarter profit fell 32 percent as bond trading revenue plunged and operating expenses jumped.

The United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced that John Bryk, 61, of Trumbull, has waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to one count of conspiracy to make a false statement in a Department of Housing and Urban Development transaction.

CVS Pharmacy Inc., the retail pharmacy division of CVS Caremark Corporation that operates more than 7,000 retail pharmacies in 41 states and the District of Columbia, has agreed to pay the United States and 10 states $17.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations, the Justice Department said.

Oil fell more than $2 on Monday after ratings agency S&P cut its U.S. credit outlook to negative, adding to losses sparked by top exporter Saudi Arabia saying weak demand had forced it to reduce crude output.

Community Health Systems Inc is converting its $3.3 billion bid for Tenet Healthcare Corp to all cash, the hospital operator said, sweetening the offer after questions about its billing practices hit its shares.

German automaker Volkswagen AG unveiled its New Beetle and claims it as the most fuel-efficient Beetle ever.

Oil prices fell more than $2 a barrel on Monday to under $122 a barrel after OPEC ministers said high oil prices could place a major strain on consumer countries, and S&P revised its U.S. outlook to negative.

U.S. stocks dropped on Monday after ratings agency Standard & Poor's cut its long-term outlook on the United States and another step by China to stem growth reignited worries about the global economy.

Spot Gold jumped to a new all-time high of $1489 per ounce in Asian trade Monday, edging lower as the Dollar rose on the currency market and global equities began the Easter-shortened week with a 0.5% drop.

Philips is hiving off its once leading television business, the first step by new chief executive Frans van Houten to boost flagging profit at Europe's biggest consumer electronics maker.

U.S. stocks were poised for a lower open on Monday after China took another step to stem the growth of its economy and worries persisted Greece may need to restructure its debt.

Citigroup Inc's first-quarter profit fell 32 percent, slightly beating expectations, as the bank lost less money on bad loans but struggled to grow its business.

The US dollar and Japanese yen, considered two safe-haven currencies, are up on Monday while oil and US stock futures are down modestly.

U.S. stock index futures fell on Monday before a raft of corporate earnings, including Citigroup, as investors weigh whether corporate results and outlooks will be hurt by rising commodity costs.