EQUITIES

Stocks rose broadly on Tuesday, lifting the Dow and the S&P 500 to fresh 15-month closing highs as investors bet a potential Republican victory in Massachusetts' Senate race could stall Obama's reform agenda.

Share buybacks by U.S. corporations could be back in style this year as an improving economy makes companies more willing to loosen their purse strings to fund transactions that could reward investors with a higher share price.

Stocks rose broadly on Tuesday, lifting the Dow and the S&P 500 to fresh 15-month closing highs as investors bet a potential Republican victory in Massachusetts' Senate race could stall Obama's reform agenda.

Williams Companies, Inc (NYSE:WMB) and Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE:WPZ) on Tuesday announced a strategic restructuring valued at $12 billion.

Stocks rose broadly on Tuesday as investors scooped up healthcare shares on bets that a potential Republican victory in Massachusetts' Senate race could stall U.S. President Barack Obama's reforms and remove a threat to profits in the sector.

Shares of United States Steel Corp. (NYSE:X) rose 4.21 percent on Tuesday after a Deutsche Bank upgrade as basic materials and healthcare led the stock market higher.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday as investors bet that a Senate race in Massachusetts could put President Obama's reform plans, especially those on healthcare, in jeopardy.

The S&P 500 index rose more than 1 percent on Tuesday, led by gains in healthcare stocks ahead of a crucial election for a U.S. senate seat, which could decide the future of the healthcare reform currently being discussed in Congress.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday as investors bet that a Senate race in Massachusetts could put President Obama's reform plans, especially those on healthcare, in jeopardy.

Healthcare stocks pushed the markets higher in mid-day trading as financials edged up on Citigroup results.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday and healthcare shares gained as a Massachusetts election for the U.S. Senate put President Barack Obama's healthcare reform in jeopardy.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday and healthcare shares gained as a Massachusetts election for the U.S. Senate put President Barack Obama's healthcare reform in jeopardy.

U.S. stocks were poised for a slightly weaker open on Tuesday after quarterly results from Citigroup Inc led to concern about the quality of financial sector earnings as reporting season ramps up.

U.S. stock index futures slipped on Tuesday as Kraft Foods Inc reached a deal to acquire Cadbury and earnings season picked up steam.

U.S. stock index futures slipped on Tuesday as Kraft Foods Inc reached a deal to acquire Cadbury and earnings season picked up steam.

Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Tuesday as U.S. markets reopen after a long holiday weekend, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.04 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.07 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.2 percent at 1030 GMT (5:30 a.m. EST).

From 2000 to 2009, the S&P 500 averaged a loss 0.82% after the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday in the United States.

Some banking analysts are bullish on U.S. regional banks as they expect fourth-quarter results to bring improved earnings per share and capital-ratio visibility, Barron's reported on Sunday.

Despite better than expected JPMorgan earnings, the S&P 500 index dropped 12.43 points, or -1.08%, to trade at 1136.03 after weak economic data on the retail sector.

JPMorgan Chase & Co reported deep losses on mortgage and credit card loans in the fourth quarter, damping hopes that consumer credit is on the mend.

IBM's quarterly results should show a solid recovery in technology spending, but investors will likely want reassurance of stronger growth in 2010 before pushing its stock price much higher.

As U.S. stocks have risen in value since November, various measures of retail and consumer activity during the period are lagging.

U.S. stocks slid on Friday after JPMorgan Chase & Co reported deep fourth-quarter loan losses and raised concerns about bank profits.

Shares of Leap Wireless International Inc jumped 9 percent after a report on DealReporter.com said the low-cost wireless carrier appeared close to a deal with investment banks to explore strategic options.

U.S. federal fund futures rose for the second day in a row on Friday as investors continued to push back expectations for the timing of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike on the back of a benign inflation report.

U.S. stocks slid on Friday after JPMorgan Chase & Co reported deep fourth-quarter loan losses that raised concerns about earnings for the banking industry.

U.S. stocks slid on Friday after JPMorgan Chase & Co reported deep fourth-quarter loan losses that raised concerns about earnings for the banking industry.

JPMorgan Chase & Co reported deep losses on mortgage and credit card loans in the fourth quarter, dashing hopes that consumer credit is on the mend and sending the bank's shares down 2.1 percent.