IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. stocks advanced more than 1 percent on Monday after AT&T said it would buy wireless rival T-Mobile, sparking expectations of more deal activity, while investors kept close watch on Japan's nuclear crisis.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes plunged in February and prices hit their lowest level in nearly nine years, implying a housing market recovery was still a long way off.

The Supreme Court let stand on Monday a ruling that the U.S. Federal Reserve must disclose details about its emergency lending programs to banks during the financial crisis in 2008.

Tokyo Electric Power Company is reporting that as of 7 a.m. Eastern time power is available in the four damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which will help to stabilize the reactor cores and the spent fuel pools.

Kenya plans to remove tax incentives in the 2011/12 (July-June) fiscal budget and widen collection to rope in more small businesses to increase revenues, Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta said on Monday.

Deutsche Telekom said it would focus on organic growth and return cash to shareholders after agreeing the sale of T-Mobile USA to AT&T for $39 billion, lifting its shares to a two-year high.

People.com is reporting that the prosecutor responsible for prosecuting Paris Hilton and Bruno Mars on separate drug charges was arrested and booked into jail on drug charges of his own.

The head of the Arab League said on Monday that the group respected the U.N. resolution authorizing military action in Libya, a day after criticizing the coalition of nations which has been bombing Iraq since Saturday.

Apple is once again in the center of the heated gay debate after it approved an iPhone app created by Christian group Exodus which has been designed to be a useful resource for men, women, parents, students, and ministry leaders.

Glencore's top management, led by chief executive Ivan Glasenberg, is starting several days of meetings with big U.S. fund managers who could support its flotation, two people familiar with the matter said.

Corrects single-family home sales fall to 9.6 percent from 10.0 percent in penultimate paragraph

Sprint users will receive full ingratiation with Google's Voice service, the company said.

Elin Nordegren, Tiger Woods’ ex-wife, has reportedly purchased a new home in North Palm Beach, Florida for $12.2 million.

The merger of T-Mobile USA with AT&T would be one of the biggest wireless mergers of the last several years, will probably go through despite increased scrutiny from regulators.

Tiffany & Co expects sales growth in markets like China and Australia this year to help make up for the earthquake and tsunami that are hurting results in Japan, its second-largest market.

With the Royal Wedding fast approaching, there is much speculation on where Prince William and his bride-to-be will enjoy a romantic honeymoon.

Investors cheered AT&T Inc's deal to snap up Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA in a $39 billion transaction that reshapes the U.S. wireless landscape.

As Haiti was preparing to vote for its next president, singer Wyclef Jean, who is a former presidential candidate, was shot in the hand.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell unexpectedly sharply in February and prices touched their lowest level in nearly nine years, implying a housing market recovery was still a long off.

Even World number One Rafael Nadal couldn't halt the soon-to-be Word number two man Novak Djokovic as the Serb extended his perfect record of the year to 18-0 to take the BNP Paribas Open title at Indian Wells.

Oil prices rose by over $2 a barrel on Monday as a wave of U.N.-mandated airstrikes on Libya and proliferating unrest in the Middle East fanned concerns about oil supply from the region.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell unexpectedly sharply in February and prices fell to their lowest in nearly nine years, an industry group said on Monday.

Wall Street rose sharply on Monday, led by telecom stocks after AT&T said it would buy T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom, a deal that would create the largest wireless operator in the United States.

Gold prices jumped vs. a falling Dollar at the start of Asian trade on Monday, hitting near-two-week highs for US investors as crude oil also leapt following the weekend's joint UN air strikes on Libya.

U.S. stock indexes opened more than 1 percent higher on Monday as investors welcomed AT&T's proposal to buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom, a deal that would create the largest mobile operator in the United States.

Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman, confirmed his reluctance to invest in technology stocks, called South Korea a good hunting ground for acquisitions and said sees buying opportunity in Japan.

Formula One team McLaren-Mercedes principal Martin Whitmarsh is hoping that his team will be at least a second faster than their competitors in Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix after adding new parts.

U.S. stock indexes were set to rise more than 1 percent at the open on Monday as investors welcomed AT&T's proposal to buy T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom, a deal that would create the largest mobile operator in the United States.

Tiffany & Co gave a stronger-than-expected sales outlook for its fiscal year despite the impact of the disasters that hit Japan, its second largest market, and the luxury jeweler's shares rose more than 6 percent.