IBT Staff Reporter

The Dow industrials closed above 11,000 for the first time in almost 19 months on Monday as expectations of solid first-quarter earnings spurred buying in financial, energy and industrial sectors.

China's state-owned Sinopec plans to buy ConocoPhillips' stake in the huge Syncrude project in Canada's oil sands for $4.65 billion, marking one of the Asian country's largest investments ever in North America.

WHAT: U.S. March retail sales reportWHEN: Wednesday, April 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET

Tribune Co filed its bankruptcy reorganization plan on Monday, setting the U.S. newspaper publisher up for a showdown with a large group of lenders that called the terms unfair and demanded the right to propose a rival plan.

Alcoa Inc posted a narrower first-quarter loss on Monday on higher revenue from metal prices, meeting Wall Street estimates and sending its shares up after hours.

Global hedge funds took in $16.6 billion in new money in February as pension funds and wealthy investors raced to capture a piece of the industry's recent strong returns, data released on Monday show.

Alcoa Inc posted a narrower first-quarter loss on Monday on higher revenue from metal prices, meeting Wall Street estimates and sending its shares up after hours.

We've all heard the scenario. A friend returns from Paris and asked if they saw the Mona Lisa, they reply 'Yeah, it's tiny, I thought it would be better.' It's sad when you finally experience something after years of build-up and anticipation, and it's just not how you always imagined.

The Obama administration vowed on Monday to push for even tougher financial regulation reform, as legislation heads for the Senate floor as soon as next week.

U.S. exports to Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa are forecast to grow almost 20 percent this year to a record $75 billion, fueled by big infrastructure projects and resurgent consumer demand, according to a new private sector report.

The Dow industrials closed above 11,000 for the first time in almost 19 months on Monday as expectations of solid first-quarter earnings spurred buying in financial, energy and industrial sectors.

Electronic Arts Inc has reached a publishing and distribution deal with a new game studio formed by the creators of the Call of Duty franchise, which became a blockbuster for EA rival Activision Blizzard Inc.

Palm Inc has hired bankers to explore several options, including a sale of the company, whose smartphones sales have suffered badly against rivals like the iPhone and BlackBerry.

Chinese state-owned company Sinopec plans to buy ConocoPhillips' stake in the largest project in Canada's oil sands for $4.65 billion, the richest deal yet to expand China's interest in the huge unconventional resource.

(Refiles to correct ConocoPhillips' stock symbol in first paragraph to COP.N from COP.TO)

General Motors Co expects to report solid operating results for the first quarter, which will show progress toward its goal of returning to profitability in 2010, Chief Executive Ed Whitacre said on Monday.

China is all set to start building its third West East Pipeline project by the end of this year, according to an official statement. The pipeline is designed to transmit 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually. It will also act as a catalyst for delivering imported natural gas from Central Asia, it said.

Gold has the dubious distinction of abetting crimes across the globe. And, this time the yellow metal has done something which the world has never seen or heard till now. It is worse than 9/11 or 26/11 terror strikes on World Trade Center and Mumbai respectively. You must be wondering where did such a big crime occurred. Because, this terrorism is a bloodless one. Here, only gold and dollars are involved - that too in trillions. The new crime is called financial terrorism. And if you dare to ex...

U.S. stocks rose on Monday as expectations of solid first-quarter earnings spurred buying in financial, energy and industrial sectors, while news of an aid plan for Greece calmed worries about sovereign risk.

General Motors Co expects to report solid operating results for the first quarter, which will show progress toward its goal of returning to profitability in 2010, Chief Executive Ed Whitacre said on Monday.

Morgan Stanley Chief Executive James Gorman was not satisfied with his firm's financial performance in 2009 and believes it is time the firm begins carrying out its business plan after a make-over of key businesses.

U.S. stocks advanced on Monday after European leaders agreed to an emergency aid plan for Greece and ahead of quarterly results from Alcoa Inc, which marks the unofficial start to earnings season.

Peugeot is likely to be next in the sector to look at a merger, the head of Fiat, which has in the past been seen as a possible partner for the French carmaker, said on Monday.

(Reuters) - Deaths of women in and around childbirth have gone down by an average of 35 percent globally, according to a study using new methods, but are surprisingly high in the United States, Canada and Norway.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although antidepressants are effective in children, they are known to increase suicidal behavior. That increase, however, is not dependent on the specific drug, researchers reported on Monday.

The prominent economists who determine the dates when U.S. recessions begin and end have yet to agree on what seems to be a foregone conclusion on Wall Street: the recession is over.

The global space business grew to $261.6 billion in 2009, expanding 7 percent from 2008 and 40 percent over the past five years at a time when other industries were slammed by recession, according to a report released Monday by the nonprofit Space Foundation.

Creditors of state-owned Dubai World will give their response to the indebted conglomerate's debt restructuring proposal within weeks, one of its main lenders said on Monday.

(Reuters) - The World Health Organization conceded shortcomings on Monday in its handling of the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, including a failure to communicate uncertainties about the new virus as it swept around the globe.