IBT Staff Reporter

A torrent of earnings this week threatens to swamp Wall Street's impressive rally, as results so far have shown the corporate outlook remains murky and investors worry that better-than-expected results from banks still don't prove the sector is stable.

Energy giant Exxon Mobil Corp beat discount retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc to regain the top of Fortune magazine's list of the 500 biggest publicly traded companies, based on revenue.

Energy giant Exxon Mobil Corp beat discount retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc to regain the top of Fortune magazine's list of the 500 biggest publicly traded companies, based on revenue.

U.S. lawmakers are puzzled by a Pentagon estimate that it would cost $7 billion extra to split a potential $35 billion refueling plane contract between two bidders, and say they may still move forward on such a plan despite Defense Secretary Robert Gates' vehement opposition.

Nintendo Co Ltd shares are oversold, Barron's said on Sunday, and reported that strong growth for the Japanese maker of electronic game systems should resume this year.

A book that inspired a generation of Latin American leftists is ringing up big sales after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gave it to U.S. President Barack Obama in an effort to ease diplomatic tensions.

President Barack Obama said on Sunday that the U.S. economy remained under strain and his top economic adviser tempered hopes for a speedy recovery that have driven the stock market to successive gains.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that stress tests for the country's top banks would show some need more public help than others, but he vowed not to pour taxpayer money into a black hole.

A torrent of earnings this week threatens to swamp Wall Street's impressive rally, as results so far have shown the corporate outlook remains murky and investors worry that better-than-expected results from banks still don't prove the sector is stable.

The Obama administration thinks it can avoid nationalizing U.S. banks that are currently under scrutiny to see how well they would fare if the recession were worse than expected, the White House said on Sunday.

European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet on Sunday signaled the bank's likely next move, saying it could cut its headline interest rate but only by an additional 25 basis points.

After an awful first quarter for the U.S. transport industry with precipitous drops in freight volumes across the board, analysts will be watching a slew of quarterly results in the coming week in hopes of seeing some sign of a recovery on the horizon.

Gulf investors are launching a new $10 billion Islamic investment bank and plan a $3 billion initial public offering in the fourth quarter to tap interest in sharia-compliant institutions, bank executives said on Sunday.

Swiss bank UBS , under pressure from an international campaign against tax evasion, wants to drop accounts for undeclared cash from Europe Union clients, Sonntagszeitung newspaper reported on Sunday.

Gulf investors are launching a new $10 billion Islamic bank and plan a $3 billion initial public offering in the fourth quarter to tap growing interest in sharia-compliant institutions, bank executives said on Sunday.

Major Chinese auto group Chongqing Changan Auto Co is planning acquisitions overseas as it prepares to enter Europe and North America where the industry downturn has hit hard, its chairman said on Sunday.

Belgian Economy Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne has asked the competition authority to investigate whether Anheuser-Busch InBev has abused its dominant position in delaying payments to suppliers.

The European Central Bank can further reduce its headline interest rate, but any cut is likely to be a measured 25 basis point cut, the bank's President Jean-Claude Trichet was quoted as saying on Sunday.

The European Central Bank can further reduce its headline interest rate, but any cut is likely to be a measured 25 basis point cut, the bank's President Jean-Claude Trichet was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Samsung Mobile Display, a mobile display venture of Samsung Electronics, said on Sunday the global smartphone market was expected to grow to 500 million units in 2012 from 170 million in 2009.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner does not see a second wave of banking collapses and the government is ready to support capital-raising when needed, a Japanese newspaper said on Sunday.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner does not see a second wave of banking collapses and the government is ready to support capital-raising when needed, a Japanese newspaper said on Sunday.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt says 2009 will be year of the Android, suggesting Apple's iPhone may have a tougher competitor in the Smartphone market than previously expected.

Twitter challenges are far from over. Spencer Pratt of the U.S. reality TV series The Hills says he wants to compete against actor Ashton Kutcher in a Twitter popularity duel, after Kutcher became the first on Thursday of have a million followers.

President Barack Obama has proposed to his counterparts a new Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas to promote renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Ahead of key hearings about the American Clean Energy and Security Act scheduled for next week, Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he will not shift from his proposal to reduce greenhouse gases 20 percent by 2020.

Amid growing expectations for more electric cars on U.S. roads, General Motors said last week standardized power plugs are needed considering that drivers will find outlet voltages that won’t be always the same.

Top U.S. officials on Saturday offered reassurances that the worst of the economic downturn is likely over, helped by unprecedented efforts to keep credit flowing, though the recovery will be slow.

Top U.S. officials on Saturday offered reassurances that the worst of the economic downturn is likely over, helped by unprecedented efforts to keep credit flowing, though the recovery will be slow.