IBT Staff Reporter

The Security Council on Monday unanimously condemned North Korea's long-range rocket launch nearly two weeks ago as contravening a U.N. ban, and demanded enforcement of existing sanctions against Pyongyang.

Citigroup Inc has told potential buyers of its Japanese retail brokerage arm that it may also be willing to sell its Japanese investment banking and asset management operations, sources familiar with the matter said.

MetLife Inc , one of the largest U.S. life insurers, on Monday said it will not take money from the government's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, saying it already has sufficient capital.

Diversified U.S. manufacturer SPX Corp slashed its 2009 profit forecast by about 18 percent, warning that it expects revenue to be weaker than forecast as a global downturn hurts demand for its products.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose on Monday as bets that major banks will post reassuring quarterly results fueled a run-up in financials, offsetting uneasiness about the fate of General Motors .

Chrysler and potential partner Fiat SpA are discussing a new management and board for the U.S. automaker under a proposed alliance that could see Fiat take a stake in Chrysler, Automotive News reported on Monday.

The U.S. has reached the halfway point in its fiscal year but it has already racked up nearly $1 trillion in unpaid bills.

NetSuite Inc, a maker of Web-based business management software for small- to mid-sized companies, has developed programs catering to large corporations, said a person familiar with the strategy.

With three rounds of layoffs announced since the year began, Google is showing rare signs of vulnerability.

Oil fell more than 4 percent on Monday after the International Energy Agency slashed its forecast for oil demand, offsetting the impact of data showing Chinese crude imports rose to their second highest level ever.

Unemployment is a bigger reason for missed mortgage payments than high interest rates, according to a study from the Boston Federal Reserve that raises questions about President Barack Obama's plan to stem foreclosures by modifying loans.

Citigroup Inc's and Bank of America Corp's shares rose Monday on hopes that the two banks will post the same sort of first-quarter profits that Wells Fargo & Co forecast late last week.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York purchased $7.37 billion of treasuries maturing between 2011 and 2012 Monday, as part of the central bank's efforts to reduce lending rates and help the world's largest economy out of recession.

Japan may reopen the world's largest nuclear plant this month on a trial basis, according to a news report Friday.

In a move to ensure that all of jailed swindler Bernard Madoff's personal wealth is used to pay his defrauded customers, some investors filed court papers on Monday to force him into bankruptcy.

Citigroup has told potential buyers of its Japanese retail brokerage arm that it may also be willing to sell its investment banking and asset management operations in Japan, sources familiar with the matter said.

Exxon Mobil on Monday confirmed natural gas production from the Sable Offshore Energy Project in Nova Scotia had returned following an operational incident last week.

Shares of Warner Music Group rose as much as 18 percent on Monday after an analyst report upgraded the company on the belief that music industry trends were stabilizing after six months of declines.

The Dow and the Nasdaq declined on Monday, weighed by Boeing's disappointing outlook, a pullback in oil prices and worries about General Motors' fate.

Express Scripts Inc will buy health insurer WellPoint Inc's NextRx prescription business for $4.68 billion, becoming the No. 2 U.S. pharmacy benefit manager while gaining more leverage in driving down drug prices.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc's asset management unit on Monday said it has raised $5.5 billion from investors to start a fifth fund dedicated to buying private equity investments on the secondary market.

Citigroup Inc's and Bank of America Corp's shares rose Monday on hopes that the two banks will post the same sort of first-quarter profits that Wells Fargo & Co forecast late last week.

Indian soldiers killed four rebels in the country's revolt-racked northeast on Monday, officials said, as authorities continued to flush out militants before the country's general election gets underway this week.

China has promised its citizens stronger legal protection, improved incomes and expanded channels to complain as part of its first human rights action plan, which casts the Communist Party government as guardian of rights.

Stocks cut losses on Monday and the benchmark S&P 500 briefly turned positive, as investors snapped up financials shares on hopes that quarterly results of major banks will show stabilization returning to the financial sector.

The U.N. Security Council will meet on Monday to approve a statement condemning North Korea's rocket launch and demanding enforcement of existing sanctions against Pyongyang, a Mexican diplomat said.

The issue of executive pay has resurfaced again in the wake of questionable AIG bonuses, and exorbitant compensation packages for banking executives. Pundits see the problem largely as a consequence of a lack of independence among boards of directors. They criticize compensation committees for being too cozy with top management – showering them with lavish pay, outsize option packages, and a host...

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that thousands of major infrastructure projects being undertaken as part of his economic stimulus plan were ahead of schedule and under budget.