INVESTMENT

U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday, pointing to a stronger start for Wall Street. By 0928 GMT, Dow Jones futures put on 0.2 percent, S&P futures gained 0.1 percent and Nasdaq futures rose 0.5 percent.

U.S. stocks advanced on Friday as investors saw the Federal Reserve's surprise increase in the discount rate as a sign of strength in the economy.

Private equity firms are putting floatation candidates back in the box after receiving knock backs from angry fund managers, and will try again in a couple of years when they hope the market will be more receptive.

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd (FFH.TO), which deals in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, reported fourth-quarter profit that plunged 77 percent on investment losses.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has created a Major Economic Crimes Bureau as he and other high-profile investigators redouble their efforts to fight financial fraud.

Societe Generale expects results to recover in 2010 with lower bad risk write-downs after posting weak fourth-quarter results and rattling markets last month with a profit warning.

The fate of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's $150 million accord with Bank of America Corp over the Merrill Lynch & Co takeover hung in the balance as a federal judge sought help in resolving striking inconsistencies in events leading up to the merger.

The stock market rallied modestly today as Whole Foods (NASDAQ:WFMI) gave a boost to food retailers and doubts over President Obama's healthcare reform efforts lifted the health insurance sector.

Bank of America Corp fired its general counsel in December 2008 to keep Brian Moynihan, now its chief executive, from leaving the bank, and not because of legal advice concerning the takeover of Merrill Lynch & Co, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.

BlackRock Inc may not be interested in hedge fund manager Man Group after all, according to a source.

Stocks advanced on Wednesday as stronger-than-expected earnings from companies including Deere & Co and economic data underpinned hopes for the recovery.

Barnes & Noble Inc said on Wednesday that it would not waive its poison-pill anti-takeover provision to allow billionaire investor Ronald Burkle to nearly double his stake.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc reported lower stakes in ConocoPhillips, Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble Co in the fourth quarter.

Shares in hedge fund manager Man Group topped the list of FTSE 100 gainers on Wednesday, with traders citing talk of takeover interest from U.S. fund group BlackRock .

Investors have not yet given up on the 11-month-old world markets recovery and there is little evidence so far this year of a retreat to safe-haven bunkers in the face of mini-shocks from Greek debts, China's monetary tightening and U.S. regulatory threats.

Billionaire investor George Soros' hedge fund more than doubled its bet on the price of gold during the fourth quarter, a portion of the firm's total U.S.-listed equity holdings of $8.8 billion at the end of 2009.

U.S. stocks posted their biggest daily percentage gain in three months on Tuesday after strong revenue from drugmaker Merck and regional manufacturing data instilled confidence in the economic outlook.

Express, the sixth-largest specialty retail apparel brand in the U.S. on Tuesday filed for an initial public offering of up to $200 million.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday as corporate earnings fueled investors' optimism on their return from a 3-day holiday.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc announced on Friday a management shuffle atop its investment management division, according to internal memos.

U.S. stocks finished slightly lower on Friday as China took another step towards monetary policy tightening and Europe reported a weaker than expected Gross Domestic Product (GDP).