CREDIT SUISSE

European stocks hit their highest close since early August on Monday, with euro zone banks gaining sharply following a report that France and Germany were calling for a relaxation of global bank capital rules to prevent a credit crunch.

Coach Inc., the New York-based luxury clothing and accessories retailer, is expected to report a 15 percent increase in fourth-quarter profit on strong sales of handbags and women's accessories.

Rising sales of Smoothies and premium coffee likely helped boost the fourth-quarter 2011 earnings of McDonald's, the world's biggest fast-food chain, by 11 percent.

Global miner Rio Tinto is clear to take over Mongolia's coveted Oyu Tolgoi project, which promises to be one of the world's largest copper-gold mines, after project owner Ivanhoe Mines decided to scrap a controversial poison pill.

Japan's Nikkei average rose to its highest closing level in nearly two weeks on Wednesday with traders citing a boost from large programme trade in the afternoon, while electrical wire companies were the small-cap favorite of the day.

Micky Arison, owner of the Miami Heat and the cruise ship Costa Concordia, which made international headlines by sinking on Friday, saw 30% of his stake in his ship's company, Carnival Cruise Lines, dissipate.

China shares on Tuesday surged 4.2 percent, their biggest one-day gain in more than 27 months, after Beijing reported that the world's second-largest economy grew faster than expected in the last quarter of 2011, although at its weakest pace in 2-1/2 years.

Japan has joined the U.S. in its economic efforts to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear program by agreeing to buy less Iranian oil.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Tuesday were: China New Borun Corp, Synnex Corp, Hospitality Properites Trust, Choice Hotels International, Bank of Ireland, Yingli Green Energy Holding Co, Boise Inc, FelCor Lodging Trust and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

The supervisory council of the Swiss National Bank forced Philipp Hildebrand to step down as chairman after emails about a currency trade by his wife failed to clear him of involvement in the deal, newspapers reported on Tuesday.

The Swiss National Bank starts the search for a new board member on Tuesday after the resignation of Philipp Hildebrand as chairman over a controversial currency trade made by his wife.

U.S. authorities have given Swiss banks suspected of selling tax-evasion services to wealthy Americans a Jan 23. deadline to hand over the names of client advisers, a Swiss newspaper reported on Sunday.

The Dutch government has appointed Credit Suisse to advise on a potential sale of its 33 percent stake in UK-based uranium enrichment company Urenco, people familiar with the situation told Reuters on Friday.

The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: ViroPharma, WebMD Health, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Oritani Financial, and Momenta Pharmaceuticals. The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: RF Micro Devices, Vical, Integra LifeSciences Holdings, Morgans Hotel Group, and Zoltek Companies.

Switzerland's top central banker is battling for his future as he faces a grilling on Thursday over a controversial currency trade made by his wife three weeks before he oversaw moves to impose a cap on the Swiss franc.

Struggling phone maker Nokia Oyj basked in brightening prospects for its much-hyped Windows phone on Thursday as it prepared to strengthen the hand of new boss Stephen Elop by replacing its old-guard chairman.

Gold rose by nearly 2 percent on Tuesday, fueled by a recovery in the euro against the dollar, after the bullion price neared six-month lows last week in a flurry of year-end selling.

There are only hours left for Iowans to choose their Republican presidential nominee. The top two candidates seem set for a dead heat finish, while a third is trying to make the best use of a last minute and surprising surge forward in polls.

U.S. authorities hunting in Swiss banks for suspected tax cheats have a new weapon in their arsenal: an arcane but aggressive legal maneuver more commonly used against drug smugglers, money launderers and Imelda Marcos, widow of the Philippine dictator.

Google+, Google’s challenge to Facebook, is adding 625,000 daily users and already may have as many as 62 million signed up, unofficial statistician Paul Allen claimed.

Morgan Stanley (MS) will axe 580 jobs in various sites in New York City due to economic reasons. The rolling layoffs began on Dec. 15 and the company has not identified a closing date, company filings with the New York Department of Labor showed Tuesday.