FINANCIAL UPDATES

MARKET WATCH

• NewsWatch: Fed looking at long, slow recovery
  First intererst-rate increase could come in September, or not until 2012.

  
  

  
  
• 'Alice in Wonderland' tops weekend box office
  Director Tim Burton's film grosses $62 million, now totals $208.6 million in U.S. since release.

  
  

  
  
• Stocks to Watch: Stocks to watch Monday
  Among the companies whose shares are likely to see active trading Monday are Apple, Citigroup and Exxon Mobil.

  
  

  
  
• Israel Stocks: Israel stocks edge up; Makhteshim slips
  Despite slip in tech stocks, broader market inches up.

  
  

  
  
• Chuck Jaffe: View of funds depends on where you stand
  Fund critics can use the last decade to say that fund investing doesn't work, and fund supporters can use the last two decades to show the opposite. Both sides have valid points, and your view depends mostly on when you started or peaked.

  
  

  
  
• ETF Investing: Muni-bond ETFs are risky, but in demand
  Investors starved for yield continue to stuff cash into exchange-traded funds that target municipal bonds, even as the prospect of higher interest rates and credit downgrades loom over the sector.

  
  

  
  
• NewsWatch: Fed looking at long, slow recovery
  First intererst-rate increase could come in September, or not until 2012.

  
  

  
  
• Economic Preview: Fed looking at long, slow recovery
  First intererst-rate increase could come in September, or not until 2012.

  
  

  
  
• NewsWatch: U.S. stock investors to use data as a road map
  While markets continue to search for clear direction, investors will watch for surprises in economic reports, possible M&A deals.

  
  

  
  
• Cnooc paying $3.1 bln for half of Bridas venture
  Cnooc Ltd., the Chinese oil producer, plans to pay about $3.1 billion to form a 50-50 joint venture with Bridas Energy Holdings, the Argentine energy producer.

  
  

  
  

REUTERS

• Data, Fed to test if rally has legs
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors will try to tack another leg on to the year-long U.S. stock rally, looking to this week's economic data and statement from the central bank for evidence the recovery is still on track.

  
  

  
  
• Greek bailout tops EU finance ministers' agenda
  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Finance ministers from countries using the euro hope to agree on Monday on a way of providing heavily indebted Greece with financial aid, despite French and German doubts that a deal will be reached.

  
  

  
  
• BYD posts record Q4 profit on robust sales
  SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - BYD Co, the Chinese car and battery maker backed by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett, posted a forecast-beating fourth-quarter result on Sunday, as Beijing's policy initiatives boosted demand in the world's largest car market.

  
  

  
  
• "No need" for Greek bailout decision - German finance minister
  BERLIN (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said there was no reason for Euro zone finance ministers to make any decision on financial aid for debt-ridden Greece when they met on Monday.

  
  

  
  
• KKR and Warner Music eye break-up bid for EMI: report
  LONDON (Reuters) - Private equity firm KKR and U.S. music company Warner Music Group are in talks to launch a break-up bid for Warner's indebted British rival EMI , reported the Sunday Times.

  
  

  
  
• UBS may return to commodities in 2010: report
  ZURICH (Reuters) - UBS is considering possibly returning to its commodities business this year, some of which it sold during the financial crisis, a Swiss newspaper said on Saturday, citing the co-head of UBS's investment bank.

  
  

  
  
• Uranium major Niger urged to review contracts
  NIAMEY (Reuters) - The new junta ruling in Niger, one of the world's biggest uranium producers, should review and possibly renegotiate dozens of resource exploitation contracts, civil rights groups said on Saturday.

  
  

  
  
• China's Wen pushes back against yuan rise calls
  BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday spurned foreign calls for the yuan to rise and showed no let up in scolding the United States over recent bilateral tensions.

  
  

  
  
• Greeks back austerity measures, oppose unrest: poll
  ATHENS (Reuters) - Most Greeks think draconian austerity measures announced by the government earlier this month were along the right lines and many feel labor unions should not oppose them too aggressively, a poll showed.

  
  

  
  
• Kuwait Dar seeks government support
  KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwait's Investment Dar , which owns half of British carmaker Aston Martin, is applying for support under a government facility set up for troubled companies as part of a debt restructuring.