U.S. stocks start the week with modest gains

Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:00:52 -0500

U.S. STOCKS START THE WEEK WITH MODEST GAINS
U.S. stocks rise as an early report suggests that retailers fared
slightly better than expected during the holiday shopping season.

U.S. STOCKS FIRMER, WITH AIRLINES IN FOCUS
U.S. stock futures were indicating a higher start for Wall Street as
traders return from the Christmas break, with focus on a Treasury
auction, while airlines were pointing lower after a foiled attempt to
blow up a U.S. passenger jet on Christmas Day rattled the sector.

NAPOLITANO ACKNOWLEDGES AIRLINE SECURITY FAILURE
The U.S. air-security system failed when a Nigerian man on a watch
list was allowed to board a Christmas Day flight from Amsterdam to
Detroit, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says.

AIRPORTS TIGHTEN SECURITY AFTER AIR ATTACK EFFORT
Airports worldwide over the weekend were increasing security --
limiting carry-on luggage, restricting some passenger movement on
flights, and making more intensive physical inspections of passengers
and bags -- in the wake of a Friday effort by a Nigerian man who
claimed ties to Al Qaeda to take down a Northwest Airlines plane as it
was attempting to land in Detroit.

WHITE HOUSE TO REVIEW TERROR WATCH LIST PROCEDURES
Move comes after suspect, who reportedly was on terror-related list
but not on terror watch or "no fly" lists, allegedly attempted to
detonate bomb on Northwest light from Amsterdam as it was landing in
Detroit.