U.S. stocks cling to gains at midday

Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:00:56 -0500

U.S. STOCKS CLING TO GAINS AT MIDDAY
Four technology components are among the Dow's top performers,
including Intel, up ahead of its closely watched earnings report
slated for release after Thursday's close.

OBAMA PROPOSES SPECIAL FEE ON FINANCIAL COMPANIES
President Barack Obama proposes a special 10-year fee on large
financial companies to repay taxpayers for the 'extraordinary'
assistance they got to keep the economy from collapsing in late 2008.

BANK TAX: ANGER OR COMMON SENSE?
President Obama has yet to publicly announce the plan, but industry
grumbling about the bank tax is already beginning -- and it's not just
the president they're unhappy with, it's you angry Joe America, at
whom they're miffed.

OBAMA BANK TAX WON'T STOP THE RISK PARTY
When in doubt, hit them with a new tax. That seems to be the Obama
administration's answer to just about everything these days, and the
financial crisis is no different.

BIG BANK CEOS ADMONISHED FOR THEIR ROLE IN CRISIS
As the White House and Congress consider a host of new regulations for
Wall Street, a commission studying the financial crisis harshly
criticizes the heads of the nation's biggest banks for their role in
the near collapse of the economy in 2008.