International Headline News

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:02:04 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 20 February, 2010

'DEEPLY SORRY' WOODS ADMITS INFIDELITIES, SEEKS THERAPY
Admitting for the first time that he has had affairs, Tiger
Woods says he is "deeply sorry" and is seeking help from therapy
and Buddhism as he tries to save his marriage.

> MINARET FALLS IN MOROCCO, KILLING 36
A 400-year-old minaret collapsed Friday in Meknes, Morocco,
killing 11 people and injuring 50, the Interior Ministry
reported, according to the official news agency Maghreb Arabe
Presse.

> HAITI MISSIONARY: WE WERE THERE TO HELP
We were just there to help.

> COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS RESUME TO HAITI
Commercial air service resumed Friday morning from the United
States to Haiti.

> IRANIAN LEADER: NO PLANS TO BUILD NUKES
Iran's supreme leader says the country doesn't believe in
nuclear bombs, the day after a draft IAEA report warns Iran may
be working on a nuclear warhead.

> CHINA SUMMONS AMBASSADOR OVER DALAI
China summoned the U.S. ambassador on Friday to express its
"strong dissatisfaction" over the Dalai Lama's meeting with U.S.
President Barack Obama.

> UK DENIES 'TIP OFF' OVER MURDER PLOT
The British Foreign Office denied a news report Friday that the
British intelligence service knew in advance that Israeli agents
planned to assassinate a senior Hamas militant.

> LLOYD WEBBER KEEN ON BEATLES' STUDIO
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has expressed an interest in buying
London's famed Abbey Road Studios after music company EMI reportedly
put the building where the Beatles recorded most of
their albums up for sale.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> CASHING IN ON INTERNET CENSORSHIP
An growing number of software companies are capitalizing on an
unexpected business opportunity: Internet censorship.

> LUFTHANSA EYES OPTIONS TO HALT STRIKE
Lufthansa, Europe's largest airline by revenues, is considering
legal action to head off a four-day strike by its pilots
starting at midnight on Sunday.

> GUCCI TO CONTINUE MCQUEEN LABEL
The fashion brand created by Alexander McQueen is to survive
despite the designer's suicide last week, the label's majority
stakeholder Gucci Group has confirmed.

Markets, Friday, 02/19/2010

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:47:44 -0500

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| Dow : 10402.35 up 9.45 | S & P : 1109.17 up 2.42
|
| NASDAQ: 2243.87 up 2.16 | Bond (10Y): 3.77%, 98.75
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks make it 4 for 4
Wall Street manages slim gains at the end of an up week. The Dow rises
303 points, marking its best week since November.

Stocks close higher, with all three major indexes closing in the black for the fourth consecutive day.

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:03:05 -0500

Stocks close higher, with all three major indexes closing in the black
for the fourth consecutive day.

Crisom Kings Celebrate...the Year of the Tiger

Home foreclosures start to tail off, MBA says

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:00:51 -0500

HOME FORECLOSURES START TO TAIL OFF, MBA SAYS
The bankers association report shows possible signs that the
foreclosure crisis that has gripped many of the nation's housing
markets is starting to ease.

FINANCIALS TAKE FED MOVE IN STRIDE; SCHWAB RISES
The Federal Reserve's surprise move to raise the interest rate it
charges banks that borrow directly from it didn't rattle the financial
sector on Friday as shares of online brokers rose on an analyst
upgrade.

CORE INFLATION DROPS ON FALLING HOUSING COSTS
With shelter costs dropping sharply, U.S. core consumer prices fall a
seasonally adjusted 0.1% in January, the first decline since 1982, the
Labor Department estimates.

TIGER WOODS BLAMES THE MEDIA, OF COURSE
Tiger Woods blamed the media, of course, during his somber, 15-minute
address Friday morning.

FED LOOKS IMPATIENT IN WAKE OF DISCOUNT RATE HIKE
The move by the Federal Reserve to hike the discount rate on Thursday
afternoon makes the central bank look a little more impatient today
than it appeared 24 hours ago.

Stocks open lower on worries about tighter credit after the Fed hiked its emergency funding rate for banks.

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:32:04 -0500

Stocks open lower on worries about tighter credit after the Fed hiked
its emergency funding rate for banks.

President Obama is expected to announce a $1.5 billion program to help homeowners in the five states hardest hit by housing crisis.

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:02:04 -0500

President Obama is expected to announce a $1.5 billion program to help
homeowners in the five states hardest hit by housing crisis.

Markets, Thursday, 02/18/2010

Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:16:49 -0500

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10392.90 up 83.66 | S & P : 1106.75 up 7.24
|
| NASDAQ: 2241.71 up 15.42 | Bond (10Y): 3.80%, 98.53
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stock rally: Three days and counting
Stocks advance again as investors continue to move back into equities
after the recent selling. HP earnings help, while Wal-Mart is a drag.

Federal Reserve raises symbolic discount rate from 0.5% to 0.75%. Fed cites 'continued improvement in financial market conditions.'

Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:38:03 -0500

Federal Reserve raises symbolic discount rate from 0.5% to 0.75%. Fed
cites 'continued improvement in financial market conditions.'

Stocks close higher, with the Dow gaining 83 points, as investors weighed mixed economic and corporate news.

Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:05:07 -0500

Stocks close higher, with the Dow gaining 83 points, as investors
weighed mixed economic and corporate news.

U.S. stocks carve out gain; Wal-Mart, H-P in focus

Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:00:52 -0500

U.S. STOCKS CARVE OUT GAIN; WAL-MART, H-P IN FOCUS
U.S. stocks notch a slender gain Thursday morning, as materials edged
up after an analyst upgrade and company earnings reclaimed investors'
attention.

WAL-MART GETS A FOURTH-QUARTER BOOST FROM OVERSEAS
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. posts a 21% increase in fiscal fourth-quarter
profit as international growth offsets a sluggish U.S. economy.

WAL-MART'S CORE CUSTOMER IS STILL HURTING
Is the economy so good now that it's bad for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.?

RETAILERS OFF ON EMPLOYMENT DATA, WAL-MART RESULTS
Retailers' shares slip a bit at the open as the main sector indicator
loses about 1% following mixed-bag results from Wal-Mart Stores as
well as persisently high unemployment data.

Number of people filing for first-time unemployment benefits rose 31,000 last week to 473,000 - more than economists expected.

Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:36:08 -0500

Number of people filing for first-time unemployment benefits rose
31,000 last week to 473,000 - more than economists expected.

Stocks open lower on a disappointing job market report and a decline in Wal-Mart's same store sales.

Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:32:09 -0500

Stocks open lower on a disappointing job market report and a decline
in Wal-Mart's same store sales.

International Headline News

Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:02:07 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 18 February, 2010

> SOURCE: EIGHT IN HAITI KIDNAP CASE GO FREE
A Haitian judge frees eight of 10 Americans detained amid
allegations of child kidnapping and says they can leave the
country, a lawyer involved in the case siad.

> ISRAEL: NO REASON TO LINK US TO DUBAI HIT
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said that there
is "no reason to think" Israeli agents were involved in the
mysterious death in Dubai of a senior Hamas in his hotel last
month.

> SARKOZY PLEDGES $100M IN HAITI AID
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was visiting Haiti on
Wednesday, about five weeks after an earthquake killed at least
212,000 people in the former French colony.

> U.S. 'SPREADING LIES,' IRAN ALLEGES
Iran's supreme leader accused the United States of "spreading
lies" about the Islamic state Wednesday, Iranian media reported.

> OFFICIAL: ARREST WON'T AFFECT AFGHAN FIGHT
The arrest of a key Afghan Taliban leader represents a setback
for the militant group but won't directly affect the fighting in
Afghanistan, a senior U.S. military official said.

> WOMEN CANED IN MALAYSIA FOR ADULTERY
Malaysian authorities caned three Muslim women for adultery
under Islamic law, the first time such a punishment has been
meted out in the southeast Asian country, the Malaysian national
news agency Bernama said.

> TIGER WOODS TO SPEAK PUBLICLY ON FRIDAY
Golfer Tiger Woods will "apologize for his behavior" Friday when
he makes a statement at PGA headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach,
Florida, his agent said.

> UKRAINE ELECTION RESULTS PUT ON HOLD
A Ukranian court on Wednesday put on hold the results of
presidential elections that declared Viktor Yanukovych winner
pending an appeal from his rival, Prime Minister Yulia
Tymoshenko.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> TOYOTA PRESIDENT MEETS PRESS - AGAIN
Toyota President Akio Toyoda said Wednesday he has no plans to
appear before a U.S. Congressional committee next week.

> SOCCER STARS RETURN TO BOOMING BRAZIL
As befits a returning prodigal son, Robinho's entrance was
anything but understated.

> WALL STREET BEHIND GREEK CRISIS?
Greek and other European officials have been expressing growing
unease about the role played by western investment banks and
hedge funds.

Markets, Wednesday, 02/17/2010

Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:35:30 -0500

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10309.24 up 40.43 | S & P : 1099.51 up 4.64
|
| NASDAQ: 2226.29 up 12.10 | Bond (10Y): 3.73%, 99.06
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Oil advances on optimism
Oil prices extend previous session's 4% gain on continued risk appetite.

Stocks end higher, with the Dow gaining 41 points, after strong housing report and economic news boost investor confidence.

Date: Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 4:03 PM

Stocks end higher, with the Dow gaining 41 points, after strong
housing report and economic news boost investor confidence.

U.S. stocks up modestly on housing, earnings

Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:00:53 -0500

U.S. STOCKS UP MODESTLY ON HOUSING EARNINGS
U.S. stocks cling to a narrow gain on Wednesday as housing and
industrial data show improvements and companies including Deere posted
strong earnings, but anxiety lingers over European finances and
unemployment.

TOYOTA TO ESTABLISH QUALITY TASK FORCE
Toyota says it will establish a global quality-control task force to
be headed. by its company president that will seek to bolster its
product.

DEERE BENEFITS FROM WEAK DOLLAR, LOWER COSTS
Deere posts 19% growth in net profit for the first quarter, as
management revises its financial forecast for fiscal 2010 higher.

WEDNESDAY'S BIGGEST GAINING AND DECLINING STOCKS
MarketWatch's daily rundown of major gainers and decliners in the U.S.
stock market.

OIL FUTURES TURN LOWER AS DOLLAR GAINS STRENGTH
Oil futures turn lower on Wednesday as the dollar gained strength,
halting a run that had pushed prices above $77 a barrel for a second
day.

Markets open higher on earnings optimism, and renewed confidence that Greece's debt woes will be resolved.

Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:34:04 -0500

Markets open higher on earnings optimism, and renewed confidence that
Greece's debt woes will be resolved.

U..S. says new home construction jumped 2.8% in January, but the number of new permits issued fell 4.9%.

Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:36:05 -0500

U..S. says new home construction jumped 2.8% in January, but the
number of new permits issued fell 4.9%.

International Headline News

Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:02:07 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 17 February, 2010

BOMB SCANNER PROVEN USELESS, THAILAND SAYS
A bomb scanner sold to dozens of countries around the world has
been shown to be useless at detecting explosives, the Thai
government said.

> U.S.: TALIBAN CAPTURE A TURNING POINT
The seizure of the Afghan Taliban's top military leader in
Pakistan represents a turning point in the U.S.-led war against
the militants, U.S. officials and analysts have said.

> BOMB AT J.P. MORGAN BUILDING IN GREECE
A medium sized-bomb exploded Tuesday at a building housing
offices of J.P. Morgan, the financial services firm, Greek
police said.

> AHMADINEJAD WARNS U.S. OVER SANCTIONS
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the United States
and other nations Tuesday not to impose tougher sanctions in
reaction to the Islamic country's nuclear ambitions.

> HIT SQUAD SOUGHT IN DUBAI KILLING
Dubai authorities issued an international arrest warrant Tuesday
for suspects in last month's slaying of a top Hamas official,
according to a written statement.

> AFGHANISTAN: MARINES TAKE KEY POLICE HQ
U.S. Marines fighting the Taliban in southern Afghanistan
achieved a main objective Tuesday -- taking over the police
headquarters in the center of the Taliban stronghold of Marjah.

> COMMERCIAL HAITI FLIGHTS TO START FRIDAY
American Airlines announced Tuesday it will resume commercial
flights into Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Friday, making it the
first airline to do so.

> OBAMA OUTLINES PLAN FOR NUKE REACTORS
President Obama announced $8.3 billion in loan guarantees
Tuesday for two nuclear reactors to be built in Burke County,
Georgia.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> EMI TO SELL ICONIC ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS
Abbey Road, the London recording studios immortalized by the
Beatles, has been put on the market by EMI as the music group
looks to reduce its debt burden.

> GREECE WANTS SUPPORT, NOT A BAILOUT
Greece is not looking for a bailout by the rest of Europe as it
struggles to bring down sky-high budget deficits and public debt
after years of profligate spending, Greek Prime Minister George
Papandreou said Monday.

> EUROZONE WARNING TO GREECE OVER DEBT
Greece must step up efforts to cut its budget deficit and
understand that other eurozone citizens are not prepared to pay
for its government's mistakes, Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude
Juncker said on Tuesday.

Marketsr, Tuesday, 02/16/2010

Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:34:44 -0500

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10268.81 up 169.67 | S & P : 1094.87 up 19.36 |
| NASDAQ: 2214.19 up 30.66 | Bond (10Y): 3.66%, 99.69
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Dow in triple-digit rally
Stocks surge on improved quarterly results, while a weaker dollar
propels commodities.

U.S. stocks close higher on late rally in banks and energy; Dow's up 170 points

Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:12:59 -0500

U.S. stocks close higher on late rally in banks and energy; Dow's up 170 points
02/16/2010 04:09:21 PM EDT

U.S. stock gains accelerate as Europe fears ease

Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:00:59 -0500

U.S. STOCK GAINS ACCELERATE AS EUROPE FEARS EASE
U.S. stocks rise Tuesday as fears over sovereign-debt issues in Europe
waned, lifting commodities, while a report of manufacturing conditions
in the New York area showed a bigger-than-expected improvement.

LIBERALS CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR FINANCIAL TRADES TAX
As policymakers in the U.S. and Europe contemplate mechanisms to ward
off. another economic near-collapse, one idea is gaining traction
among liberals at the same time as it is infuriating conservatives: a
financial transactions tax.

FUND MANAGERS SHY AWAY FROM RISK, SURVEY SHOWS

Global fund managers move out of equities and into cash and bonds
during February as they lower their risk profiles, according to a
monthly survey from Bank of America's Merrill Lynch unit.

BARCLAYS SHARES JUMP ON PROFIT SURGE, OUTLOOK
Shares in Barclays jump nearly 10% as the bank reports a more than
tenfold rise in its fourth-quarter profit following the sale of its
Barclays Global. Investors arm, and as the U.K. bank said it's on pace
for a stronger year.

J.P. MORGAN BUYING RBS SEMPRA ASSETS FOR $1.7 BLN
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. says it will acquire the oil, metals and
European energy operations of RBS Sempra Commodities for around $1.7
billion in cash.

Breaking News

Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:07:06 -0500

Bomb explodes at JP Morgan offices in Athens, Greece, no reports of
injuries, officials say

Energy: U.S. stocks gain as European fears abate

Date: 16 FEB 2010 15:16:03 GMT

U.S. stocks rise Tuesday as fears over sovereign-debt issues in
Europe waned, lifting commodities, while a report of manufacturing
conditions in the New York area showed a bigger-than-expected
improvement.

U.S. equity indexes make broad gains as investors key on higher commodity prices

Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010

U.S. equity indexes make broad gains as investors key on higher commodity prices
02/16/2010 09:39:28 AM EDT

Stocks open higher, with financial shares lifted by Barclays' profit report. Dow jumps 72 points.

Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Stocks open higher, with financial shares lifted by Barclays' profit
report. Dow jumps 72 points.

International Headline News

Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 16 February, 2010

> AFGHAN OFFENSIVE IN 'CLEARING PHASE'
The NATO operation aimed at tackling a "last bastion" of the
Taliban in southern Afghanistan is making progress, officials
say.

> BELGIUM PROBES DEADLY TRAIN CRASH
At least 18 people are dead and others injured after a collision
between commuter trains in the Belgian town of Halle, a
government spokesman says.

> DUBAI POLICE ID SUSPECTS IN HAMAS DEATH
Dubai police Monday identified 11 people suspected in the
killing of a top Hamas official last month and vowed "to hunt
them down."

> MAJOR NEW APP STORE TO TAKE ON APPLE
Some of the world's largest telecommunications companies have
teamed up to create an apps store of sorts that they say will
rival Apple's and those of other smartphone makers.

> SWISS SKIER WINS SHOCK DOWNHILL GOLD
Didier Defago ended Switzerland's gold-medal drought in the
Winter Olympics downhill skiing event as American star Bode
Miller was edged into the bronze position at Whistler in Canada
on Tuesday.

> CLINTON: IRAN MOVING TOWARD DICTATORSHIP
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that she
fears Iran is moving to a military dictatorship and urged allies
to back efforts to help change its course.

> ABBAS CHIEF OF STAFF DENIES SEX CHARGES
The chief of staff for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas is denying allegations that he used the power of his
office to extract sex from a female job seeker.

> INDIAN TROOPS DIE IN 'MAOIST' ATTACK
At least 21 paramilitary troops were killed in an armed assault
on their camp by suspected Maoists in eastern India Monday,
officials said.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> TOYOTA COMPLAINTS KEEP CLIMBING
A U.S. government agency said Monday that there has been a spike
in consumer complaints about Toyota cars and trucks in recent
weeks, following the carmaker's recall of millions of vehicles.

> MICROSOFT UNVEILS MOBILE SERIES 7
Microsoft unveils a new operating system for mobile phones
Monday, marking its latest move to reclaim a leading position
against rivals Apple, Research in Motion and Google.

> ATHENS TO RESIST AUSTERITY PUSH
Greece is expected on Monday to resist pressure for an immediate
tightening of its current austerity package as it fights to win
back the confidence of international financial markets and its
eurozone neighbours.

Europe shares up for fifth session in six

Date: Monday, February 15, 2010

EUROPE SHARES UP FOR FIFTH SESSION IN SIX
European shares climb on Monday, up for the fifth time in six
sessions, with British Airways, Iberia and Renault gaining ground.
Yara lower on deal to buy Terra Industries.

DUBAI WORLD SAID TO PROPOSE TWO DEBT-PAYMENT PLANS
Dubai World, the holding company within the emirate, may be offering its
creditors 60 cents on the dollar as part of an effort to reschedule
$22 billion of debt, media reports say.

TERRA ACCEPTS $4.1 BILLION BID FROM NORWAY'S YARA
Terra Industries, the nitrogen-products maker that has long resisted a
takeover bid from CF Industries, on Monday reached a $4.1 billion deal
to be bought by Norway's Yara International.

CHINA REAL-ESTATE GONE WILD: A CASE STUDY
In China's vacation paradise of Hainan, real-estate prices have jumped
by more than one-third in the last five weeks, and compared to some
other places in the country, that's actually pretty mild. Still, not
everyone believes a bubble is about to burst.

BEIJING TIGHTER IN YEAR OF THE TIGER
It looks as if the Year of the Tiger will have plenty to test policy makers in
Bejing, as well as investors' apparent faith in them.

Breaking News

Date: Monday, February 15, 2010

Twenty killed in commuter train collision outside Brussels, local
mayor tells Belgium's national news agency.

International Headline News

Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 15 February, 2010

> AFGHAN CIVILIANS KILLED IN ANTI-TALIBAN ASSAULT
Twelve Afghan civilians have been killed after rockets fired by
coalition forces in southern Afghanistan missed their target
during a major NATO assault against the Taliban.

> CLINTON: TOUGH ACTION NEEDED FOR IRAN
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Sunday for
tougher actions against Iran after its announcement that it is
stepping up production of highly enriched uranium.

> LEBANON MARKS HARIRI KILLING ANNIVERSARY
Thousands gathered in downtown Beirut on Sunday to mark the
fifth anniversary of former Lebanon Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri's assassination, a major event that altered the nation's
political landscape.

> MAN 'RAPED, ENSLAVED' WIVES, DAUGHTERS
An Israeli man accused of having 23 wives and fathering 59
children was charged Sunday in a Tel Aviv court with multiple
counts of sexual assault, rape, sodomy and enslavement.

> OIL EXECUTIVE KILLED IN AVALANCHE
The president of ConocoPhillips Alaska was killed in an
avalanche and another person in his snowmobiling party is
missing, according to Alaska State Troopers.

> NASA EXTENDS SHUTTLE MISSION BY A DAY
NASA is extending the mission of the space shuttle Endeavour by
a day so astronauts can do more work on the International Space
Station, mission managers announced Sunday.

> BIDEN, CHENEY SPAR VIA TALK SHOWS
Vice President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Dick Cheney,
sparred Sunday over Iraq and the fight against terrorism, duking
it out on the most prominent of platforms: the political TV talk
show.

> GREEK PM SLAMS EU AMID DEBT CRISIS
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said the European Union
could do more to stand by his country amid a budget crisis that
threatens EU political unity and budget rules.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> GOOGLE 'OPTIMISTIC' IT WON'T LEAVE CHINA
Google co-founder Sergey Brin said he's optimistic that his
search engine will not have to pull out of China over hacking
and censorship issues.

> EUROZONE ECONOMIC RECOVERY FALTERS
The eurozone's economic recovery faltered late last year as a
strong performance by France failed to offset stagnation in
Germany and contraction in Italy and Spain reports Eurostat, the
European Union's statistics office.

> REPORT SLAMS EUROSTAR FOR XMAS CHAOS
An independent report out Friday slammed Eurostar for the fiasco
that saw thousands of passengers stranded before Christmas when
winter weather hit the English Channel Tunnel.

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Today(2.14.2010): Happy Chinese New Year! and Happy Valentine's Day!
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