"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

Asia Falls on Commodity Slump

Posted: 05 May 2011 06:17 PM PDT

Asian stock markets were weaker, with the Nikkei down 1.7% as commodity-related stocks slumped after oil and metals prices dropped.

Sony CEO Apologizes for Breach

Posted: 05 May 2011 07:23 PM PDT

Sony CEO Howard Stringer apologized to customers for a massive data breach of the company's online game networks, in the first public comments from Sony's top executive on the intrusion.

Schumer Tilts Toward Offer by Germans for NYSE

Posted: 05 May 2011 05:48 PM PDT

Sen. Schumer hasn't taken a public position on the competing bids for NYSE Euronext. But behind the scenes, he is leaning toward a surprising choice: the Germans.

Couric Closer to Disney Show

Posted: 05 May 2011 06:24 PM PDT

Katie Couric is moving closer to a deal with Disney's ABC that would give the former "Today" host her own syndicated talk show in the fall of 2012, as well as a role within ABC News.

Fox News Terminates Gingrich and Santorum Contracts

Posted: 05 May 2011 07:33 PM PDT

Fox News terminated its contracts with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum as the two Republicans weigh presidential bids.

Commodity Prices Plunge

Posted: 05 May 2011 07:31 PM PDT

Commodities prices tumbled, led by the steepest oil-price decline in more than two years, triggering a selloff in stocks as well.

Big Deals Are Back as U.S. Firms Seek Growth

Posted: 05 May 2011 06:31 PM PDT

A recent spate of multibillion-dollar deals has driven mergers-and-acquisitions activity up 41% this year, but some observers question whether the deal pace is sustainable.

Avon Bribery-Probe Worries Hurt Share Price

Posted: 05 May 2011 03:43 PM PDT

Avon shares fell sharply amid fresh concerns over a widening bribery investigation.

Visa's Profit Climbs 24%; Stock-Buyback Is Planned

Posted: 05 May 2011 04:05 PM PDT

Visa's fiscal second-quarter profit jumped 24% from a year ago on higher revenue as consumers ratcheted up spending and travel, and he company processed more payments.

News Corp.'s IGN Buys Gaming Site UGO

Posted: 05 May 2011 06:15 PM PDT

News Corp.'s IGN videogame network is buying rival UGO Entertainment from Hearst. News Corp. is considering a spin-off of IGN.

AIG Lays Out Goals as It Readies Big Share Sale

Posted: 05 May 2011 04:39 PM PDT

American International Group mapped out a list of "aspirational" goals and growth targets for the coming years, part of the giant insurer's attempt to lure investors ahead of a large share offering this month.

U.S. Narrows Stanford Fraud Case

Posted: 05 May 2011 02:44 PM PDT

Federal prosecutors have narrowed the criminal case against jailed money manager R. Allen Stanford, who is accused of operating a $7 billion fraud.

Last Call for Easy Money on Citi Trade

Posted: 05 May 2011 10:18 AM PDT

The country's fastest electronic traders are wringing every last cent out of Citigroup's stock as its reverse split gets set to take effect after Friday's close.

Drug's Shortage Prompts Finger-Pointing

Posted: 05 May 2011 01:25 PM PDT

A recent shortage of a drug for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the U.S. has sparked a round of finger-pointing between a drug maker and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Galleon Jury Hears More Calls

Posted: 05 May 2011 04:43 PM PDT

Jurors in the insider-trading trial of Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam again focused Thursday on a series of secretly recorded phone calls in which Mr. Rajaratnam allegedly shared or received inside information.

Fortress's Loss Widens

Posted: 05 May 2011 11:37 AM PDT

Fortress Investment Group shares declined after the investment manager reported a wider first-quarter loss.

Rising Tide for Share Buybacks, Dividends

Posted: 05 May 2011 06:39 PM PDT

U.S. corporations are returning more of their cash to shareholders through dividends increases and stock repurchases, but the total remains well shy of the recent peak in 2007.

Yen Surge Raises Talk of Intervention

Posted: 05 May 2011 06:09 PM PDT

The Japanese yen surged to its strongest level against the dollar since the world's biggest economies intervened to stop its rise two months ago. The dollar fell below the closely watched 80-yen level.

Commodities Rout Drives Oil Below $100

Posted: 05 May 2011 04:32 PM PDT

Oil futures ended below $100 a barrel for the first time since March amid a broad commodity selloff, weighed by worries about falling U.S. demand amid $4-a-gallon prices at the pump.

Energy Sector Leads Stocks Lower

Posted: 05 May 2011 12:26 PM PDT

Tumbling crude-oil prices pushed down Exxon and Chevron, but transportation shares rose on the prospect of lower energy costs.