Stock Values

The Federal Reserve will have to raise its benchmark interest rate to 3 percent by the end of the year to combat inflation, said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at RBS Securities Inc. in New York.

Citigroup Inc. and Marshall & Ilsley Corp. were among the worst performing stocks in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index this year, dragged down by souring commercial and residential property loans that may extend the declines into 2010.

Japan Airlines Corp., Asia’s biggest carrier by sales, plunged to a record in Tokyo trading after reports the carrier may enter bankruptcy proceedings led investors to sell shares on the year’s last trading day.

GMAC, the home and auto lender that counts the U.S. government as the largest stakeholder, is discussing with the Obama administration a third bailout of $3 billion to $4 billion

Barton Biggs and Marc Faber, who recommended buying stocks in March when investors were dumping them, are again united as they predict gains for U.S. equities and the dollar

Treasuries were little changed after the government sold a record-tying $42 billion of five-year debt, the second of three note sales this week totaling $118 billion.

Sanofi-Aventis SA’s $1.9 billion bid for Chattem was leaked in advance to two French investors who reaped $4.2 million by making illegal insider trades, U.S. regulators claim in a lawsuit

As global stocks return to a bull market, the losers in the U.S. are companies least tied to economic growth.

Asian stocks fell for the first time in three days after Greek policy makers failed to agree on pension cuts needed to secure a second debt bailout and Chinese inflation unexpectedly accelerated.

In his first 100 days as European Central Bank President, Mario Draghi has taken unprecedented action to tackle the sovereign debt crisis. Greece may push him even further into unknown territory.

Japan’s machinery orders fell at the fastest pace in three months in December as a faltering global economy and gains by the yen dimmed the outlook for exporters.

Bank of America Corp., facing increased demand for mortgage refinancing amid government efforts to help struggling homeowners, is telling some customers to wait 90 days, said two people with knowledge of the policy.

California, New York, Nevada, Florida and Massachusetts are among the handful of states that haven’t signed a deal with banks over foreclosure abuses, according to state officials and two people familiar with the talks.

Stock soars 16% after reporting a 34% rise in fourth quarter profits

Seeking a cheaper, faster alternative to foreclosure, several lenders are encouraging homeowners to sell short

Banco Comercial Portugues SA rose 5.1 percent in Lisbon trading on speculation the planned leadership change at Portugal’s second-biggest bank is prompting investors to exit trades betting on a decline.

U.S. stocks fell, erasing an earlier advance in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, amid concern that Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and coalition party members would fail to agree on terms required for a bailout.

Sweden may be looking into new bank legislation that would prevent lenders from charging home owners too much on their mortgages.

Ally Financial Inc.’s mortgage unit is talking to buyout firms including Fortress Investment Group LLC and Cerberus Capital Management LP about selling itself through a pre-packaged bankruptcy, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- A look back at how the social network grew from Mark Zuckerberg's Harvard dorm room to a company valued at nearly $100 billion