AP - The stock market slid Tuesday after a strong report on factory orders and a disappointing showing in home sales gave mixed signals about the economy.

AFP - US stocks raced higher in the first trades of 2010, with sentiment boosted by a global market rally that was helped by corporate dealmaking and upbeat economic news from China.

AP - Expert witnesses for Bank of America Corp. cannot use media reports to boost claims at a civil trial that shareholders knew big bonus payments were looming when it bought Merrill Lynch & Co., a judge ruled Monday.

Reuters - Stocks climbed broadly on Monday after a report showed the manufacturing sector expanded for a fifth straight month, lifting confidence in the global economy as investors eye fourth quarter earnings.

AP - If the stock market holds to a pattern it has followed for most of the past 40 years, 2010 could be a big year for investors.

AFP - London shares were steady at the open on Tuesday, after beginning the New Year on a positive note as investors eyed a strong recovery from the worst economic slump since the 1930s.

AP - Asian stock markets gained more ground Tuesday, following Wall Street's advance as an upbeat U.S. manufacturing report buoyed investor confidence in a global recovery. European shares slipped in early trade.

Reuters - The Tokyo Stock Exchange successfully launched a high-speed trading system on Monday to better compete with major global rivals in the growing field of automated trading.

AFP - European stock markets rose on Monday, after earlier gains in Tokyo, as dealers returned to their desks in upbeat mood for the first trading day of 2010.

AP - World stock markets mostly kicked off 2010 with modest gains on the year's first trading day Monday after encouraging manufacturing data reinforced hopes that an economic recovery is gathering pace.