Global watchdog official says banking reforms must proceed (Reuters)

Reuters - The underperforming global economy should not be allowed to delay financial system reforms, a senior official at the Financial Stability Board (FSB), a global watchdog set up by the Group of 20 nations, said on Tuesday, adding that the FSB will propose new rules on so-called shadow banking by year-end.

Stocks ease as Greece debt talks continue (AP)

AP - Stocks fell in morning trading Tuesday as investors once again turned their eyes to Greece, where talks dragged on over terms of new spending cuts.

Wall St edges lower as Greece deal advances (Reuters)

Reuters - Stocks edged lower at the open on Tuesday as investors awaited the outcome of discussions on a bailout package for Greece from international lenders that would help the country avoid a chaotic default.

Bernanke repeats vow to shield U.S. from Europe fallout (Reuters)

Reuters - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday renewed a pledge to prevent Europe's financial crisis from damaging the U.S. economy in testimony before Congress that mirrored remarks he made last week.

U.S. Companies 'Yammer' for a Productivity Revolution (ContributorNetwork)

ContributorNetwork - SAN FRANCISCO -- In a pleasant surprise, the Department of Labor has reported an another increase in total nonfarm employment. The U.S. added 243,000 jobs in January, ticking the unemployment rate to 8.3 percent.

Bernanke is expected to stick with low-rate stance (AP)

AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has called the economy "frustratingly slow." On Tuesday, Congress will find out whether he still thinks so, even after Friday's news that hiring surged in January and unemployment reached a three-year low.

PIMCO'S El-Erian favors long-duration bonds, gold and oil (Reuters)

Reuters - Given the state of the global economy, investors should be underweight equities while favoring "selected commodities" such as gold and oil for the "geopolitical risk", Mohamed El-Erian, CEO and co-chief investment officer of bond fund giant PIMCO, told CNBC on Tuesday.

Government health spending seen hitting $1.8 trillion (Reuters)

Reuters - Government spending for Medicare, Medicaid and other healthcare programs will more than double over the next decade to $1.8 trillion, or 7.3 percent of the country's total economic output, congressional researchers said on Tuesday.

Fidelity money fund clients react negatively to SEC proposals (Reuters)

Reuters - Fidelity Investments, the largest money-market fund manager, recently warned U.S. regulators that more than half of its money fund clients would move all or some of their assets out of the investments if the net asset value of the funds was allowed to fluctuate.

German industrial output down 2.9 pct in December (AP)

AP - German industrial production fell 2.9 percent in December from the month before, according to official data released Tuesday, suggesting the country's economic slowdown could be worse than expected.

UBS warns of poor Q1 as investment bank struggles (Reuters)

Reuters - Swiss bank UBS predicted further weakness in investment banking after a restructuring of the business failed to prevent an earnings hit from the euro zone debt crisis and worries about the global economy.

New US sanctions on Iran aim to head off Israel (AP)

AP - Additional U.S. sanctions on Iran are more significant for their timing than their immediate effect on Iran's economy, coming as the United States and its allies are arguing that Israel should hold off on any military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities to allow more time for sanctions to work.

Key states move closer to foreclosure-abuse deal (AP)

AP - California and New York, the key holdouts in a long-awaited settlement over foreclosure abuses, moved closer Monday to backing a deal that would force the five largest mortgage lenders to reduce loans for about 1 million households. More than 40 U.S. states have agreed to a nationwide settlement.

Walmart names ex-Woolworths veteran as new China CEO (Reuters)

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc has named an industry veteran, but a relative newcomer to China, to run what is a strategically crucial business for the world's biggest retailer as it faces tougher competition in the fastest growing major economy.

German industrial output sees biggest fall since 2009 (Reuters)

Reuters - German industrial output posted its biggest fall in December since the depth of the financial crisis at the start of 2009, the Economy Ministry said on Tuesday, underperforming forecasts by a wide margin.

Markets nervous as Greek crisis talks continue (AP)

AP - Stocks were trading lower on Tuesday as talks dragged on in Greece to agree the terms of a second bailout — and avoid looming bankruptcy — despite intense pressure from the country's euro partners.

Greek hopes prop up euro, results hit shares (Reuters)

Reuters - The euro was underpinned by hopes a way would be found to push through a second bailout deal for Greece, though poor results from some top European firms on Tuesday rekindled unease about the region's debt crisis, sending shares lower.

SEC to propose new rules for money-market funds: report (Reuters)

Reuters - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will unveil proposals aimed at stabilizing money-market funds in the event of another financial panic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

President's Economic Influence Isn't Limited -- Obama Just Misuses It (ContributorNetwork)

ContributorNetwork - COMMENTARY | Some would have us believe the president plays a much smaller role in determining what our economy does than most people believe. I think Americans believe the president has a lot of actual power to correct the economy, and that assumption is incorrect. But many chief executives have used the Oval Office to manipulate change and foster growth that isn't specifically empowered to the presidency.

Another Boeing Loyalist Brightens the Skyline (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - Thanks to the nuclear buildup in Iran, defense deals are pouring in. Backed by a solid reputation and loyal customers, Boeing (NYSE: BA - News) seems to have successfully cashed in on the scenario, as it ended 2011 with a bang.

Stock gains turn hedge fund losers into winners (Reuters)

Reuters - Last year's hedge fund losers may be turning into winners again.

Oklahoma governor plans to cut state income taxes (Reuters)

Reuters - Oklahoma's Republican governor announced a plan on Monday to dramatically cut state income tax rates and eventually do away with them altogether, and said the state would pay for the cuts by closing "loopholes."

Washington D.C. workers probed in benefits fraud (Reuters)

Reuters - About 130 municipal employees in Washington, D.C. may have scammed the city by collecting jobless benefits while still at work, officials said on Monday, in the latest controversy to hit the local government.

'Halftime in America' ad creates political debate (AP)

AP - People rarely pick a fight with Dirty Harry. But Chrysler's "Halftime in America" ad featuring quintessential tough guy Clint Eastwood has generated fierce debate about whether it accurately portrays the country's most economically distressed city or amounts to a campaign ad for President Barack Obama and the auto bailouts.

Mortgage deal faces setbacks, again (Reuters)

Reuters - A multi-state mortgage settlement in the works for more than a year will likely be pushed back again as dissident U.S. states continue to press specific concerns and ignore a Monday deadline to decide whether they will sign it.

SEC's Gallagher wants more oversight of brokers (Reuters)

Reuters - Congress made a mistake when it stripped away most of the Securities and Exchange Commission's authority to police the holding companies of broker-dealers for risks, according to the SEC's newest commissioner.

Electric car maker Fisker: Layoffs in Del., Calif. (AP)

AP - Fisker Automotive, an electric car maker that received a half-billion-dollar loan from the federal government, said Monday that it has laid off workers in Delaware and California.

Housing plan helps nearly 1 million homeowners (Reuters)

Reuters - Nearly 1 million U.S. homeowners have won permanent reductions on mortgage payments since the Obama administration launched its foreclosure prevention program in 2009, the U.S. Treasury said on Monday, only a fraction of the total it aimed to reach.

Summary Box: Stocks slip as Greek talks drag on (AP)

AP - GREECED: The Dow dropped 17 points and other stock indexes dropped slightly as talks dragged on between Greek political leaders over a fresh cost-cutting measures required for Greece to get more bailout loans.

How the major stock indexes fared on Monday (AP)

AP - Stock indexes closed slightly lower Monday as talks dragged on between Greek political leaders over a package of spending cuts and other measures required for the country to get more bailout loans.

Dozens of Washington DC workers probed in benefits fraud (Reuters)

Reuters - About 130 Washington DC municipal employees may have scammed the city by collecting jobless benefits while still at work, the District of Columbia said on Monday, in the latest scandal to hit the local government.

IMF's Blanchard sees "very large" Greek haircut (Reuters)

Reuters - The IMF's chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, said on Monday it looks like the 'haircut' on Greek private debt will be "very large" as negotiations between bondholders and the government drag on to cut Greece's debt burden.

Gold falls as Greek debt crisis back in spotlight (AP)

AP - Gold prices fell Monday as the Greek debt crisis returned to the spotlight, renewing concerns about the impact that Europe's financial troubles could have on the global economy.

Report: Large charitable donations on the rise (AP)

AP - Money donated by the nation's most chartable people is starting to catch up with pre-recession giving, thanks in part to some very large bequests from a few donors.

Fidelity Nat'l to buy O'Charley's restaurant chain (AP)

AP - A title insurance and mortgage services company that already owns a stake in the Bakers Square restaurant chain is buying the restaurant operator O'Charley's Inc., the companies announced Monday.

Bangladeshi Investors Badly Hit by the Stock-Market Crash (Time.com)

Time.com - The dramatic rise and swift fall of Bangladesh's stock market is a cautionary tale for emerging-market investors oblivious to the perils of hasty deregulation and rapid capital inflows

Merger fails, but D.Boerse CEO says allies a must (Reuters)

Reuters - D.Boerse CEO eyes new allies as NYSE deal crumbles Deutsche Boerse (DB1Gn.DE) does not believe it can survive in the long term without a new partner despite the collapse of its proposed $7.4 billion merger with NYSE Euronext , its chief executive told a German newspaper.

With sparse data, focus returns to Europe (Reuters)

Reuters - Europe will again be at the center of investors' focus this week as the U.S. earnings season passes the halfway mark and there is little on the economic calendar to give the market direction.

Why small companies' stocks deserve a closer look (AP)

AP - Underperforming money managers are losing their most reliable scapegoat.

Nasdaq core profit tops expectations (Reuters)

Reuters - Nasdaq OMX Group Inc's core profit topped analysts' expectations for the fourth quarter, boosted by a rise in revenue from market data and technology, which helped offset a soft trading environment.