http://www.rttnews.comGlobal financial news, market analysis, economics and forex newsen-usTue, 10 Feb 2010 01:55:01 GMTTuesday, Chinese internet search engine giant Baidu, Inc. reported increased earnings for the fourth quarter, helped by a 39.8% rise in online marketing revenues. Earnings for the quarter came in above analysts' estimate, as did revenues. Going forward, the company provided its first quarter revenue guidance, indicated to come in above current Street estimates.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1206344Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:22:15 GMTMedical device maker CareFusion Corp. (CFN), reported a lower second-quarter profit on Tuesday, as a 5% increase in revenue was offset by an increase in expenses. The company also revised up its earnings and revenue guidance for fiscal 2010, with earnings expectations below the current consensus estimates of Street analysts.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1206266Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:21:37 GMTHealthcare information services provider Cerner Corp., Tuesday reported a decline in profit for the fourth quarter, reflecting higher operating expenses. Quarterly revenues were nearly flat with last year. Both earnings and revenues, however, improved sequentially and came in ahead of analysts' estimates. Looking ahead, the company provided next quarter and fiscal year 2010 guidance, which is expected to come in line with analysts' estimates.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1206257Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:10:45 GMTInsurance and reinsurance service provider XL Capital Ltd, Tuesday reported a narrower loss in the fourth quarter on lower expenses, higher revenues, and the absence of the substantial charge recorded in the year-ago quarter. Results also reflects higher operating income helped by profit from investment affiliates, somewhat offset by after-tax net realized losses on investments.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1206254Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:03:21 GMTPresident Barack Obama Tuesday called on Republican leaders to be more accepting of Democratic proposals, urging them to meet him halfway on major proposals. Speaking to reporters in a rare appearance in the White House briefing room, Obama said he had stressed to GOP leaders in an earlier meeting that bipartisanship requires both sides to compromise.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1206166Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:50:20 GMTStocks rallied on Tuesday, as some bargain hunting and the prospect of a bailout for debt-embattled Greece drove the markets higher. The major averages all closed in positive territory, moving further away from recent three-month closing lows. The Dow gained more than 150 points, climbing back above the 10,000 mark.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1206157Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:46:36 GMTA spokesman for the German government said Tuesday that the country is yet to decide on a potential emergency aid package to Greece, dismissing earlier reports that suggested euro-zone nations have already agreed in principle to such an aid package. Government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm was quoted as saying on Tuesday by Reuters that he "rejected the accounts from coalition sources that a decision over aid for Greece has practically been made," describing the reports that suggested so as "unfohttp://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1206149Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:42:58 GMTPresident Barack Obama Tuesday hosted a meeting with the House and Senate leaders from both parties to map a more bipartisan course for the future. Obama said he called the meeting in an attempt to address the frustration of the American people at Congress' seeming inability to work together on key issues.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205920Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:00:50 GMTTuesday, Standard & Poor's lowered its ratings outlooks for both Citigroup Inc. (C) and Bank of America Corp. (BAC) to negative from stable, citing uncertainty about the U.S. government's willingness to bail out bond holders in the event of another bailout of the banks. At the same time, the ratings agency affirmed the counterparty credit and debt ratings of the banks and raised the ratings on Citi's hybrid capital issues, excluding preferred stock, to BB- from B+.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205830Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:28:36 GMTLeading up to what the White House hopes will be a bipartisan summit to advance the cause of health care reform, House Republican leaders are calling on President Barack Obama to abandon the bills passed by the House and Senate. In a letter to the White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., the GOP whip, called on the White House to start over on health reform proposals.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205820Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:24:44 GMTBeer brewer Molson Coors Brewing Co., Tuesday, reported a more than two-fold rise in its fourth-quarter profit, helped by income tax benefits. Worldwide beer volume declined, amid challenging markets and weak global economy. Separately, MillerCoors, the joint venture between Molson Coors and SABMiller plc, posted higher profit for the fourth quarter, reflecting lower one-time charges.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205734Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:20:32 GMTThe proposed launching of genetically-modified version of aubergines, known as brinjal in India, the country where the vegetable originated, was suspended by the government considering safety concerns. A decision to halt the cultivation and marketing of what would have been India's first genetically-modified (GM) vegetable crop was announced Tuesday by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. Addressing a press conference a day earlier than scheduled in the capital, New Delhi, Ramesh said morehttp://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205732Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:19:51 GMTBeverages giant Coca-Cola Co. reported Tuesday a 55% rise in fourth-quarter profit as revenues increased from the prior year, helped by positive concentrate pricing as well as geographic country mix. In addition, earnings per share were positively impacted by relative weakness of the U.S. Dollar. The company noted that worldwide unit case volume grew 5% during the quarter, driven by international volume growth of 6%.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205719Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:09:59 GMTBiotechnology company Biogen Idec Inc. on Tuesday reported a sharp rise in fourth-quarter profit, which surpassed Street view, benefited mainly by a 39% growth in revenues from Tysabri and lower costs. The company also provided an earnings guidance for the full year 2010, which is above analysts' current estimates. For the fourth quarter, net profit attributable to company was $305.64 million, up 48% from $206.65 million in the prior-year period.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205708Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:01:49 GMTThe proposed launching of genetically-modified version of aubergines, known as brinjal in India, the country where the vegetable originated, was suspended by the government considering safety concerns. A decision to halt the cultivation and marketing of what would have been India's first genetically-modified (GM) vegetable crop was announced Tuesday by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. Addressing a press conference a day earlier than scheduled in the capital, New Delhi, Ramesh said morehttp://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205703Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:59:16 GMTThe proposed launching of genetically-modified version of aubergines, known as brinjal in India, the country where the vegetable originated, was suspended by the government considering safety concerns. A decision to halt the cultivation and marketing of what would have been India's first genetically-modified (GM) vegetable crop was announced Tuesday by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. Addressing a press conference a day earlier than scheduled in the capital, New Delhi, Ramesh said morehttp://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205690Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:45:44 GMTFast food giant McDonald's Corp. announced Tuesday that global comparable sales for the month of January grew 2.6%, driven by the European and Asian markets. While U.S. comparable sales edged down 0.7%, total sales for January rose 9.1%, including a 0.1% drop in the U.S. The company also plans to close down about 430 restaurants at its 50%-owned affiliate McDonald's Japan in the next 12 to 18 months.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205639Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:01:53 GMTPulte Homes Inc. Tuesday said fourth-quarter net loss narrowed from the previous year, helped by income tax benefits. Home sales increased over 5% in the just concluded quarter, while average selling price declined from last year. New orders in the quarter more than doubled partly due to the acquisition of Centex Corp. The company's fourth-quarter net loss narrowed to $116.90 million or $0.31 per share from $338.17 million or $1.33 per share in the previous year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205565Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:21:34 GMTCameron International Corp., a provider of flow equipment products, systems and services to the oil industry, on Tuesday reported a 33% decline in earnings for the fourth quarter from the same period last year, hurt by higher charges and a 4% decline in revenues. Margins declined across several product lines, while a larger portion of the company's revenues was related to its subsea projects, which typically carry lower margins.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205512Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:01:25 GMTAgricultural nutrients maker Agrium Inc. (AGU, AGU.TO) on Tuesday posted a steep decline in fourth-quarter profit, hampered by lower selling prices. However, the company said it sees increasing signs of strong demand for crop nutrients and other crop inputs.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205454Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:35:37 GMTDiversified managed healthcare company Coventry Health Care Inc. (CVH) on Tuesday posted higher profit for the fourth quarter, reflecting a 15.2% growth in revenues. Further, the company issued a financial forecast for the full year 2010.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205363Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:03:33 GMTInformation technology services provider Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (CTSH) Tuesday said its fourth-quarter profit grew over 28% from last year, helped by a 20% increase in revenues. Further, the company guided the first quarter and full year 2010 above Wall Street expectation.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205325Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:47:40 GMTDiverse exchange group NYSE Euronext Inc. reported Tuesday a profit for the fourth quarter compared to last year's loss, citing an increasing momentum in the company's business model as well as the continuing benefit from various cost reduction programs. The result also reflects the absense of a non-cash impairment charge recorded in the previous year. On a non-GAAP basis, net income increased from the prior year and exceeded analysts' expectations.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205271Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:23:56 GMTBeverages giant Coca-Cola Co. is scheduled to announce its fourth-quarter results before the market opens Tuesday. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect earnings of $0.67 per share for the quarter with revenue estimate of $7.21 billion. In the year-ago fourth quarter, Atlanta, Georgia-based Coca-Cola earned $0.43 per share on a reported basis and $0.64 per share on an adjusted basis, on revenues of $7.13 billion.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205194Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:49:38 GMTBritish insurance company Beazley Plc (BEZ.L) Tuesday reported a 15% rise in pre-tax profit for the full year 2009 on a 27% growth in gross premiums written, helped primarily by profitable deployment of new capital, impact of First State and Momentum Underwriting acquisitions, and a relatively stronger US dollar.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205190Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:46:03 GMTU.S. stock futures point to a higher opening Tuesday morning as traders look to seize buying opportunities at lower levels in early trading following a sell-off in previous session amid sovereign debt crisis in Greece. http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205182Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:35:03 GMTReal estate investment trust British Land Co. Plc (BLND.L) Tuesday reported an 18% sequential growth in net asset value for the third quarter, and an 8.2% improvement in portfolio valuation. The company also reported a profit for the quarter, compared with a loss last year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205168Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:20:47 GMTJapanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. Tuesday announced the recall of four of its models sold in Japan due to problems related to the software program that controls the vehicles' antilock braking system. The carmaker said it will callback approximately 223,000 vehicles of Prius, Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Sai and Lexus HS250h models.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205085Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:53:20 GMTSwiss banking giant UBS AG reported Tuesday a profit for the fourth quarter compared to losses reported for the last quarter and prior year periods, benefiting from higher net interest income and lower costs. The year-over-year turnaround also reflected much lower trading loss. However, outflows soared sequentially, and chief executive Oswald Grbel said addressing the causes of net new money outflows remains a main priority.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205069Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:37:26 GMTLeisure travel group TUI Travel plc. (TT.L, TTVLF.PK) Tuesday reported a wider loss for the first quarter, owing mainly to capacity-led volume declines and a tough comparison with the previous year. Looking ahead, the company said it is confident of meeting the board's expectations for the full year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1205031Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:38:20 GMT