U.S. stocks at morning's highs after slow start; Dow industrials up 110 points

Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:46:46 -0500

U.S. stocks at morning's highs after slow start; Dow industrials up 110 points
10:44:42 AM EDT

Energy: Petroleum shares add to recent gains

Date: 2 JAN 2009 15:15:52 GMT

Energy stocks continued their upward momentum on Friday, rising with
the broad market to kick off 2009 trading in the green column.

Manufacturing activity in December contracted to its lowest level in over 28 years, according purchasing managers group ISM.

Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 10:04:03 -0500

Manufacturing activity in December contracted to its lowest level in
over 28 years, according purchasing managers group ISM.

Stocks open higher on first trading day of '09 as investors await a key manufacturing report. Dow starts the year above 8800.

Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 09:33:03 -0500

Stocks open higher on first trading day of '09 as investors await a
key manufacturing report. Dow starts the year above 8800.

International

Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 05:02:08 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 02 January, 2009

HAMAS: 'AVENGE BLOOD OF OUR PEOPLE'S MARTYRS'
A Hamas spokesman calls on Palestinian militants to avenge the
death of slain military commander Nizar Rayan, as well as "the
blood of our people's martyrs," following his death in an
Israeli airstrike. Rayan was killed on a sixth day of bombings
in Gaza -- but rockets continue to land in the Jewish state's
territory.

SRI LANKAN ARMY RETAKES FORMER REBEL CAPITAL
Sri Lankan troops recaptured the former seat of the Tamil Tiger
rebel movement after days of heavy fighting, military officials
said Friday.

19 DEAD UNIDENTIFIED AFTER BANGKOK BLAZE
Investigators posted photos of the unidentified victims of a
catastrophic nightclub fire outside a Bangkok police station
Friday in hopes that relatives would be able to identify them.

SUSPECTED U.S. STRIKE KILLS 4 IN PAKISTAN
The second suspected U.S. missile strike in two days killed four
suspected Islamic militants in northwest Pakistan, intelligence
officials said Friday.

SINGAPORE'S GDP SLUMPS 12.5 PERCENT
In a further indication of the weakening Asian economy,
Singapore on Friday said GDP had declined by 12.5 percent in
real terms in the fourth quarter of 2008 and revised downwards
its growth estimates for 2009.

MUSLIM FAMILY SENT OFF PLANE FOR ALARMING TALK
A Muslim family removed from an airliner Thursday after
passengers became concerned about their conversation say AirTran
officials refused to rebook them, even after FBI investigators
cleared them of wrongdoing.

REPORT: CHINA, VIETNAM AGREE ON LAND BORDER
China and Vietnam have settled a lengthy border dispute nearly
30 years after a month-long war that left tens of thousands of
people dead, state-run media reported.

MYANMAR RELEASES NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS
Nineteen North Korean defectors have been released from
detention in Myanmar and sent to Thailand, Burmese officials
told the U.S.-funded Voice of America news service Thursday.

-------------------------------------------------
BUSINESS

FORMER SANLU CHIEF FAULTS POOR REGULATION
The head of major Chinese dairy firm Sanlu Group argues that
the country's lack of regulations regarding a toxic chemical
contributed to a tainted milk scandal that sickened nearly
300,000 infants, state-run media reports.

ASIAN, PACIFIC MARKETS OPEN 2009 MOSTLY HIGHER
Asian stock exchanges were mixed on the first trading day of the
new year, with Hong Kong and South Korean markets showing gains
Friday and Australia slumping.

GAZPROM CUTS OFF GAS SUPPLIES TO UKRAINE
Russian energy monopoly Gazprom said Thursday it had cut off
supplies of natural gas to Ukraine after a payment deadline
expired. Ukraine owes the energy giant about $2 billion for past
natural gas deliveries.

Energy: Stock futures mixed ahead of first trading session of 2009

Date: 2 JAN 2009 11:22:46 GMT

U.S. stock market futures are mixed ahead of the first trading session
of 2009 as investors eye a sharp drop in crude-oil prices and look
ahead to a reading on manufacturing activity.

Happy 2009! Transition to green!

WORLD NEWS

Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 05:02:05 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 01 January, 2009

2008 CAPTURED IN PICTURES
A boy confronted by a baton-wielding police officer during
election protests in Kenya, Nairobi; a baby thrown to safety
from an apartment fire in Germany; Michael Phelps' historic
success at the Olympic Games; and one house standing alone after
Hurricane Ike -- from triumph to tragedy, 2008's best
photographs tell the story of a memorable year.

BANGKOK NIGHTCLUB FIRE KILLS 58
A fire and resulting stampede left nearly 60 dead early Thursday
at one of Bangkok's most upscale nightclubs, where about 1,000
revelers were ringing in the new year, Thai police said.

OLMERT: NO PEACE IN GAZA UNTIL ROCKETS STOP
The first day of 2009 dawned in Gaza with a sixth day of Israeli
airstrikes, a bombardment Israel's prime minister vowed would
not end until Hamas militants quit firing rockets into the
Jewish state.

U.N. MULLS CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION ON GAZA
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for an
immediate cease-fire in Gaza, condemning the recent actions of
both Hamas and Israel. He appealed to the international
community to do more to end the violence.

ISRAEL USES YOUTUBE, TWITTER TO SHARE VIEWS
Israel has taken its barrage of airstrikes in Gaza to the Web,
creating a YouTube channel this week to post footage of its air
force dropping bombs on Hamas targets.

REPORT: GAZPROM CUTS OFF UKRAINE'S GAS
Russian energy monopoly Gazprom cut off supplies of natural gas
to Ukraine after a payment deadline expired Thursday, Russian
state television reported.

1 MILLION CELEBRATE NEW YEAR IN NEW YORK
Strong winds, frigid weather and blowing snow will help
celebrators from around the world usher in 2009 Wednesday night
in New York's Times Square.

MISSILE ATTACK IN PAKISTAN KILLS 3
A suspected U.S. missile strike killed three people and wounded
two others in one of Pakistan's northwestern tribal districts,
Pakistani intelligence officials said Thursday.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
BUSINESS

SLOVAKIA READY FOR EURO SWITCH
Slovakia becomes the first of the larger ex-communist EU members
to join the European single currency on Thursday, hoping that
the move will provide stability amid the global economic storm.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN U.S. SLUMPS
A key measure of U.S. consumer confidence fell to an all-time
low in December amid a dismal job market and uncertain outlook
for the new year.