Company news

With results lagging, the software giant just replaced its CEO. That means a hard look at costs might be unavoidable because expenses are way out of line compared to those of rivals such as Microsoft and Google. And that means layoffs may be looming.

With America mired in recession, beverage giant Coca-Cola relied on its global operations to pick up the slack. And its laser focus on the two big international markets where the growth is -- India and China -- paid off smartly in the fourth quarter.

Much of the biotech's future rests on the experimental bone drug denosumab, to be sold commercially as Prolia. The drug has had its ups and downs, but Amgen says a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial pitting denosumab against Novartis's Zometa showed that denosumab worked better.

Given the number of people who trust the lives of their families to vehicles every day, you'd think cars would be subject to some kind of consumer protection agency to keep faulty vehicles off the roads until they had been thoroughly tested. That's not the case, but it should be.

With pressure rising on Swiss bank UBS to reveal information about tax evaders, many private banking clients are moving their assets elsewhere. But with governments gaining information from panicky amnesty-seekers and data-stealing whistle-blowers, it's likely to get a lot harder to find a good tax haven.

A look at the daily legal news, including who's telling the truth about Bank of America, N.Y. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo or the SEC? And, does it matter if the judge in a gay marriage case is gay?

My alarm clocks always seem to break at the critical moment. But here are five outrageous alarm clocks that will definitely get you up to trade those Hong Kong futures in the middle of the night.
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What usually happens to the markets on days when the TICK indicator starts off extremely weak.
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Great interview with super-trader Doug Kass, covering his best trades ever and his market outlook for 2010.
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The following is a round-up of news likely to affect stock prices today:

Coca-Cola (KO) reported its fourth quarter earnings climbed 55% to $1.54 billion, or 66 cents a share, on 5% higher revenue of $7.51 billion as strong volume in Latin America and other parts of the world offset a decline in North America. Results were inline with estimates. Shares rose 1.8% in premarket trading.

Shares of video game maker, whose games include the popular "Madden" series, plunge after the company issued a disappointing outlook -- a sign that big cost-cuts and layoffs have not ended the company's slump.

Beleaguered Toyota recalls nearly a half-million Prius and other hybrid models worldwide, adding another ding to its tarnished reputation. The company also promises U.S. consumers that it will enlist a "blue ribbon safety advisory group" to review its quality control operations.