TOP STORIES
U.S. CONSUMER PRICE INDEX DOWN 0.7% IN JANUARY
A measure of U.S. consumer prices fell in January from a year
earlier, marking the first annual decline in more than five years
and potentially complicating the calculus for when the Fed will
lift short-term interest rates.
U.S. STOCKS SLIGHTLY LOWER
U.S. stocks eased, though the Nasdaq Composite resumed its march
toward record territory, as investors eyed another muted reading on
inflation. The Dow industrials were down about 20 points, with the
S&P 500 flat.
KOHL'S HOLIDAY QUARTER TOPS EXPECTATIONS
Kohl's 4Q results in topped expectations on broad-based sales
strength, while the retailer gave an in-line outlook for its
newly-started fiscal year. Profit rose to $369 million, or $1.83 a
share, while revenue grew 3.9% to $6.34 billion.
FORMER SAFETY REGULATOR, ENGINEERING FIRM TAPPED FOR TAKATA PROBE
A group of car makers tapped a former top U.S. auto-safety
regulator and an engineering firm to probe defective Takata air
bags prone to rupturing and injuring or killing consumers.
CITIGROUP TO BACK 'PROXY ACCESS' FOR INVESTORS
Citigroup is taking steps to more easily allow shareholders to
nominate directors at the bank, a spokesman said, joining a group
of U.S. companies that have moved to open up their corporate
elections this year.
PENN VIRGINIA EXPLORING SALE
Energy producer Penn Virginia is exploring a sale as its stock
price has declined, its reserves have lost value and billionaire
George Soros has urged the company to find a buyer. Shares up
12%.
STANDARD CHARTERED CEO TO STEP DOWN
Standard Chartered Chief Executive Peter Sands said he will step
down in June, after months of disquiet from shareholders and
executives over the bank's leadership.
BOEING BOOKS ORDERS FOR 50 SINGLE-AISLE JETS
Boeing said it booked orders for 50 more of its 737 Max jets,
though customers cancelled deals for four of its flagship
single-aisle plane. The company didn't identify the customers for
the new orders or the cancellations.
U.S. MORTGAGE RATES RISE IN LATEST WEEK
Average fixed mortgage rates in the U.S. rose in the latest week
but stayed near May 2013 lows, according to mortgage-finance
company Freddie Mac, amid solid data on new home sales and
house-price appreciation.
AB INBEV PROFIT LIFTED BY U.S. RECOVERY
Anheuser-Busch InBev said economic recovery in the U.S. helped
offset the impact of a stronger dollar that hurt sales elsewhere in
the company's global beer empire, pushing up profits during the
fourth quarter.
SEARS EXTENDS DISMANTLING OF COMPANY
Sears said it would split off up to 300 of its best stores into
a separate company by June, accelerating the dismantling of the
struggling retailer by hedge- fund manager Eddie Lampert. Shares
slide 7%.
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APPLE PLANS 'SPECIAL EVENT' ON MARCH 9, LIKELY FOR SMARTWATCH
Apple said it will hold a "special event" for March 9 that is
likely to be a coming-out party for Apple Watch. Apple has said the
watch will go on sale in April.
The Wall Street Journal
ISLAMIC STATE MILITANT 'JIHADI JOHN' IDENTIFIED
The masked Islamic State militant known as Jihadi John, who has
appeared in several execution videos, has been identified as
British citizen Mohammed Emwazi, Western officials said.