Asian stocks fell from near seven-week highs on Monday after weak U.S. consumer confidence data overshadowed strong retail numbers.

Since Cnooc was rebuffed in its attempt to buy Unocal, China has focused on gaining access to resources rather than acquiring companies.

Only 35 percent have a favorite site and 21 percent rely primarily on a single source, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

A UHF station in Michigan that shows a mix of live talk shows and family and outdoor sports programming is for sale on eBay.

Sales of ?The Coming Insurrection,? which first appeared in France in 2005, surged after Glenn Beck talked about it on his Fox TV show.

Scion, a Toyota brand, underwrote a metal festival in Columbus, Ohio.

Joy Behar and Cynthia Nixon were among the honorees at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation?s media awards.

Hollywood suffered its first major flop of the year over the weekend with the debut of the Iraq thriller ?Green Zone,? which sold an anemic $14.5 million in tickets at North American theaters.

The company may be worth twice the $2.75 billion it was valued at when eBay sold it last year.

British Airways will announce which flights will be cancelled because of a strike planned for next weekend.

AP - Asian stock markets sank Monday after mixed economic reports about the U.S. economy inspired caution among investors.

AP - Oil prices fell below $81 a barrel Monday in Asia amid investor concerns flagging U.S. crude demand doesn't justify the recent rally.

Reuters - Toyota Motor Corp will start making the Prius hybrid model at a third Japanese factory from September in a bid to shorten delivery time to customers, the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun newspaper said on Monday.

German publishers are worrying that Apple?s desire to limit offensive material on its iPhone applications is spilling over into censorship.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation is paying $3.1bn for a 50% stake in Argentine oil and gas group Bridas Corporation.

The UK's airports handled 7.4% fewer passengers last year, the biggest annual decline since records began 65 years ago, figures show.

Struggling fashion retailer French Connection is selling its Nicole Farhi subsidiary as it reports a widening of its annual losses.

AP - A Vermont dairy farmer who was among those targeted in a federal crackdown on undocumented workers says he thought three illegal workers had proper documentation.

AFP - Chinese automaker BYD Co. said Monday it had massive expansion plans this year and would consider building a plant in the United States, a day after announcing annual profits had tripled.

The U.S., Germany and others could see their top-notch credit rating come under pressure if the recovery in the global economy stalls, the ratings agency warned Monday.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has described a planned strike by British Airways (BA) cabin crew as 'unjustified' and 'deplorable'.

Credit card holders will be offered more protection from spiralling debts, but changes are watered down from original plans.

AP - Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG on Monday said it will introduce a quota for female managers, with a target to fill 30 percent of upper and middle management jobs with women by the end of 2015.

AP - Asian stock markets sank Monday after mixed economic reports about the U.S. economy inspired caution among investors. European shares were also lower.

AFP - Swiss banking giant UBS said Monday that Australian, British and Canadian tax authorities have filed requests for information after it settled a massive tax evasion case with US authorities.

AP - A wave of new consumer price hikes has hit Greece as European Union finance ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the country's debt crisis.

AFP - An emergency fund to rescue eurozone economies could be a 'long-term' possibility, the European Union's Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia said Monday.

AP - An explosion has been heard at amnesty talks under way in Nigeria's restive and oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The U.S., Germany and other major economies are ?substantially? closer to a downgrade, a report by Moody?s warned.

The deal means yet another owner for Tommy Hilfiger, once a leading purveyor of colorful preppy clothing that has weathered a series of ups and downs.

Safety regulators were unable to recreate the sudden unintended acceleration reported by a California owner of a Toyota Prius.

Germany's Deutsche Telekom introduces gender quotas to fill 30% of senior jobs with women by the end of 2015.

The credit ratings of major AAA governments including the US and the UK are well positioned, says Moody's Investors Services.

Lip gloss and hair straighteners replace lipstick and hairdryers in the typical basket of goods used to calculate inflation.

AP - World stock markets fell Monday as investors fretted about the status of banking reform in the U.S. and awaited confirmation of a rescue package for debt-laden Greece. The British pound slipped amid growing British political and economic concerns.

AP - PepsiCo said Monday that it will buy back up to $15 billion worth of its own common stock through June 2013.

AP - A wave of new tax hikes hit Greece on Monday, raising the cost of consumer goods despite recession and high unemployment, as European Union finance ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the country's debt crisis.

AP - Twin car bombs exploded outside a government building where amnesty talks were underway Monday in Nigeria's restive and oil-rich region, wounding two people and causing panic, a government spokesman said.

Reuters - Safety investigators have found no evidence so far to support or disprove a California motorist's claim his Toyota Motor Corp Prius sped out of control on its own, and cautioned the case may never be explained, U.S. regulators said on Monday.

BusinessWeek - Peril permeates a steel mill. Molten metal explodes when exposed to water. Overhead cranes hoist steel coils weighing up to 80,000 pounds. Heavy vehicles roll within feet of high-voltage wires. 'We have a work environment that presents every hazard known to man,' says Alan H. McCoy, vice-president and spokesman at AK Steel in West Chester, Ohio.

Consol will spend $3.48 billion for the gas reserves, which will give it a leading position in the growing Marcellus Shale field.

Industrial production edged up 0.1 percent in February, topping expectations and marking the eighth monthly increase.

Investors fretted about the status of banking reform in Washington and reports that United States could eventually lose its top-notch credit rating.

Private equity firm Apax partners sells Tommy Hilfiger to the owner of Calvin Klein, Philips-Van Heusen.

Struggling fashion retailer French Connection is selling its Nicole Farhi subsidiary as it reports a narrowing of its annual losses.

The chancellor must decide whether to put 'his country before his party' in his Budget next week, George Osborne says.

A second master list containing the names of 1,000 people targeted by fraudsters selling worthless shares is seized.

AP - Industrial production edged up 0.1 percent in February, beating expectations and marking the eighth straight monthly increase. But the key manufacturing sector — for months a rare bright spot — produced less, muting hopes for a speedy recovery.

AP - Stocks fell Monday after Moody's Investors Service said the U.S. could eventually lose its top-notch credit rating.

AP - Consol Energy Inc. said Monday it has agreed to buy Dominion Resources Inc.'s Appalachian exploration and production business for $3.475 billion, substantially increasing its natural gas reserves and production capacity.

AP - Tyson Foods Inc. spent $625,865 in the fourth quarter to lobby the government on diesel tax credits, energy and other issues, according to a recent disclosure report.

AP - Eurozone finance ministers will discuss Monday whether to guarantee a financial lifeline to Greece if it can't borrow from wary bond markets and to check that its austerity measures are going far enough to reduce its massive debt load.

AP - With U.S. demand for oil lackluster, even traditional OPEC price hawks like Iran and Venezuela are happy with present prices near $80 a barrel as they head into Tuesday's meeting of the 12-nation organization.

The company said that it failed to notify regulators of changes in how it manufactures the devices.

Investors fretted about the status of banking reform in Washington and reports that United States could eventually lose its top-notch credit rating.

The introduction of faster Long-Term Evolution networks could lower costs for operators and potentially unleash a new price war in the industry in Europe.

This may be a risky time to sell more nuclear technology to the developing world, yet furthering nuclear exports is what several governments are seeking for their industries.

Private equity firm Apax partners sells Tommy Hilfiger to the owner of Calvin Klein, Philips-Van Heusen.

Europe's leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus says it plans to sell around 210 of its A400M military planes to the US.

AP - Medical device maker Boston Scientific said Monday it is suspending sales of its heart-shocking defibrillator implants after uncovering a documentation error with the manufacture of the top-selling devices.

AP - UBS AG of Switzerland said Monday that authorities in Britain, Canada and Australia are investigating the bank's offshore business in the wake of revelations that it helped U.S. customers evade their taxes for years.

AP - Industrial production edged up 0.1 percent in February, beating expectations and marking the eighth straight monthly increase. The manufacturing sector — for months a rare bright spot in the economy — produced less due to winter storms but is expected to rebound in March.

AP - Drug and nutritional product company American Oriental Bioengineering Inc. said Monday its profit climbed 49 percent in the fourth quarter due to reduced acquisition costs.

AP - Eurozone finance ministers will discuss Monday whether to guarantee a lifeline to Greece if it can't borrow from bond markets wary of the country's shaky finances.

U.S. News & World Report - Few Americans are saving enough to finance a retirement that could last 30 years or more. Workers who haven't accumulated enough to maintain their current standard of living have two choices: delay retirement or learn to live on less money. Those willing to put in a little effort to downsize big and small expenses may be able to get by just fine with a smaller retirement stash. Here are some frugal strategies retirees can employ to stretch their nest eggs:

AP - The five states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis have been given only weeks to plan how to spend $1.5 billion in federal funding announced by the Obama administration last month.

AP - Oil prices tumbled to near $79 a barrel Monday, dragged down by a stronger dollar and increasing investor concerns about energy demand.

Senator calls on Republicans to join Democrats in adopting the measure in the thick of an election year.

Investors fretted about the status of banking reform in Washington and reports that United States could eventually lose its top-notch credit rating.

Europe?s largest telecommunications company said that it would more than double the number of its female managers within five years.

Expecting stricter coal rules, the energy supplier pays $3.5 billion for supplies in a rock bed stretching from Ohio to New York.

The introduction of faster Long-Term Evolution networks could lower costs for operators and potentially unleash a new price war in the industry in Europe.

British Airways will fly about 60% of its customers, even if cabin crew go ahead with their planned strike this weekend.

The Conservatives are preparing to outline spending cuts they would make this year if they are elected, the BBC understands.

AP - Harsh winter weather and competition from deeply discounted foreclosures are putting a damper on sales prospects for homebuilders.

AP - The former president of a small community bank has become the first person ever charged with trying to defraud the bailout program.

AP - French energy company Toreador Resources Corp. said Monday that its fourth-quarter loss narrowed to $5 million as rising oil prices partially offset falling production.

Reuters - The former president of New York's privately held Park Avenue Bank was arrested and charged on Monday with being the first person to attempt to steal from U.S. government bailout funds in the financial crisis.

AP - Militants in Nigeria's oil-producing region detonated two car bombs Monday near a government building where officials were discussing an amnesty deal, showing their resolve to resume attacks after an agreement to bring peace and economic benefits to the area unraveled.

AP - The United Auto Workers and Toyota Motor Co. now agree on terms to shut down the Nummi plant in Northern California.

Charges like roadside assistance and insurance packages are getting a hard sell in the auto rental industry, travelers say.

Investors fretted about the status of banking reform in Washington and reports that United States could eventually lose its top-notch credit rating.

Industrial production edged up 0.1 percent in February, topping expectations and marking the eighth monthly increase.

Continental said that it expected about $35 million a year in cost savings and added revenue by doing that most other airlines have already done.

AP - Investors have turned cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's meeting on interest rates.

AP - Toyota cast doubt Monday on a California man's claim that his Prius sped out of control, saying the report is inconsistent with the findings of the company's preliminary investigation.

Reuters - U.S. tax authorities are expected to 'very shortly' launch another prosecution against a foreign bank similar to the tax evasion case they pressed against Switzerland's UBS AG, an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent said on Monday.

The Motley Fool - It's been a long row to hoe since the economy entered the Great Recession. Even though the recovery seems to be under way, there's still a way to go until the economy returns to normal. Take a peek at the latest economic activity: On the plus side, February's retail sales rose by a better-than-expected 0.3%, despite the major snowstorms that blanketed parts of the nation and kept people off the roads. Aeropostale (NYSE: ARO - News), J.Crew (NYSE: JCG - News), and Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN - News) all posted good-looking quarters recently. ...

AP - Shares of RadioShack Corp. fell on Monday after Goldman Sachs removed the electronics retailer from its recommended list although it still rates the shares a 'buy.'

AFP - Oil prices slumped Monday amid a rising US dollar and concerns over energy demand as traders eyed the OPEC cartel's output meeting this week.

AP - The United Auto Workers union has reached a tentative agreement to shut down California's sole remaining auto plant which employs 4,600 people.

The company withdraws the heart devices, saying it failed to warn the Food and Drug Administration about manufacturing changes.

The U.S. and other major economies are ?substantially? closer to a downgrade, a Moody?s report warned.

Add-ons like roadside assistance and insurance packages are getting a harder sell in the auto rental industry, travelers say.

Fuel costs declined and investors grew nervous that lawmakers were moving closer to restricting speculative trading.

Toyota tried to cast doubt Monday on a California man?s claim that his Prius sped out of control, calling the report inconsistent with the findings of a preliminary investigation.

Democrat senators have unveiled proposed new laws that will give the US Federal Reserve more regulatory powers over US banks.

AP - Eurozone finance ministers agreed Monday to offer financial help for Greece — likely in the form of bilateral loans — but refused to give details until European Union leaders make a final decision on the potential bailout.

AP - Retailer Limited Brands Inc., owner of Victoria's Secret, said Monday that its board of directors has declared a special dividend of $1 per share and authorized a share repurchase program of $200 million.

AP - Oil prices settled below $80 a barrel Monday, dragged down by a stronger dollar and increasing investor concerns about energy demand.

More than $700 billion of high-yield debt will mature over a three-year period beginning in 2012, raising worries about new loans, defaults and bankruptcies.

Fuel costs declined and investors grew nervous that lawmakers were moving closer to restricting speculative trading.

The deal means yet another owner for Tommy Hilfiger, once a leading purveyor of colorful preppy clothing that has weathered a series of ups and downs.

Officials said that they were ready to pledge financial assistance to Greece, but that the country has not asked for help.

Expecting stricter coal rules, the energy supplier pays $3.5 billion for supplies in a rock bed stretching from Ohio to New York.

A campaign for U by Kotex skewers the indirect approach taken in ads for products like tampons and pads while pushing for more frank discussion.

Researchers, political satirists and partisan mudslingers, take note: C-Span has uploaded virtually every minute of its video archives to the Internet.

An Illinois insurance executive who secretly shot nude videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison.

Government plans to cut the UK's budget deficit are not ambitious enough, a European Commission report will warn this week.

European finance ministers say they have agreed how they would help Greece in its financial crisis, but reveal few details.

The vice-president of Kraft Foods will be questioned by MPs over his company's takeover of Cadbury later.

Savers in the Equitable Life insurance company denounce the limited compensation process set up by the government.

Are UK workers being force to work part-time?

AP - The founder and former CEO of database provider InfoGroup Inc. agreed Monday to pay more than $7.3 million to settle federal regulators' charges of siphoning off nearly $9.5 million from the company to finance a lavish lifestyle that included jet travel to Africa and Europe.

AFP - Key OPEC members on Monday said there was no need for the cartel to change its official oil output target owing to the current supply, demand and price situation amid a world economic recovery.

Senate Democrats put forward a plan, with the backing of the Obama administration, that calls for Washington to play a more active role in policing Wall Street.

The ratings of the United States, Britain, Germany and France are stable, but ?their ?distance-to-downgrade? has in all cases substantially diminished,? Moody?s Investors Service said.

After decades, BioSpecifics, a tiny drug maker on Long Island, has found a potentially lucrative use for Xiaflex, its only medicine: straightening clenched fingers.

Europe?s largest telecommunications company set a five-year goal for women to hold 30 percent of management jobs.

Charles J. Antonucci Sr. pretended he came to the rescue of his troubled institution by investing $6.5 million of his own, but it was not his money, the authorities said.

A business traveler with an impeccable record of efficiency comes clean with an astonishing (but rare) incident of absent-mindedness.

Richard M. Owens found out what he would do in a real airplane emergency on a harrowing approach into Miami about five years ago.

The soft drink company also said it was increasing its dividend by 7 percent.

It appears that the federal government didn?t appreciate the significance of what it saw as it monitored the books and records of Lehman Brothers, or that officials blessed the company?s now-suspect accounting.

Government plans to cut the UK's budget deficit are not ambitious enough, a European Commission report will warn this week.

The vice-president of Kraft Foods will be questioned by MPs over his company's takeover of Cadbury later.

Toyota casts doubt on claims one of its cars failed to stop, after a widely-publicised account of a 'runaway' Prius in California.

AP - Missouri tax officials are warning people who live in rented housing that they do not qualify for a tax break unless their landlords pay property taxes.

The deal gives Sony the rights to sell the artist?s back catalog and draw on a large vault of unheard recordings.

Lawmakers cleared the way for final Congressional approval of a measure aimed at helping the economy.

As states cut Medicaid, doctors find payments insufficient. Poor areas like Flint, Mich., face particular hardship.

A major slowdown is expected in several industries, including fishing, pulp and paper, wine and agriculture.

A device manufactured by a British firm and used by the Mexican military and police to search for drugs and explosives may be ineffective, British officials said.

AP - Debate is heating up within the Federal Reserve over how and when to signal that the days of record-low interest rates are numbered.

AP - U.S. policymakers are struggling to agree on new rules to avoid another financial crisis.