| Dow 6930 |  | +3.91 | (+0.06%) |
| Nasdaq 1372 | | +13.36 | (+0.98%) |
| S&P 721 | | +1.76 | (+0.24%) |
Europe
| FTSE 100 3694 |  | -21.42 | (-0.58%) |
| CAC 40 2674 | | +10.52 | (+0.39%) |
| DAX 30 3914 | | +27.12 | (+0.70%) |
Asia at 9 30 AM
| Nikkei 225 7296 | | -79.89 | (-1.08%) |
| Hang Seng 11942 | | +10.88 | (+0.09%) |
SGX Nifty 2644 +86 pts
Commodities
| Light Crude (NYM) | 44.50 | (-1.21) |
| Gold (CMX) | 910.70 | (+14.80) |
News Today
* Japan's economy shrank more than 12 percent last quarter, the government said on Thursday, in another sign of how severely the global economic downturn has affected the world's second-largest economy. full story
* J.P. Morgan & Chase CEO says Obama administration's $275 billion program to modify mortgages is good for homeowners, markets.
* Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates reclaims the top spot on Forbes' annual list of wealthiest individuals with an estimated net worth of $40 billion. Warren Buffett comes in second.
* Obama's first 50 days were 2nd worst ever for Dow.
* Freddie Mac reported a deep loss for the fourth quarter and said it will need a $30.8 billion injection of capital from the U.S. Treasury.
* The 3-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) -- the rate that banks charge each other for 3-month loans -- rose to 1.33% yesterday, the highest rate since January 8. The LIBOR-OIS spread, a comparison between LIBOR and the Overnight Index Swap Rate used as a gauge of banks' reluctance to lend, likewise rose to its highest level since January 9.
