Personal Finance News Feb 2010

Stocks climb as manufacturing, spending increase
AP - Stock indexes rose Monday as a flurry of reports bolstered hopes that the economy is recovering. (Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:31:32 GMT)

7 Saving Tips
The Motley Fool - Humans are programmed for self-preservation. Ironically, that doesn't mean we're instinctively inclined toward wealth preservation. (Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:03:21 GMT)

Cure Your Holiday Hangover
The Motley Fool - Went a little overboard during the holidays? Let's waste no time lamenting our overindulgences -- it's time to get those finances back in tip-top form. (Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:37:09 GMT)

MetLife profit falls 70 percent on higher claims
AP - MetLife Inc., a leading life insurance company, says its profit tumbled 70 percent in the fourth quarter as it paid out more in claims and benefits. (Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:00:04 GMT)

Mortgage demand at six-week highs on refinance wave
Reuters - Demand for home loans rose to a six-week high on a mini refinance wave, with borrowers pushing to lock in rates before they climb later this year, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday, (Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:26:59 GMT)

Pace of private sector job losses slows
Reuters - The pace of job losses in the private sector slowed in January as employers reported the smallest payroll decline in nearly two years while demand for home loans hit a six-week high last week, data showed on Wednesday. (Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:50:59 GMT)

Make Finances a Family Affair
The Motley Fool - Many families delegate chores and other responsibilities by assigning them to particular family members. You might be responsible for mowing the lawn every week, while your partner takes care of making sure your cars get regular maintenance, your son cleans out the cat's litter box every few days, and your daughter puts the toys away every night. By giving everyone something to do, you not only make sure that important things get done, but also create an environment of teamwork. (Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:14:11 GMT)

Juggling Your Financial Goals
The Motley Fool - I have a frequent and pleasant daydream in which the Virginia lottery board calls and says, "Congratulations! You've won the highest jackpot ever! Would you like to take that in a lump sum or divided up over 30 years?" This is truly the stuff of fantasy, though, particularly because I don't buy lottery tickets. Much more realistic for my family is what to do in the face of too many important financial goals and too little money to fund them all. (Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:15:01 GMT)

GMAC posts $5 billion Q4 loss
Reuters - GMAC Financial Services, a lender that is majority-owned by the U.S. government after multiple bailouts, said it lost $5 billion in the fourth quarter after writing down bad mortgage assets. (Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:08:56 GMT)

Government-owned GMAC loses $5 billion in 4Q
AP - Home and auto lender GMAC Financial Services said Thursday it lost $5 billion in the last three months of 2009, as losses from its mortgage operations kept the company in the red for another quarter. (Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:35:00 GMT)

How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
The Motley Fool - To put it simply, life insurance protects those who depend on your paycheck. If you die prematurely, life insurance provides your dependents with ongoing income to replace yours, until (or unless) they can live comfortably without it. It can also provide a timely emergency fund for medical, legal, and funeral costs, should family savings not be adequate to cover them. (After all, that golf-inspired Fairway to Heaven casket ain't cheap.) (Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:59:23 GMT)

Keep Emotions Out of Your Portfolio
The Motley Fool - Stop over-thinking your portfolio. Take a mental "time out" and try some deep-breathing exercises. Do whatever it takes to rein in your caveman brain, because right now, your mind is one of your biggest liabilities -- emotionally and financially. (Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:31:15 GMT)

Mortgage rates edge up slightly
AP - Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages rose slightly this week, inching above 5 percent, Freddie Mac said Thursday. (Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:54:25 GMT)

Mortgage investors try to regroup after meltdown
AP - The financial wizards who concocted the complicated mortgage-linked investments that nearly brought down the world economy are trying to come back from the dead. (Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:22:53 GMT)

Smart Choices, Dumb Moves
BusinessWeek - Financial planners can advise, books can inform, worksheets can approximate. But they'll never replace the advice you can get from folks who have ventured before you into that great unknown: retirement. To help you avoid dead ends and pitfalls, we asked retirees to look back over their time outside the working world and talk about their smartest financial moves, biggest surprises, and worst mistakes. (Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:08:42 GMT)

Visteon retirees appeal decision on benefits
AP - Attorneys for retired Visteon workers are appealing a bankruptcy judge's order allowing the auto parts supplier to terminate their health and life insurance benefits. (Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:58:37 GMT)

December consumer credit down for 11th straight month
Reuters - A weak job market and tight credit conditions caused consumer credit to fall $1.73 billion in December, the eleventh straight monthly decline, a report from the Federal Reserve showed on Friday. (Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:24:00 GMT)

Consumer credit down in Nov. for record 11th month
AP - Americans borrowed less for an 11th consecutive month in December, paying off credit cards while increasing borrowing for cars and other products. (Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:47:28 GMT)

Goldman's payment demands on AIG probed: report
Reuters - U.S. regulators are investigating whether the mortgage insurance market was improperly distressed in 2008 because of payment demands that Goldman Sachs Group Inc and other banks made on American International Group Inc , The New York Times reported on Sunday. (Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:12:47 GMT)

Hanmi brings in financial adviser
AP - Hanmi Financial said Monday that it has retained Cappello Capital Corp. as a financial adviser while the company pursues strategic alternatives. (Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:43:20 GMT)

American Capital Agency says earnings rose in 4Q
AP - American Capital Agency Corp. reported sharply higher earnings for the fourth quarter of 2009 Monday as the government-backed mortgage securities it holds gained value. (Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:25:24 GMT)

Forget the Mortgage, I'm Paying My Credit Card Bill
U.S. News & World Report - Amid high unemployment and sliding home prices, a growing number of struggling consumers are doing what was once considered unthinkable: paying their credit card bills instead of their mortgages. A recent study developed by TransUnion found the percentage of Americans who were current on their credit cards but behind on their mortgage increased to 6.6 percent in the third quarter of 2009, up from 4.3 percent in the first quarter of 2008. Meanwhile, the share of consumers making mortgage payments on time but behind on their credit cards moved in the opposite direction, sliding from 4. ... (Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:04:33 GMT)

BofA spent $1.18M lobbying government in 4Q
AP - Bank of America Corp., the nation's largest lender, spent $1.18 million in the fourth quarter to lobby the federal government on issues such as executive compensation, credit cards and mortgage lending practices, according to a recent disclosure report. (Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:49:29 GMT)

How to Make Your Insurer Pay
The Motley Fool - When disaster hits your home, it pays to know whose side your insurance company is on. If insurance companies are to be believed, "you're in good hands" -- they'll treat you "like a good neighbor." (Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:34:20 GMT)

Get in the Mood to Talk Money
The Motley Fool - In the mood for a money talk? Yeah, we know. It's hardly on the top of anyone's list. But the task does fall somewhere between teaching the kids the birds 'n' bees and remembering to give the dog its heartworm pill. (Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:47:59 GMT)

MetLife may pay AIG in stock, cash for unit: source
Reuters - MetLife Inc plans to pay American International Group Inc in stock and cash for American Life Insurance Co (Alico), as the two sides negotiate what could be a roughly $15 billion deal, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. (Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:29:28 GMT)

Kansas House panel reviews tax credit reform
AP - A Kansas House committee considered a proposal Tuesday that would eliminate some seldom-used income tax credits and improve efficiency within the Department of Revenue. (Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:06:29 GMT)

Home loan demand drops despite drop in rates
Reuters - U.S. mortgage applications dipped last week, reflecting reduced demand for home purchase loans even as rates on 30-year loans fell to their lowest since December, an industry group said on Wednesday. (Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:45:49 GMT)

Freddie Mac to start buying back bad loans
AP - Government controlled mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said Wednesday it will buy back an unspecified amount of troubled loans contained in securities it has already sold to investors. (Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:31:56 GMT)

Fannie, Freddie to start buying back bad loans
AP - Government controlled mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said Wednesday they will buy back troubled loans contained in securities they have already sold to investors. (Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:43:05 GMT)

Stop Slow Leaks From Your Bank Account
The Motley Fool - Bank statements don't make for scintillating reading, but if you take a close look, you could find a few unpleasant surprises. Such was the case when one family glanced at one of its statements and discovered that its bank was simultaneously charging it for banking with online bill pay and banking without it. How the family could be doing both -- and paying for it -- was perplexing. But there the charges were, $9.95 and $5.95 respectively, leaking dollars out of the checking account. (Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:02:25 GMT)

Rates on 30-year mortgages average under 5 pct
AP - Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages fell slightly this week, dipping below 5 percent, the mortgage financier Freddie Mac said Thursday. (Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:41:53 GMT)

Need-to-Knows About Mom and Dad
The Motley Fool - Your relationship with your parents changes many times during your lifetime. When you were a child, your parents were responsible for you. They helped you overcome hurdles that you faced for the first time, and they gave you their emotional and financial support. As a young adult, you sought and achieved independence for yourself, but your parents were still there as a source of advice and guidance. And if you eventually had children of your own, you gained a little insight about why your parents made the choices they did. (Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:04:07 GMT)

Make Your Family Miserable
The Motley Fool - Supposedly, you love your family. You don't want to cause them any undue agony. But if you neglect to take care of a few important paperwork issues, then your loved ones could suffer unnecessarily. (Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:22:07 GMT)

Services You Can Get for Free
The Motley Fool - You know the old line: "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is." But, occasionally, you can find legitimate low-cost or even free services. The catch? Getting something for next-to-nothing generally means that you have no leverage to complain. (Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:44:44 GMT)

Wis. agency will resume lending to home buyers
AP - Wisconsin residents seeking to buy a home for the first time got a boost Friday when the state's affordable housing agency announced plans to resume lending after a 17-month suspension. (Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:18:03 GMT)

Mortgage insurer PMI posts wider-than-expected Q4 loss
Reuters - Mortgage insurer PMI Group Inc reported a much wider-than-expected quarterly loss, as its U.S. unit continued to post disappointing results, sending its shares down 5 percent before the bell. (Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:05:55 GMT)

Cleaning up toxic mortgage assets a slow task
FT.com - With $45bn of investments in securities backed by US mortgages - or nearly a quarter of the insurance group's total assets - it is no overstatement to say that MetLife is a heavyweight in the mortgage market. (Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:50:23 GMT)

Canada tightens mortgage lending rules
AP - Canada is tightening mortgage lending rules as historic low rates are raising fears of a potential housing bubble, the country's finance minister said Tuesday. (Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:09:59 GMT)

Cleaning up toxic mortgage assets a slow task
FT.com - With $45bn of investments in securities backed by US mortgages - or nearly a quarter of the insurance group's total assets - it is no overstatement to say that MetLife is a heavyweight in the mortgage market. (Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:40:15 GMT)

Mortgage delinquencies tick higher in 4th-qtr 2009
AP - The percentage of homeowners late with mortgage payments hit another record during the last three months of 2009, and the pace at which they fell behind took a turn for the worse, a new report says. (Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:57:29 GMT)

Credit card delinquency rates level off
Reuters - The percentage of Americans falling behind on credit card bills stabilized in January, according to data from the six major lenders, signaling that U.S. consumer credit woes may be leveling off. (Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:22:14 GMT)

Mortgage applications fell in latest week
Reuters - Applications for U.S. home mortgages fell slightly last week even as interest rates held near record low levels below 5 percent, an industry group said on Wednesday. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:13:12 GMT)

Housing starts post sharp rebound
Reuters - Housing starts rebounded more strongly than expected to their highest level in six months in January, while permits fell slightly less than forecast, pointing a mild housing market recovery. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:01:51 GMT)

Fannie, Freddie regulator pitches new housing goals
Reuters - The federal regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Wednesday proposed an overhaul of rules governing how the mortgage funding giants serve low-income homeowners while limiting their risks. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:37:09 GMT)

Housing starts, industrial output fuel US recovery
AFP - US housing construction and industrial production posted better-than-expected increases at the start of the year, the government said Wednesday, fueling economic recovery from recession. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:22:11 GMT)

5 Easy Ways to Save on Taxes
The Motley Fool - It's hard to get ahead with Uncle Sam stretching out his hand every time you earn a few extra bucks. While paying what you owe is the patriotic way, it's always nice to owe less rather than more. Here are some of the best (and strictly legal) ways to reduce your taxable income but still satisfy Uncle Sam when he comes knocking. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:37:04 GMT)

Starting a Business? Don't Tap Your 401(k)
The Motley Fool - Building your own business is a common American dream, but not an easy one. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, about half of small businesses fail within the first five years. That hard truth gives you even more good reasons not to start your business with money you've borrowed from your retirement savings. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:46:27 GMT)

Housing starts hit 6-month high, output rises
Reuters - U.S. housing starts rose to a six-month high in January and industrial output increased solidly, pointing to an economic recovery that was taking a firm hold and respectable first-quarter growth. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:36:47 GMT)

Plosser: Fed should sell MBS sooner instead of later
Reuters - The Federal Reserve should sell its mortgage-backed securities holdings sooner rather than later as the economic recovery gathers steam in order to extricate itself from fiscal policy, a senior central bank official said on Wednesday. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:03:02 GMT)

Wall Street gains on earnings, economy
Reuters - Stocks advanced on Wednesday as stronger-than-expected earnings from companies including Deere & Co and economic data underpinned hopes for the recovery. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:07:14 GMT)

Fidelity reports 10-year 401k account performance
AP - If you had money in the stock market over the past decade, you probably agree that it was one bumpy experience. It might lead you to think your retirement account didn't fare too well. A new study by Fidelity Investments shows consistent contributions and staying in the market paid off for many, but the gain was due more to a commitment to saving than stellar market performance. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:16:47 GMT)

Gov't mortgage plan aids 12 percent of borrowers
AP - The government's mortgage relief plan has helped only about 12 percent of borrowers who signed up since President Barack Obama announced the program a year ago. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:32:53 GMT)

Va. businessman accused of fraud arrested in Texas
AP - A Lamborghini-driving steakhouse owner who disappeared after being accused of cheating banks out of tens of millions of dollars was arrested in Texas and returned to Virginia as federal prosecutors pursue fraud charges. (Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:35:34 GMT)

UK borrows in January, bad sign for deficit
AP - Britain's national and local government had to borrow money in January for the first time in 1993, officials statistics showed Thursday in another sign of how recession is hurting government finances. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:46:53 GMT)

Rates on 30-year home loans fall to 4.93 pct
AP - Rates for 30-year home loans edged lower for the second straight week, a report said Thursday, but remained above last year's record lows. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:24:28 GMT)

Bigger Tuition Bills and Student Loans Coming in 2011
U.S. News & World Report - Some of the nation's wealthiest and most generous colleges are asking their students to earn and borrow more to pay for college. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:31:12 GMT)

Money Rules for Marriage the Second (or Sixth) Time Around
The Motley Fool - There are some things in life where you really, really hope the first time is a charm -- marriage, declaring a college major, and bungee-jumping, for example. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:32:27 GMT)

Mortgage fraud: Bloomberg, nonprofit try to raise awareness
The Christian Science Monitor - They pose as experts, guaranteeing they can stop a home foreclosure. They may promise they can get you to the head of the line, leapfrogging over the thousands of other people trying to renegotiate their mortgage with the bank. But most of all, they want money upfront. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:25:11 GMT)

Turbo Tax maker Intuit reports 2Q profit up 34 pct
AP - Intuit Inc. on Thursday said strong sales of its tax-preparation software helped lift its fiscal second-quarter profit 34 percent and beat Wall Street's forecast. The company also raised its forecasts for full-year revenue and profit. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:53:14 GMT)

Intuit reports 11 pct rise in TurboTax sales
AP - Intuit Inc. on Thursday said unit sales of its TurboTax federal income tax preparation products rose 11 percent early in this year's tax season, compared with the same period a year ago. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:57:55 GMT)

Washington REIT to name John McDaniel chairman
AP - Washington Real Estate Investment Trust said on Thursday that John P. McDaniel is expected to be named as chairman of its board of trustees at its May 18 annual meeting. (Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:59:23 GMT)

Report: Fewer people falling behind on home loans
AP - The number of borrowers falling behind on their mortgage payments dropped sharply at the end of last year, a sign the foreclosure crisis is beginning to ebb. (Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:00:45 GMT)

A Busy Oracle of Omaha
The Motley Fool - Like Santa and his elves, the Oracle of Omaha stayed busy during the fourth quarter of 2009. While Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-A - News; NYSE: BRK-B - News) acquisition of Burlington Northern dwarfed other moves, the buying and selling of the world's greatest investor is always worth investigating, and this past quarter was no exception. Aside from Burlington Northern, Buffett sold more stocks than he bought. (Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:45:47 GMT)

Dolan Media to get National Default Exchange stake
AP - Dolan Media Co. said Friday that it is acquiring a 1.7 percent stake in National Default Exchange, bringing its total stake in the mortgage default processing service company to 93.8 percent. (Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:58:40 GMT)

A look at foreclosure numbers
AP - The Mortgage Bankers Association's quarterly report on foreclosures Friday showed fewer homeowners are starting to fall behind on their loans, compared with the third quarter. But the number of borrowers who have missed at least three payments kept growing. (Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:25:05 GMT)

Business Highlights
AP - Report: Fewer people falling behind on home loans (Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:25:59 GMT)

E-Trade getting back on track, analyst says
AP - E-Trade Financial Corp., which took a black eye from losses on its subprime mortgage holdings, is getting back on track by focusing on its roots as an online brokerage, an analyst said Monday. (Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:06:24 GMT)

Gov't to add consumer protections to mortgage plan
AP - The Obama administration is considering additional protections to ensure homeowners are treated fairly and consistently under its mortgage relief program. (Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:26:05 GMT)

Ciber posts lower 4Q profit, sales
AP - Technology consulting company Ciber Inc. said Monday its fourth-quarter profit declined amid the difficult economy and because of a higher income tax rate than a year earlier. (Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:00:54 GMT)

UK mortgage loans at 8 1/2 year low in January
AP - Mortgage lending in Britain hit the lowest level in 8 1/2 years in January at 8 billion pounds ($12.4 billion), major banks reported Tuesday. (Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:57:06 GMT)

Radian shares rise on 4Q results, delinquency view
AP - Mortgage insurer Radian Group Inc. on Tuesday posted a narrower fourth-quarter loss as it reduced its exposure to risky investments and the value of derivatives it holds turned positive. (Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:50:19 GMT)

Health Care REIT, Forest City form joint venture
AP - Health Care REIT Inc. and Forest City Enterprises Inc. said Tuesday they have formed a joint venture to buy a $668 million life sciences campus in University Park in Cambridge, Mass. (Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:03:28 GMT)

Home purchase loan demand at lowest since 1997
Reuters - U.S. mortgage applications fell for a third straight week, with demand for home purchase loans sinking to the lowest level in 13 years as inclement weather weighed, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday. (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:17:55 GMT)

UK trims support for Northern Rock deposits
AP - The British government said Wednesday that it will withdraw unlimited guarantees for depositors in mortgage lender Northern Rock in May as another step to prepare for the company's return to private ownership. (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:42:01 GMT)

Rate of Home Price Declines Slows, But More Drops May Be Ahead
U.S. News & World Report - The real estate market continued to heal in the final three months of 2009, as lower home prices, cheap mortgage rates, and a federal tax credit worked to juice demand. The development was visible in the S&P/Case-Shiller home price report released Tuesday, which found that the rate of annual home price declines improved again in the fourth quarter. Prices at the national level fell just 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared with a year earlier. ... (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:31:00 GMT)

Freddie Mac loses $7.8B in 4Q
AP - Freddie Mac lost $7.8 billion in the final three months of last year, but the mortgage finance company didn't need a federal cash infusion for the third quarter in a row. (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:11:19 GMT)

Fannie Mae expects $5B charge due to tax credit
AP - Fannie Mae plans to take a $5 billion charge when its reports its fourth quarter results later this week because the government blocked its plan to sell tax credits. (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:58:28 GMT)

Summary Box: Freddie Mac's losses continue
AP - LOSSES CONTINUE: Mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said Wednesday that it lost $7.8 billion, or $2.39 a share, in the fourth quarter of last year. That was down from $23.9 billion, or $7.37 a share, in the same quarter a year ago. (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:07:41 GMT)

Geithner: No change to Fannie, Freddie until 2011
AP - The Obama administration will wait until 2011 to propose an overhaul of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday, arguing that he wanted to put some distance between a new system and what he called "the worst housing crisis in generations." (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:27:04 GMT)

Bernanke sees low rates amid signs of weak rebound
AP - New signs emerged Wednesday that the economic rebound is sputtering. Sales of new homes hit a record low last month. And mortgage giant Freddie Mac signaled it will need more federal aid — and might never repay it. (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:40:15 GMT)

Rates on 30-year home loans rise to 5.05 pct
AP - Rates for 30-year home loans rose above the 5 percent threshold for the first time in three weeks, but remained near historically low levels. (Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:01:34 GMT)

Lawmakers question Obama loan help effort
AP - Lawmakers are taking aim at the Obama administration's struggling mortgage assistance program, with Republicans calling it a worthless exercise and Democrats saying it doesn't go far enough. (Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:48:20 GMT)

Snoop Dogg in the IRS Doghouse
The Motley Fool - The headline to this story practically writes itself, which makes it hard to pick just one. To sum up the latest celebrity financial foible, here are three other titles that didn't quite make the cut: (Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:01:50 GMT)

AIG alters payback plan to Fed
Reuters - American International Group Inc has decided not to use securitized U.S. life insurance policies to repay the U.S. government after a $182.3 billion rescue, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. (Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:46:22 GMT)

Business events scheduled for the coming week
AP - WASHINGTON — Commerce Department releases personal income and spending for January, 8:30 a.m.; Commerce Department releases construction spending for January, 10 a.m. (Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:31:16 GMT)

Insurer Conseco posts 4Q profit, reversing a loss
AP - Conseco Inc., the parent of Banker's Life and Casualty and Colonial Penn Life Insurance, on Friday posted a fourth-quarter profit, reversing last year's loss, as sales rose 18 percent and the company lost less on investments than during the market downturn. (Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:26:03 GMT)

Earnings roundup: Fannie Mae, NYMagic
AP - Among the earnings stories for Friday, Feb. 26, from AP Financial News: (Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:04:53 GMT)

Fannie Mae seeks $15.3B in gov't aid after 4Q loss
AP - Fannie Mae needs another $15 billion in federal assistance, bringing its total to more than $75 billion. And worse, the mortgage finance company warned its losses will continue this year. (Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:23:09 GMT)

Reports: Prudential PLC may buy AIG unit
AP - Prudential PLC, Britain's largest life insurer, is exploring a bid for the Asian life-insurance arm of American International Group Inc., according to media reports Saturday. (Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:32:30 GMT)

Report: Prudential PLC nears buy of AIG unit
AP - The board of American International Group Inc. has approved the sale of its Asian life insurance arm to British life insurer Prudential PLC, according to media reports Sunday. (Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:03:29 GMT)