4:00PM NY; 10:00PM Frankfurt; 2:30AM Mumbai - GLOBAL MARKETS
Yield on 10-year bond closed at 4.683% and the 30-year bond closed at 4.784%.

Gold decreased $10.500 to close at $662.300 a troy ounce, silver lost 13.5 cents to end at $13.855 a troy ounce and copper declined $6.000 to close at $5789.000 per metric ton.

Oil declined $1.320 to close at $58.070 a barrel and heating oil decreased 2.840 cents to finish at 164.500 cents a gallon. Natural gas advanced 10.4 cents to close at $7.607 per MMBtu. Gasoline went down 0.040 cents to end at 164.490 cents a gallon.

Asian markets closed mixed Tuesday, with Japan''s broadest stock index, the Topix, hitting its highest level in 15 years in intraday trading, as NTT DoCoMo and other domestic-related shares gained on optimism over the domestic growth outlook. The advancers were led by Philippines with a gain of 1.39%, Thailand with an increase of 0.77% and Indonesia with a gain of 0.40%. The decliners were India with a decrease of 1.04% and Japan with a loss of 0.01%. Australia finished 0.01% down.

European markets finished lower as weaker oil and gas shares offset positive sentiment generated by deal-inspired gains from Shire and Hanson. The decliners were led by Norway with a decline of 1.11%, Italy with a decrease of 0.80% and U.K. with a loss of 0.50%. There were no advancers.

Latin America markets closed lower led by Brazil with a decline of 0.23% and Mexico with a decrease of 0.13%. The only advancer was Argentina with an increase of 0.80%. Canada gained 0.20%.

2:30PM NY, U.S. Market Movers
Wal-Mart rose on earnings news, Home Depot reported sharply lower earnings and merger between XM Satellite and Sirius Radio boosted stocks of radio companies. Investment banker Keefe Bruyette rose on earnings gains of three fold.

Empire Resorts (NYNY: chart) operates the Monticello Raceway horse racing track in upstate New York, said it received approval from the governor of New York for a proposed casino to be built in Sullivan County. Empire Resorts shares shot up 25%.

Florida Rock Industries (FRK: chart) soared $19.65, or 42%, to $66.61. The company reached to a deal with Vulcan Materials (VMC: chart) to acquire the company for about $4.6 billion in cash and stock. The consideration values Florida Rock shares at about $68.03 each.

Fossil Inc. (FOSL: chart), watch and accessory company, earned $38.2 million, or 55 cents per share, in the fourth quarter, according to preliminary data. Because there is a chance that net income for past periods may be restated, the company did not provide a comparison to year-ago figures. Sales jumped 20.5% to $390.8 million against $324.2 million a year earlier. Shares went up 11.9%.

Keefe Bruyette & Woods (KBW: chart), public investment firm, said that its fourth-quarter profit tripled and increased to $25.4 million, or 87 cents per share, compared with $7.34 million, or 26 cents per share a year earlier. Revenue rose 32% to $120.2 million from $91.1 million a year ago on increased investment banking revenue, commissions and investment and advisory fees. Shares went up 13.3%.

Rock of Ages Corp. (ROAC: chart) fourth-quarter result was an improvement in the performance of company’s retail business, which delivered operating income of $890,000 compared to an operating loss of $555,000 for the fourth quarter of 2005. Revenue declined 9% to $23.38 million from $25.55 million for the fourth quarter of 2005. Shares went up 18.9%.

Smart & Final Inc. (SMF: chart), food warehouses operator, said its fourth-quarter profit dropped 45% because of higher costs that offset sales increases. Quarterly earnings fell to $5.1 million, or 16 cents per share, from $9.3 million, or 29 cents per share in the prior year quarter. Sales rose 8% to $491.4 million from $456.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2005. Shares of the company went up 13.4%.

TB Wood''s Corp. (TBWC: chart) jumped 44.7% after the company agreed to be acquired by Altra Holdings for $24.80 per share. Altra, which went public in December, said the boards of both companies approved the deal valued at about $92 million.

United Therapeutics Corp. (UTHR: chart), biotech drug developer, said that its net income grew to $55.5 million, or $2.42 per share, from $29.4 million, or $1.14 per share, in the year-ago period. The company attributed its earnings performance in the latest quarter to a tax benefit of $47.7 million. Revenue climbed 55% to $45.8 million versus $29.6 million a year ago. Shares went up 12.8%.

Vasco Data Security International Inc. (VDSI: chart) rose 70%, beating analysts'' estimates. Net income for the fourth quarter was $5.1 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with $3 million, or 8 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue grew 44% over the same time last year to $25.2 million; analysts had expected $25.7 million. Shares climbed 20%.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical’ (BMRN: chart) shares plunged 13% after the biopharmaceutical company said its hypertension drug candidate failed to show any statistical difference from placebo in a study.

1:00PM European markets closed lower on weaker oil and gas shares.
European stocks ended Tuesday session in the red, as weaker oil and gas shares offset positive sentiment generated by deal-inspired gains from Shire and Hanson. Shares of BP and Royal Dutch Shell slipped 1.2% as forecasts for warmer U.S. weather sent crude-oil futures down. Drugs company Shire rose 3.7% on news that it agreed to acquire New River Pharmaceuticals for about $2.6 billion in cash. Shares of U.K. construction company Hanson gained 2.9% as Vulcan Materials agreed to buy smaller U.S. aggregates company Florida Rock in a $4.6 billion cash-and-stock deal. EMI Group was a notable gainer, rallying 8.4% after it confirmed that it received a fresh approach from Warner Music Group. Among other stocks in focus, Volvo rose 1.5% after the Swedish truck maker said it launched a bid offer to buy Japanese rival Nissan Diesel for 7.5 billion Swedish krona ($1.1 billion). Volkswagen shares finished up 8% as the German auto maker posted strong profit in 2006. The U.K.''s FTSE 100 closed down 0.5% at 6,412.30, the German DAX 30 slipped 0.1% at 6,982.91 and the French CAC-40 index eased 0.5% at 5,713.45.

Crude oil prices dropped below $58 on forecasts of warmer weather in the northeastern U.S. Light, sweet crude March delivery slipped $1.42 to $57.97 a barrel. Heating oil lost 4 cents to $1.6337. Natural gas fell 2.5 cents to $7.478 per 1,000 cubic feet. London Brent slipped 47 cents to $57.67. The U.S. dollar was mixed against its major currency rivals. The euro was quoted at $1.3140, down from $1.3152. The dollar bought 120.16 yen, up from 119.52. The British pound was quoted at $1.9559, down from $1.9510. Gold in London traded at $657.70 per troy ounce, down from $670. In Zurich, the precious metal traded at $655.95, down from $668.80. Silver slipped to $13.73 from $13.99.