Today's Headlines

Bloomberg:
- Russian President Putin’s government expects to speed up state asset sales as the country seeks to restore investor confidence after the state seized OAO Yukos Oil’s biggest unit.
- US consumer confidence fell in March for a second straight month as higher gasoline prices damped the enthusiasm sparked by job growth.
- The SEC, trying to ease concerns over shareholder lawsuits, gave companies flexibility in reporting stock options as expenses on their financial statements beginning as soon as June.
- Hewlett-Packard chose NCR Corp. CEO Mark Hurd as its new CEO.
- MCI Inc. accepted a new $7.64 billion takeover from Verizon Communications, rejecting a higher bid from Qwest Communications.
- US Treasury notes rose as a drop in consumer confidence bolstered speculation high energy prices will damp consumer spending, helping to keep inflation in check.

The Wall Street Journal:
- Billionaire investor Warren Buffett was called by regulators to answer questions about an insurance transaction between a unit of his Berkshire Hathaway and American International Group.
- Cingular Wireless LLC had more complaints than any other cell-phone service in the fourth quarter.
- VeriSign Inc. is the leading candidate for operating the “.net” registry when its existing contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers expires.
- Closely held Cook Inc. is developing drug-coated stents, or small tubes used to open clogged arteries, for use in arteries away from the heart to see if they help blockages.
- Merck & Co. hasn’t been able to find a “heavy hitter” prepared to take over from CEO Raymond Gilmartin, who retires in March 2006.
- Identity thieves can find sensitive information using Google’s search engine or other services by knowing what to look for, putting the onus on Web sites to remove such data.

The New York Times:
- Less than 5% of the 20 million low-income US residents receiving Medicare applications for financial assistance will respond because the form is too complex.
- US airlines are cutting seat capacity by retiring less efficient planes because of fuel price increases.
- A former aide to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Iqbal Riza, will be criticized in a report for throwing away documents on the Iraqi oil-for-food program.
New York Post:
- Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is negotiating to buy a majority stake in GM’s GMAC Commercial Mortgage unit for at least $1 billion.

Dow Jones Newswires:
- OPEC suspended talks to raise output quotas for a second time this year.

Barron’s:
- Tiffany & Co. may be a target for a takeover, citing money manager and shareholder Shawn Krevetz of Esplanade Capital in Boston.

Yonhap News:
- Samsung SDI, the world’s largest maker of plasma display panels, forecast the present glut in the products will turn to a shortage during the fourth quarter.

Press Trust of India:
- PepsiCo Inc. plans to spend as much as $500 million to expand its business in India in the next three to five years.

Tex Report:
- Tokyo Steel Manufacturing has offered to pay as much as $19 more on each ton of ferrous scrap it will buy in the domestic market starting tomorrow.