PT Inter Pan Pasifik Futures

UBS warns of poor Q1 after investment bank loss (Reuters)
Reuters - Swiss bank UBS posted a loss at its investment bank and warned that the unit's poor performance would also affect first-quarter results as the euro zone debt crisis and worries about the health of the U.S. economy hurt business.

Bernanke is expected to stick with low-rate stance (AP)

AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has called the economy "frustratingly slow." On Tuesday, Congress will find out whether he still thinks so, even after Friday's news that hiring surged in January and unemployment reached a three-year low.

New US sanctions on Iran aim to head off Israel (AP)

AP - Additional U.S. sanctions on Iran are more significant for their timing than their immediate effect on Iran's economy, coming as the United States and its allies are arguing that Israel should hold off on any military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities to allow more time for sanctions to work.

President's Economic Influence Isn't Limited -- Obama Just Misuses It (ContributorNetwork)
ContributorNetwork - COMMENTARY | Some would have us believe the president plays a much smaller role in determining what our economy does than most people believe. I think Americans believe the president has a lot of actual power to correct the economy, and that assumption is incorrect. But many chief executives have used the Oval Office to manipulate change and foster growth that isn't specifically empowered to the presidency.

Deeper Iran sanctions; US targets its central bank (AP)

AP - Targeting Iran's economy, the U.S. ordered tough new penalties Monday to further pinch the country's financial system and encourage Israel to give sanctions more time before any military action against Iran's nuclear program.