Media Digest (2/4/2011) Reuters, WSJ, NYT, FT, Bloomberg

Unemployment most likely improved last month but the jobless rate may rise. (Reuters)

JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM) may have ignored signs that Madoff was committing fraud. (Reuters)

Ben Bernanke said that if the US debt ceiling is not raised, there will be grave consequences. (Reuters)

Verizon Wireless may cut the download speed of heavy wireless users. (Reuters)

Oil rose again because of Egypt and sign of health in the US economy. (Reuters)

The UN said food costs are at record levels. (Reuters)

Institutional Shareholder Services called for a succession plan at Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). The information came from the Laborers’ International Union of North America. (Reuters)

The supply of internet addresses ended this week. (Reuters)

Calpers wants a majority vote for unopposed candidates for the Apple board. (Reuters)

Kinder Morgan has prepared for a $2.3 billion IPO. (Reuters)

Lufthansa may buy SAS. (Reuters)

AXA must pay a fine because it hid problems with investing software from clients.(WSJ)

The Intercontinental Exchange Inc want to restrict purchases of cotton to cut speculation. (WSJ)

Bernanke said the Fed bond buying program has not caused inflation. (WSJ)

Rising commodities costs could hurt the rebound in retail sales. (WSJ)

AT&T (NYSE: T) may use more Motorola Mobility Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android based phones now that it has lost exclusivity for the iPhone. (WSJ)

House Republicans proposed $30 billion in cuts for the balance of the government fiscal year. (WSJ)

Weather problems have ballooned deficits in city budgets. (WSJ)

China may bid for contract to replace some US military helicopters. (WSJ)

Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal will merge. (WSJ)

Shell said it will not drill in waters in the Arctic because the US revoked its permits. (WSJ)

UBS will try to increase its bonus pool. (WSJ)

Germany and France will make proposals to help the euro and integrate the region’s economies. (NYT)

Private equity deals have increased sharply. (NYT)

Americans are becoming obese faster than people in most of the developed nations according to Lancet. (Bloomberg)

Demand for the Airbus 330 has risen because of delays of the Boeing 787. (Bloomberg)

SAP will seek a reduction in the $1.3 billion judgment to be paid to Oracle. (NASDAQ: ORCL) (Bloomberg)

An improvement in the US commercial realty market will help the US economy from sustaining more damage. (Bloomberg)

Douglas A. McIntyre