Media Digest (10/20/2009) Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg

Reuters:   Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) beat earnings forecasts.

Reuters:   The IRS is probing some homebuyers’ tax credit gains.

Reuters:   The US is ready to bring more insider trading cases.

Reuters:   More US companies are cutting bonuses.

Reuters:   Icahn offered to underwrite a $6 billion loan to CIT (NYSE:CIT).

Reuters:   Retailers like Saks (NYSE:SKS) Macy’s (NYSE:M), and Dillard’s (NYSE:DDS) cut inventories so much that they are scrambling to buy holiday goods.

Reuters:   An IBM (NYSE:IBM) executive was put on leave after insider trading charges were filed against him.

Reuters:   Bernanke called for action on global imbalances.

Reuters:   Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN) posted good profits.

Reuters:   Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) cut its forecasts.

WSJ:   Galleon holders are selling their interests in the hedge fund.

WSJ:   Changes in government healthcare policies are causing mergers within the industry.

WSJ:   Cerberus is considering an IPO of gun maker Freedom Group.

WSJ:   Employers are holding off hiring even though they have higher profits.

WSJ:   Target (NYSE:TGT) is joining Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) in an online price war.

WSJ:   Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) has introduced its own e-reader.

WSJ:   Large ad agencies urged regulators to approve a search deal between Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT).

WSJ:   The German government said financial aid would be available to any buyer that GM picks for Opel.

WSJ:   Sales of luxury goods are still soft.

WSJ:   Intel’s (NASDAQ:INTC) CEO did not know about an insider trading probe of one of his employees.

WSJ:   Sprint (NASDAQ:S) will buy iPCS for $426 million.

WSJ:   Caterpillar’s (NYSE:CAT) future is looking better.

WSJ:   Qatar’s sovereign fund is selling its stake in Barclays (NYSE:BCS) for a 750 million pound gain.

WSJ:   Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) analysts were warned to keep secrets after the Galleon probe was announced.

WSJ:   The EU’s hedging rules could hurt airlines and banks.

WSJ:   AIG (NYSE:AIG) provided another $2 billion to its aircraft leasing unit.

WSJ:   Investments in hedge funds were up in the third quarter.

WSJ:   China will set tariffs on Nylon.

WSJ:   Deals to increase China oil holdings are actually low.

WSJ:   Health care data company IMS Health may sell itself to private equity interests.

WSJ:   Luxury goods sales may not recover until 2012.

WSJ:   Third quarter earnings will show if there is increasing demand for goods and services.

WSJ:   The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) cut 100 editorial jobs.

NYT:   A thin line separates insider trading from research.

NYT:   Bernanke says Asia economies are raising world out of trouble.

NYT:   Former News Corp (NYSE:NWS) executives are advising Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) as it looks at buying content properties

NYT:   The FDA turned down a new Amgen (NYSE:AMGN) bone drug.

NYT:   The Fed is preparing a plan to drain cash from banks if inflation begins.

FT:   Diesel stock piles could curb crude’s rally.

Bloomberg:   Federal officials told Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) that a deal to buy Merrill Lynch would help its shares.

Douglas A. McIntyre