Greece and its creditors are close to a deal on the nation’s debt swap. (Reuters)

A judge rules that some of the Gulf spill costs to be covered by Transocean (NYSE: RIG) will be covered by BP (NYSE: BP) instead. (Reuters)

Samsung had record profits on smartphone sales and will increase capex by $22 billion. (Reuters)

An accounting change at Ford (NYSE: F) will change its profits. (Reuters)

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) overtook Samsung as the largest smartphone company in the world. (Reuters)

Wellpoint (NYSE: WLP) will change how it pays primary doctors on the theory that early care will prevent expensive diseases. (WSJ)

Executives at bankrupt firms continue to get large bonuses. (WSJ)

European officials say adoption of the Volcker Rule will keep banks from buying sovereign debt. (WSJ)

Investors move out of cotton, copper and crude oil. (WSJ)

Twitter will use the ability to censor tweets to move into some countries where it is blocked. (WSJ)

AT&T (NYSE: T) has fallen behind Verizon (NYSE: VZ) in cellphone sales. (WSJ)

EU leaders expect the size of a bailout fund to rise. (WSJ)

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) says its new smartphones are selling well. (WSJ)

Businesses increase spending as they move into 2012. (WSJ)

Large central banks will continue to use their balance sheets to help national economies. (WSJ)

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) earnings move higher. (WSJ)

A WPP Group survey shows that consumers rank the performance of global brands higher than they do the moral qualities of the companies that own them. (WSJ)

EU banks that have taken money from the European Central Bank can either keep the money to help their balance sheets or use it to buy risky sovereign debt as a way to stabilize the financials of the region. (WSJ)

IMF studies of the Greek economy show that it is falling apart rapidly. (NYT)

Washington support for wind and solar energy is dropping. (NYT)

The largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, once again turns in strong gains. (NYT)

The Defense Department to cut $485 billion over the next 10 years. (FT)

Large U.S. industrial firms expect sharp growth. (FT)

JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), which considered leaving the most economically damaged markets in Europe, decides to stay, to some extent, for social reasons. (FT)

BNP Paribas will sell its $11 billion energy loan portfolio. (FT)

Investors continue to pressure Apple to begin to pay a dividend out of its $100 billion in cash. (FT)

CDS numbers show increases in the risk of corporate and sovereign paper. (Bloomberg)

Spain’s unemployment reaches 22.9%. (Bloomberg)

As the economy worsens in Europe, General Motors (NYSE: GM) steps up its attempts to restructure Opel. (Bloomberg)

Douglas A. McIntyre

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