Business Today: Stock futures point to modest gains at open

		Click to View in Browser 02/13/2013 Stock futures point to modest gains at open NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to slight gains at the open on Wednesday, suggesting the market would continue a recent advance that lifted benchmark indexes to multi-year highs. Retail sales growth pauses as higher taxes kick in WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retail sales barely rose in January as tax increases and higher gasoline prices restrained spending, suggesting a slowdown in the pace of consumer spending early in the first quarter. Wall Street likely to shrug off Obama as investors wait for budget deal NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. stock market is unlikely to take much direction from Tuesday's State of the Union, although President Barack Obama was less combative in his tone than some on Wall Street expected. Exclusive: Russia plans $25-$30 billion oil-for-loans deal with China LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Rosneft is seeking to borrow up to $30 billion from China in exchange for possibly doubling oil supplies, making Beijing the largest consumer of Russian oil and further diverting supplies away from Europe. Comcast to buy rest of NBC Universal from GE in $16.7 billion deal (Reuters) - Comcast Corp clinched full control of NBC Universal for $16.7 billion on Tuesday, the latest in a series of deals that have taken the cable operator from humble roots in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Manhattan's iconic Rockerfeller Center. Worldwide mobile phone sales fell in 2012: Gartner LONDON (Reuters) - Sales of mobile phones around the world fell last year for the first time since 2009 as consumers shunned cheaper feature phones, research company Gartner said on Wednesday. EU, U.S. fire starting gun for free trade talks BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States and the European Union agreed on Wednesday to push for the launch by the end of June of talks to create a free trade alliance that could be a benchmark for global partners to follow. India to blacklist Finmeccanica if bribery proven NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will cancel a $750 million deal to buy helicopters from Finmeccanica SpA and blacklist the Italian defense group if bribery allegations are proven, India's defense minister said, as political opponents tried to capitalize on the scandal. High stakes if Apple e-books antitrust case goes to trial NEW YORK (Reuters) - As the only remaining defendant in the U.S. government's e-books antitrust case, Apple Inc appears headed for a high-stakes trial that could significantly increase the personal computer company's liability in related litigation. Exclusive: Santander UK probed over flawed advice-sources LONDON (Reuters) - Santander's British arm is under investigation for possible investment advice failures and could face a fine or license changes that prevent it from offering such services in future, four industry sources said. Related Video Loss of AAA rating "fully priced in" - UK debt chief Market Pulse: What's Moving Today and Why Economic News Bonus, budgets on agenda for Lew's Senate grilling Retail sales growth pauses as higher taxes kick in A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend