Business Today: Stock futures gain as retail sales point to growth

		Click to View in Browser 08/14/2012 Stock futures gain as retail sales point to growth NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures added to gains on Tuesday after retail sales rose in July for the first time in four months in another sign that the U.S. economy may be gaining some traction. Retail sales in July point to rebound in consumer spending WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retail sales rose in July for the first time in four months as demand rose broadly for everything from cars to electronics, a sign that consumers could drive faster economic growth in the third quarter. Producer prices up in July but energy costs decline WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Producer prices rose in July at the fastest pace in five months on higher costs for light trucks, pharmaceutical drugs and cigarettes, although falling energy prices pointed to muted inflation pressures. Home Depot profit tops estimates; outlook raised (Reuters) - Home Depot Inc raised its fiscal-year earnings outlook on Tuesday as tight cost controls helped the world's largest home improvement chain to offset sales weakness and beat Wall Street's profit estimates in the latest quarter. Standard Chartered CEO takes charge of Iran probe talks LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Standard Chartered's Chief Executive Peter Sands has flown to New York to take personal control of the bank's attempts to reach a settlement with U.S. regulators over allegations it hid transactions involving Iran. Oil price inflates as speculators bet on stimulus LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices are racing higher as investors bet that central bank cash will soon boost a market afraid of Middle East war and worried about North Sea supplies, but the rally looks increasingly inflated by speculative guesswork. GM recalls 10,315 vans in cold-weather areas DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co is recalling 10,315 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans from model years 2003-2004 in 20 cold-weather U.S. states and in Canada because road salt may have corroded a fueling pipe, GM said. Investors more optimistic on growth, increase equity holdings: BofA poll LONDON (Reuters) - Investors have increased their equity holdings and slightly trimmed cash this month as they became more optimistic on global growth in the wake of stronger expectations of ECB intervention, a closely watched fund managers' survey showed on Tuesday. Carlyle, China PE firms bid $3.5 billion for Focus Media HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. buyout fund Carlyle Group and some of China's top private equity funds are targeting the biggest ever delisting of a New York-listed Chinese company, attempting to privatize a firm directly targeted by shortseller Muddy Waters. UBS denies helping Germans evade taxes via Singapore ZURICH (Reuters) - UBS denied allegations it is helping wealthy Germans dodge taxes by telling them to move funds to Singapore and other money centers ahead of a Swiss tax deal coming into force in January. Related Video Breakingviews: Barclays bonus culture could change Sharp's future: Just a piece of the Apple pie Economic News Retail sales in July point to rebound in consumer spending Producer prices up in July but energy costs decline 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