Technical Analysis

Apple Inc. officially completed its eagerly awaited 7-for-1 stock split on Monday; the tech giant’s first split since 2005.

The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) will meet this Thursday to discuss subdued euro zone inflation. Inflation in the EU has fallen to just 0.5%, failing to surpass the 1% mark over the course of the past 8 months.

AT&T has agreed to acquire DirecTV in a deal worth approximately $48.5 billion. Both firms’ boards met on Sunday to approve the merger, although it is still subject to regulatory approval.

T&T and DirecTV are expected to announce a merger worth close to $50 billion in cash and stock, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen has issued the clearest indication yet that the central bank may continue to stimulate the US economy.

Tuesday saw Twitter Inc. sink to its lowest share price on the New York Stock Exchange since its November 6th 2013 initial public offering. The tech giant lost almost 15% in early morning trading as more than 480 million insider shares became eligible for sale.

AT&T has approached satellite TV operator DirecTV about a possible merger, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Google Inc. today announced the acquisition of Titan Aerospace, a maker of solar powered high altitude drones, for an undisclosed amount.

Comcast Corporation has officially launched the regulatory review process for its proposed $45.2 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable (TWC). USA’s largest cable company issued a filing with the Federal Communications Commission Tuesday specifying the benefits of merging with TWC.

Google Inc. today completed its long awaited 2-for-1 stock split on a frantic day at the NASDAQ stock exchange. Prior to the split, Google had two share classes in existence; Class A shares, holding one vote and Class B shares, carrying ten votes.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is being sued for at least $1 billion as a result of alleged professional malpractice towards MF Global Holdings Ltd in 2011. PwC has come under fire as MF Global’s administrator identified the auditor’s consultancy as “flatly erroneous” in its recent bankruptcy plan.

Facebook Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has reached a $2 billion agreement to buy Oculus VR, the maker of a virtual reality headset. The acquisition, coming hot on the heels of Facebook’s landmark $19 billion takeover of WhatsApp Inc.

The US Federal Reserve’s first meeting under the leadership of Janet Yellen has proceeded predominantly as expected. Yellen confirmed that the Fed intends to continue the process of ‘tapering’ its bond buying initiative.

US stocks performed well on Wall Street Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s first Federal Reserve policymaking meeting under the stewardship of Janet Yellen. The Dow Jones gained almost 90 points while the S&P 500 climbed 0.72%.

Chiquita Brands International and Irish tropical fruit company Fyffes announced a $526 million merger in a joint statement today. The all stock deal will establish the world’s largest banana company, creating a new entity called ChiquitaFyffes.

Global stocks were sent tumbling Monday in reaction to increased uncertainty surrounding the Ukrainian political crisis. London’s FTSE 100, Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng each shed almost 1.5% for the day, while the DAX in Germany lost 3.44%.

Warren Buffett’s conglomerate holding company Berkshire Hathaway has confirmed record profits of $19.48 billion for 2013. The Omaha, Nebraska based firm saw full year profits rise an impressive 31%, equating to $11,850 per Class A share.