U.S.

Yen, Dollar Strengthen as China Inflation at 16-Month High; Kiwi Weakens The yen and dollar rose versus their major counterparts after Chinese reports on inflation, factories and loans fueled concern the government will act to damp growth, boosting demand for the lowest-yielding currencies.

Trade Deficit in U.S. Probably Widened for Third Month as Imports Climbed The U.S. trade deficit probably widened in January for a third month as imports grew faster than exports, pointing to a rebound in global economic growth, economists said before a report today.

Company Bond Spreads at the Narrowest This Year Lure GMAC: Credit Markets Corporate bond yields fell to the lowest this year relative to benchmark government securities, luring GMAC Inc. to sell its longest-maturity notes since 2004.

Economy in U.S. to Cool as Stockpiles Give Way to Exports as Growth Driver Efforts to stabilize inventories will contribute less to the U.S. economy in coming months, leaving business investment and exports to propel growth, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

Nomura Said to Hire Puritz of Deutsche Bank as Convertibles Chief for U.S. Nomura Holdings Inc., Japan’s biggest brokerage, hired David Puritz, head of U.S. convertible bond trading at Deutsche Bank AG, to run the business in New York, two people familiar with the situation said.

Private-Equity Acquisitions Set to `Thrive,' Clayton Dubilier's Gogel Says Acquisitions by private equity firms may increase this year as capital markets improve and companies dispose of assets, said Donald Gogel, chief executive officer of private-equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC.

Latin America

Chavez Outdone by Billionaire Mendoza as Wealth Soars Amid Takeover Threat Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s “21st Century Socialism” is failing to rein in billionaire Lorenzo Mendoza.

Devon Energy to Sell Assets in Brazil, Gulf of Mexico to BP for $7 Billion BP Plc, Europe’s largest oil and gas company, will pay Devon Energy Corp. $7 billion for assets in Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico and Azerbaijan, adding fields that may extend its production lead over Exxon Mobil Corp.

Brazil's Recovery May Mean Rate Pause Ends in March, Vieira da Cunha Says Brazilian policy makers may see today’s government report showing that economic growth surged at the end of last year as all the evidence they need to justify raising interest rates next week for the first time since 2008, a former central bank director said.

Pulp Price May Rise to Record as Chile Quake, Finnish Strike Curb Output Chile’s earthquake and a Finnish port strike may propel pulp prices to a record, hastening a tightening of inventories after papermakers cut output.

Hedge Fund-Backed Argentine Soy Producer Tejar Weighs U.S. IPO on Demand Argentina’s El Tejar SA, which produces about 3 million tons of grains and oilseeds in South America, is weighing an initial public offering in New York to tap rising investor demand for agricultural assets.

Vale Plans to Sell Eurobonds, Use Funds for General Corporate Purposes Vale SA said it plans to sell eurobonds. The company said it will use the proceeds for corporate purposes. Vale didn’t disclose the terms of the planned bond sale.

Exclusive

Chrysler in Hibernation Means Marchionne May Have to Wait on Fiat Spinoff Fiat SpA, the Italian carmaker that helped Chrysler Group LLC emerge from bankruptcy, may wait to turn around the U.S. business before deciding on a share sale or spinoff for its automotive division.

Brown Tries to `Perversely' Benefit From U.K. Relapse Risk Before Election Gordon Brown is trying to turn the threat of a double-dip U.K. recession into an advantage.

Solar Prospectors Chase `Gold Mine' Deals in Chinese, Israeli Subsidies Olivier de Vergnies quit managing family fortunes at Dexia Private Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. in 2008 to run a New York start-up at 100 Wall St. that’s trying to tap riches in solar energy.

Pulp Price May Rise to Record as Chile Quake, Finnish Strike Curb Output Chile’s earthquake and a Finnish port strike may propel pulp prices to a record, hastening a tightening of inventories after papermakers cut output.

Obama Proving Pessimists Wrong as Rebounding Economy Converges With Stocks The political consensus may be that President Barack Obama’s handling of the economy has been weak. The judgment of money in all its forms has been overwhelmingly positive, and that may be the more lasting appraisal.

Buyout Firms Struggle to Spend $503 Billion of Investor Cash as Deals Wane Buyout funds sitting on half a trillion dollars committed by investors may need more than a decade to put the money to work if mergers and acquisitions continue at the current pace.