TOP STORIES
CO-PILOT APPEARS TO HAVE DELIBERATELY CRASHED PLANE
The co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 appears to have
deliberately crashed the plane--leaving 150 people dead--after
locking himself alone inside the cockpit, according to French
prosecutors.
OIL RALLIES AS YEMEN CRISIS ESCALATES
Oil prices jumped after Saudi Arabia and its allies launched a
military campaign in neighboring Yemen. U.S. oil pushed above $50 a
barrel for the first time since March 9, rising to $52.48 a barrel
on Nymex.
HOUTHI MILITANTS PROTEST AFTER SAUDI AIRSTRIKES IN YEMEN
Yemen's ruling Houthi militants organized demonstrations and
lashed out at neighboring Saudi Arabia after it launched airstrikes
against them.
U.S. STOCKS PARE LOSSES
U.S. stocks pared losses, as the biotechnology sector showed
signs of stabilization after its recent slide. The Dow Jones
Industrial Average was recently down 51 points, paring its early
losses by more than half.
U.S. JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL TO 282,000
The number of Americans seeking first-time unemployment benefits
fell last week. Initial jobless claims decreased by 9,000 to a
seasonally adjusted 282,000 in the week ended March 21. Economists
had expected 290,000 new claims.
LULULEMON'S HOLIDAY SALES BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED
Lululemon Athletica gave a weak outlook for its current quarter
and full year, despite posting better-than-expected results for its
holiday quarter as traffic improved. Shares up 7%.
STANDARD GENERAL DECLARED WINNER AT RADIOSHACK AUCTION
RadioShack said the company-saving offer from Standard General
is the best to emerge from an auction that tested the value of the
distressed retailer, beating out rival offers that would see the
company shut down.
AMAZON UPDATES STORAGE, ONE-HOUR DELIVERY, GROCERY PLANS
Amazon announced two new unlimited storage plans for customers
to save media content on Amazon Cloud Drive. It also said it was
extending use of its grocery delivery business to members of Prime
through June, and is expanding its Prime Now service to Dallas.
FED'S LOCKHART SAYS DOLLAR RISE BECOMING MORE OF AN ISSUE FOR FED
Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said he's now watching the
dollar more closely to determine what impact its strength will have
on the economy as the central bank gets closer to raising interest
rates.
CONAGRA RAISES OUTLOOK
ConAgra Foods raised its guidance for the year ending in May
after posting better-than-expected results in its latest quarter.
Shares rose 1% premarket.
U.S. AND IRAN BEGIN FINAL ROUND OF NUCLEAR TALKS BEFORE DEADLINE
U.S. and Iranian negotiators have started what is expected to be
the final round of nuclear talks before a March 31 deadline for a
political deal, as the crisis in Yemen raised fresh complications
for the diplomacy.
======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES =======
Grand Central
U.S. GROWTH REVISIONS POSE CHALLENGE FOR FED
The U.S. central bank is getting whipsawed this week by
conflicting signals on the U.S. economic outlook. Sign up here for
The Wall Street Journal's daily report on global central banks.
Capital Journal Daybreak
OBAMA'S PAST PROMISES
As President Obama gets closer to a nuclear agreement with Iran,
his handling of other foreign policy challenges could complicate
his effort to convince Congress that a deal with Tehran would be
effective. Sign up here for The Wall Street Journal's morning
rundown of the biggest news driving Washington.