NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks could sputter next week as volumes dry up in holiday-shortened trading and with a slew of economic reports likely to illustrate the recovery is still fragile.

Today in History - Nov. 21. Today is Saturday, Nov. 21, the 325th day of 2009. There are 40 days left in the year.

Key housing sector data may provide direction for Wall Street in the coming week as the market looks for confirmation of economic recovery and girds for the year-end holiday period.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It takes a lot to frighten Carey Mulligan, the British actress who delivered a fearless performance as a 1960s schoolgirl seduced by an older man in "An Education."

FRANKFURT (Reuters Life!) - Dozens of demonstrators blaming bankers for tipping the world into financial crisis jeered financiers arriving for the annual Euro Finance Week that started on Monday in Germany's financial capital.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lowe's Cos Inc <LOW.N>, the second-largest U.S. home improvement chain, posted a 30 percent drop in quarterly profit on Monday as consumers put off big renovations while the U.S. housing market remained sluggish.

Henry Ford would have hated 2009, and not just because it's been a tough year to sell cars.

Thomson Reuters to buy tax software maker Sabrix for undisclosed amount. Thomson Reuters Corp. said Monday it has agreed to buy Sabrix Inc., a company that makes tax software.

Beazer CEO could face government 'claw back' of incentive compensation; SEC urges civil action. Federal regulators may try to collect bonus money awarded to the top executive of Beazer Homes USA Inc. covering periods when the homebuilder restated financial results.

Oil prices advanced on Monday, as traders took their cue from the weak dollar and rising global equities, and after OPEC signalled that 75-80 dollars a barrel was a satisfactory level for crude.

Frank floats plan to give TARP-related loans to unemployed homeowners who can't pay mortgage. Rep. Barney Frank said Monday he is pushing a proposal to use some of the interest the government collects from the financial industry bailout to give loans to unemployed homeowners struggling to pay the mortgage.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sina Corp <SINA.O>, China's largest Web portal, posted a decline in quarterly sales and profit but beat Wall Street estimates as a recovering economy boosted consumer spending and advertising sentiment.

The head of bank Standard Chartered attacked Tuesday plans for tougher global regulation following the financial crisis, warning costs would be passed on to customers.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some of the world's largest financial firms on Monday urged a top U.S. lawmaker not to pursue big bank break-up legislation, an idea attracting interest in Congress and causing alarm on Wall Street.

Stock markets across North America rose on Monday following an uplifting retail sales report and signs that Asian economies were growing. . Today on Stockhouse

Wall Street economists expect wholesale prices rose modestly last month as oil prices jumped. Wholesale prices likely rose last month as oil prices jumped, but the increase probably won't raise fears of inflation as other costs remain stable.

The head of bank Standard Chartered attacked Tuesday plans for tougher global regulation following the financial crisis, warning costs would be passed on to customers.

Europe's main stock markets retreated on Tuesday as investors took profits from a strong performance the previous day which saw the London hit a 2009 peak on a wave of investor optimism.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Stock Exchange member firms earned a record $35.7 billion for their broker-dealer operations in the first six months of this year, which is 1-1/2 times above the previous high-water mark set in 2000, the state comptroller said in a report on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the largest U.S. labor federation urged President Barack Obama on Tuesday to use the $700 billion Wall Street bailout fund to help cash-starved small businesses as a way to stem rising joblessness.