Media Digest (1/31/2011) Reuters, WSJ, NYT, FT, Bloomberg

Barai Capital may be part of the insider trading investigation. (WSJ)

Honda (NYSE: HMC) expects higher profits as its Q3 topped forecasts. (Reuters)

A Florida judge could say that part of the Obama healthcare reforms are unconstitutional. (Reuters)

China banks have gained political power in the nation’s fight against inflation. (Reuters)

European officials will consider changes to the region’s 440 billion euro bailout fund. (FT)

Brent oil is near $100. (Reuters)

The Nikkei hit a one month low on the news from Egypt, oil rallied, the euro was steady, and Middle East market fell. (Reuters)

The next target of WikiLeaks is likely to be large banks. (Reuters)

The FCC has filed a motion in federal court to stop challenges from Verizon (NYSE: VZ) against new internet use rules. (Reuters)

Alpha agreed to buy Massey for $7.1 billion. (Reuters)

TNK may withhold a dividend payment to BP (NYSE: BP).

BP and Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) investor are pushing for cash dividends and not M&A. (Sunday Telegraph (The Telegraph)

The Wall Street Journal survey of home prices in the fourth quarter shows that in many regions values are still falling. (WSJ)

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) has hired software engineers to build applications for Android in the hope of creating more competition for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).

Inflation is growing quickly in emerging markets. (WSJ)

Sales of electric cars are tepid. (WSJ)

The Nintendo 3DS will reach the European market in March. (WSJ)

Global trade has increased despite the emergence of some protectionism. (WSJ)

US profits may have had their best full-year gain since 1999. (WSJ)

Mobile apps have begun to pull shoppers into retail outlets. (WSJ)

Hearst will buy Lagardere magazines for $850 million. (WSJ)

Borders Group (NYSE: BGP) may delay January vendor payments. (WSJ)

China will allow banks to make currency swaps for corporate clients. (WSJ)

The Fed’s holding in long term Treasuries topped $1 trillion. (WSJ)

Inflation in China may limit the US trade deficit as the price of exports from the People’s Republic rise. (NYT)

Losses at Afghanistan banks could top $900 billion partly due to fraud. (NYT)

Trade tensions between China and Brazil have begun to rise. (FT)

The health of European banks has begun to improve. (FT)

Europe banks stocks are rising despite trouble in the region. (Bloomberg)

Douglas A. McIntyre