(Reuters) - From traditional lures like slashed prices on hot electronics to a "Santa-Sing-A-Ma-Jig" toy, U.S. retailers are pushing to attract shoppers into their doors on Black Friday. With higher income consumers more positive about their financial prospects but lower income consumers still struggling, retailers are reaching out with smartphone and iPad apps, extending store hours for the holiday season kick-off that starts November 26 this year.

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(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve would have undertaken its latest $600 billion Treasury debt purchasing program even if its sole responsibility was to maintain price stability, a top official said on Monday. Some Republican lawmakers have recently called for a rewrite of the Fed's so-called dual mandate, under which the Fed has the twin goals of price stability and maximum employment.

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(Reuters) - The FBI has raided two hedge funds run by former managers of Steven Cohen's SAC Capital Advisors in connection with a widening probe into insider trading, the Wall Street Journal said on Monday. Diamondback Capital Management LLC and Level Global Investors LP were the subject of the raids, according to the report. Neither was immediately available for a comment.

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(Reuters) - The Dow and S&P 500 fell on Monday as enthusiasm over a bailout package for Ireland faded and investors worried that further steps would be needed to combat euro zone sovereign debt problems. The European Union and International Monetary Fund began to thrash out details of a loan package to Ireland to resolve its banking and budget crisis.

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(Reuters) - The Nasdaq turned positive in early trading on Monday, led by gains in Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O), while the broader market remained under pressure on worries about Ireland's bailout package. The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI dropped 22.06 points, or 0.20 percent, to 11,181.49. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX fell 1.36 points, or 0.11 percent, to 1,198.37. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC gained 8.16 points, or 0.32 percent, to 2,526.28.

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(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) said it will match rivals' prices on "Black Friday," upping the ante in the battle to win sales on what is considered to be the kick-off to the U.S. holiday shopping season and a gauge of how overall holiday retail sales will shape up. Wal-Mart is one of the few retailers that will be open on Thanksgiving Day this year, seeking to get an edge over rivals amid what forecasters say will only be modest sales growth this year. Most Wal-Mart stores will be open around the clock on Thursday.

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(Reuters) - Software provider Novell Inc (NOVL.O) said on Monday it agreed to be bought by privately held Attachmate Corp for about $2.2 billion or $6.10 per share. Novell also said it will sell certain intellectual property assets for $450 million to a consortium led by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). The cash sale to the consortium known as CPTN Holdings is reflected in the Attachment purchase price.

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(Reuters) - Ireland expects to "overcapitalize" its ailing banks and force them to sell more assets or transfer more loans to the country's "bad bank" as part of an industry overhaul that may see more nationalizations. Matthew Elderfield, Ireland's financial regulator, said on Monday capital could be immediately injected into the banks and a "standby contingent capital facility" could be added as a backstop to restore confidence.

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(Reuters) - The new Basel III banking rules will leave the biggest U.S. banks short of between $100 billion and $150 billion in equity capital, with 90 per cent of the shortfall concentrated in the top six banks, the Financial Times said, citing research from Barclays Capital. The newspaper said the study by the investment banking arm of Barclays Plc (BARC.L) assumes the banks will need to hold top quality capital equal to 8 percent of their total assets -- a one point cushion against falling below the effective global minimum of 7 percent set in September by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

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(Reuters) - Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N), the top U.S. meat producer, posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit, as robust exports helped turn around its beef unit and higher prices lifted beef and pork. The company said it was off to a strong start in its current quarter and that better export markets and higher prices for its prepared foods should help results for the current fiscal year, which began on October 3.

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