TOP STORIES 
 
IMF CUTS U.S. 2014 GROWTH FORECAST TO 1.7%

The International Monetary Fund revised its growth outlook for the U.S. economy for the second time in two months after a first-quarter contraction turned out to be worse than the fund originally forecast.

 
TECH STOCKS BOOSTED BY EARNINGS NEWS

U.S. stock benchmarks were mostly higher as technology stocks got a boost from upbeat earnings news. The Dow industrials were down about 10 points, while the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 moved higher.

 
SEC APPROVES TIGHTER MONEY FUND RULES

U.S. securities regulators took a long-awaited step to reduce risk in the $2.6 trillion money-market mutual-fund industry, completing rules intended to prevent a repeat of an investor stampede out of the funds during the 2008 financial crisis.

 
MH17 VICTIMS' BODIES ARRIVE IN NETHERLANDS

Two aircraft carrying 40 coffins from Ukraine landed at a military airport in Eindhoven, the Netherlands--the first of a series of flights that will carry bodies of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines flight 17 from Ukraine.

 
BOEING RAISES EARNINGS OUTLOOK

Boeing reported a 52% rise in quarterly profit and raised its full-year earnings guidance, but its stock fell as it booked a charge on a new Air Force tanker plane and left 2014 cash flow guidance unchanged.

 
U.S. SEEKS NEW RULES FOR RAIL TRANSPORT OF FUEL

The U.S. government wants to phase out thousands of railroad tank cars that carry crude oil and ethanol within two years, as part of proposed rules to upgrade safety for trains carrying flammable fuels.

 
DEUTSCHE BANK FINANCE CHIEF FACES INTERNAL HEAT

Deutsche Bank's finance chief, Stefan Krause, has made an overhaul of the bank's financial-reporting systems a cornerstone of his six-year tenure at the bank. But with U.S. authorities citing serious concerns about the bank's financial data, Krause himself is now under pressure.

 
WHIRLPOOL CUTS GUIDANCE, POSTS DECLINE IN PROFIT

Whirlpool's 2Q profit fell to $179 million, or $2.25 a share, as the appliance maker's international operations experienced weak sales. Overall sales declined to $4.68 billion.

 
KERRY IN ISRAEL FOR TALKS ON ENDING CONFLICT

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said there have been "steps forward" in the diplomacy aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

 
DELTA AIR LINES 2Q PROFIT RISES 17%

Delta earned $801 million, or 94c a share, on higher passenger and operating revenue as traffic increased. Excluding items, EPS was $1.04. Revenue rose 9.4% to $10.62 billion. Analysts expected $1.03 EPS and revenue of $10.65 billion. Shares up 3%.

 
GENERAL DYNAMICS PROFIT SLIPS

General Dynamics's 2Q earnings slipped to $541 million as the defense contractor recorded sales declines in three of its four business units. Revenue fell 4.6% to $7.47 billion.

 
 
 
 
  ======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES ======= 
 
 
Heard on the Street 
FED UP WITH DEUTSCHE BANK MISSTEPS

If missteps in the U.S. mean Deutsche Bank must come back to shareholders for more equity, that should lead to changes at the top, Paul J. Davies writes.

 
Money Talks 
TWO CHEERS FOR SPAIN'S RECOVERY

The Bank of Spain upped its growth forecasts for the country not long after the International Monetary Fund said it had turned the corner, Alen Mattich writes. But is Spain's recovery built on fragile foundations?