TOP STORIES 
 
PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS UP ONLY 189,000 IN MARCH

Private payrolls in the U.S. rose by 189,000 jobs in March, according to employment report compiled by ADP and Moody's Analytics. The number was far below expectations; economists had projected 225,000 new jobs added.

 
CHRYSLER SALES EDGE UP IN MARCH

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said its U.S. auto sales edged up 1.7% in March, though truck sales fell during what the Big Three auto maker described as a "tough month."

 
KEY ISSUES DELAY IRAN DEAL

Senior Western officials warned that significant hard work lay ahead on the outlines of a final nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, although they remained hopeful an agreement could be reached.

 
U.S. STOCK OPEN LOWER

U.S. stocks open lower. Earlier, European stocks were bolstered by better than expected data that showed eurozone manufacturing activity in March grew at the fastest pace in 10 months.

 
MACERICH REJECTS SIMON PROPERTY'S TAKEOVER BID

Macerich rejected the "best and final" bid from Simon Property Group, which promptly withdrew its $16.8 billion offer, ending for now the possible combination of rival mall operators in the United States.

 
SEARS MOVES TO RAISE $2.5B BY SELLING REAL ESTATE

Sears moved to sell some of its top properties and then lease them back, a step that will let shareholders like CEO Edward Lampert buy valuable company assets to raise much needed cash. Sears shares up 6% premarket.

 
OIL PRICES UP SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF INVENTORY DATA

Oil prices wavered as investors assessed a weaker dollar, ongoing negotiations on Iran's nuclear program and continued growth in U.S. crude supplies.

 
U.S. MORTGAGE APPLICATION VOLUME ROSE 4.6% LAST WEEK

The average number of mortgage applications for the week ended Friday rose 4.6% from the previous week, according to a survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

 
LOCKHART EXPECTS ECONOMY TO PICK UP IN 2Q

Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said he believes the U.S. economy will pick up in the second quarter, and the June to September window remains "quite feasible" for the central bank to start raising interest rates.

 
WAL-MART RATCHETS UP PRESSURE ON SUPPLIERS

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is increasing the pressure on suppliers to cut the cost of their products, in an effort to regain the mantle of low-price leader and turn around its sluggish U.S. sales.

 
EUROPE STOCKS SOOTHED BY LATEST DATA

European stocks climbed after better than expected eurozone manufacturing data, a further sign that the region's economy is picking up.

 
 
 
 
  ======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES ======= 
 
 
Grand Central 
BEN BERNANKE UNCHAINED TAKES ON LARRY SUMMERS

Former Fed chair comes out swinging with a new blog. Ben Bernanke challenged critics who blame Fed for forcing senior citizens and savers to live with low returns on fixed income investments. Now he is going after Lawrence Summers. Sign up here for The Wall Street Journal's daily report on global central banks.

 
The Wall Street Journal 
CHINA TRIES TO CLEAN UP E-COMMERCE

China is tightening control over the largely unregulated world of Chinese e-commerce, a booming sector that has built up behemoths such as Alibaba but also contributed to the proliferation of fake and substandard goods and questionable business practices.