NEW YORK - FOUR big US banks on Monday said they would sell US$6.55 billion (S$9.6 billion) of common stock and repay funds from the government's bank bailout program, after federal stress tests showed they can weather a deep recession without new capital.

US Bancorp plans to sell US$2.5 billion of stock, and sold US$1 billion of five-year notes. Capital One Financial Corp sold US$1.55 billion of stock, BB&T Corp said it will sell US$1.5 billion, and Bank of New York Mellon Corp said it will sell US$1 billion.

WASHINGTON - THE US Justice Department's top antitrust official announced on Monday a return to a more aggressive approach to dealing with dominant companies that use their market power to crush competition.

NEW YORK - US STOCKS tumbled Monday as investors locked in gains from a hefty multiweek rally and braced for new economic data.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 153.33 points (1.79 per cent) to 8,421.32 at the closing bell after the market chalked up gains in eight of the past nine weeks.