3 percent and Taiwan's AU Optronics Corp 2409

HARD TIMES If Citigroup backed out of its deal, it would be more badnews for the Mets, whose owner Fred Wilpon lost money withinvestments in Bernard Madoff's alleged $50 billion Ponzischeme. government has provided trillions of dollars insupport to banks over the last year, including at least $300billion of direct capital injections from TARP The support has come with strings attached. Seniorexecutives at major banks that received money from TARPdeclined bonuses for 2008 amid political pressure, but WallStreet bonuses still totaled more than $18 billion in 2008 U.S. President Barack Obama has called such large bonuses"shameful." In addition to the TARP money, Citigroup has also issued $7billion of preferred stock to the Treasury and the U.S. The capital has helped support Citigroup, which has failedto turn a quarterly profit since 2007. Citigroup said lastmonth it was separating its assets into a unit housing its mainassets, and another to house assets it is looking to shed orwind down.

One of the assets that Citigroup is looking to sell, itsJapanese brokerage unit Nikko Cordial, could be put on theblock as soon as this month. Sources familiar with the mattersaid Tuesday the deal could be worth up to $3.4 billion. Congress and Obama are scrambling to solve the financialcrisis as banks drown in bad assets. Options being discussedinclude setting up a government-financed bank to buy badassets, and guaranteeing banks' bad assets. Citigroup shares fell 5.2 percent, or 19 cents, to $3.46 inNew York on Tuesday. The stock has lost more than 90 percent ofits value over the past year. (Additional reporting by Karey Wutkowski and Susan Cornwellin Washington and Paul Thomasch in New York) (Reporting by Dan Wilchins and Ben Klayman; Editing by GeraldE.

McCormick, Lisa Von Ahn and Jeffrey Benkoe) Stocks Bonds France Japan. SEOUL, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Global shipments of large-sizedliquid crystal display (LCD) screens fell for the first time everfrom a year ago in the fourth quarter of 2008, as makers cutoutput amid slower demand, research firm DisplaySearch said. Stocks South Korea Fourth-quarter large-size LCD shipments fell 17 percent froma year earlier, after growing 7 percent and 23 percent in thethird and second quarters, DisplaySearch said in a report datedTuesday. Quarterly revenue dropped more sharply, down 48 percent froma year earlier due to drastic cuts in panel prices, it said. Leading makers of LCD screens used in flat-panel TVs,notebook computers and monitors swung to the red in the lastquarter and will probably log more losses in the first half as adeepening global downturn keeps buyers away.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) kept itsNo. 1 position in large-size LCD last year with a 25.7 percentrevenue share. Its home rival LG Display Co Ltd (034220.KS) (LPL.N) followedwith 20.3 percent and Taiwan's AU Optronics Corp (2409.TW)(AUO.N) ranked No 3 with a 17 percent share of global revenue. (Reporting by Rhee So-eui; Additional reporting by Baker Li inTAIPEI; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner) Stocks South Korea. MUMBAI, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Indian shares rose more than 1percent early on Wednesday, led by Reliance Industries(RELI.BO) and ICICI Bank (ICBK.BO), tracking global marketswhich were up on hopes for an U.S stimulus package beingapproved.At 9.57 a.m.