Abu Dhabi Buys Daimler Stake; Tata Launches Nano; Walgreen Beats 2Q Estimates; Banks Hurt by Plunging Commercial Property Prices; Gannett Furloughs Workers Again; Oil Nears 3-Month High; TreeHouse Foods Climbs on Private-Label Buying

Kroger (NYSE:KR) investors are seeing strong gains today as generic brands prove their worth. The recession may be hammering most retailers, but select niches are doing very well.

Massive unemployment? No problem! Adam Lass of the Taipan Publishing Group says that no one is buying luxury goods right now but he gives us two puts in the retail sector that are playing out well during the crisis.

The calendar is noticeably lighter this week, but after all the critical reports last week, it is a nice breather.

In the currency market, the dollar rose against the euro. Late Thursday, the euro was trading at $1.2548 vs. $1.2651 on Wednesday.

Auditors: GM Bankruptcy Necessary; Ford Plans to Reduce Debt by 40%; Wal-Mart Feb. Numbers Strong; Google Sitting on $8.6 Billion in Cash; Mortgage Delinquencies Hit Record High; Blockbuster Won’t File for Bankruptcy; Citigroup Shares Break the Buck; Oil Falls Below $44

T.G.I.M (Thank goodness it’s March). Unfortunately, that’s what investors were saying when they closed the books on January and times have only gotten worse.

During the economic crisis, McDonald’s (MCD) stocks are thriving in markets like Asia and Europe. Consumers and investors can enjoy cheap recession eats and watch the money roll in.

Gold booms after global strife, Byron King on whether the precious metal is still a buy… Stimulus bill a done deal, details of the final 1,073-page fiasco… States in peril, revenue crash causes budget crisis from California to New Jersey… Wal-Mart surprises Street, Rob Parenteau on retail’s sudden comeback… Stocks dive toward new crisis lows, equity advice from Mayer and Buffett… Plus, have you noticed? One major index quietly up 30% YTD…

Texas Financier Stanford Charged With Fraud; Trump Casinos File for Chapter 11; Amex and Capital One Defaults Rise; WalMart Beats Expectations; Blackberry Execs Pay Back $2.2 Million; Oil Prices Fall Below $35