Do stocks prefer political gridlock?

MARKETWATCH FRONT PAGE

Doesn�t it strike you as odd that the stock market has risen this year in the wake of our politicians� decision over New Years to kick the budget can down the road for a few weeks? See full story.

RIM is betting the house on the BlackBerry 10

Research In Motion is hosting a big event in New York on Wednesday to lift the wraps on its new BlackBerry 10 smartphones. The company�s shares have run up hard ahead of the launch, which is a high-stakes gamble for RIM. See full story.

Steve Jobs biopic will be must-see for techies

Despite mediocre reviews of the first of two movies about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, it is becoming clear that �jOBS,� starring Ashton Kutcher, will become a must-see film for techies and Apple fans. See full story.

Can celebrities save brands?

If hiring a celebrity pitchman is a corporate-balance-sheet booster, running a star-studded Super Bowl ad is a Hail Mary pass. Best Buy and 5 other companies that looked to stars to reverse their fortunes See full story.

SEC�s White must beat back Wall Street�s bullies

New SEC chief Mary Jo White will be under intense pressure to bring the bullies of Wall Street back under control, writes David Weidner. . See full story.

MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE

Roughly 70,000 football fans will pack into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans to see the San Francisco 49ers battle the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3. But as ticket prices have escalated over the years, watching the game from inside the stadium has become a pipe dream for the average fan. See full story.