Morning News Roundup

Here are some highlights from this morning's news and notes:

• Chief sees difficulties in splitting off Chrysler brands
• Sony to delay earnings due to U.S. rules
• BHI announces international rig count for Feb 2007 was 981, up 9
• U.S. Steel profiled in New America section of IBD
• Dell may offer Linux as alternative to Windows
• Koch Industries plans bid for GE Plastics
• Panera Bread reports Feb comp store sales -0.6%
• FBR notes the route to Generic Epo Competition coming faster than expected
• AMR Corp initiated with a Hold at Soleil- tgt $36
• Brinker upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman
• Google ventures into mobile search
• UBS ups GOOG to Buy ($560 tgt)
• Toll Brothers says impact of subprime market not "too great" for luxury builder
• Medtronic upgraded to Buy at Lazard- tgt $58
• Starbucks added to McAdams Wright Ragen Focus List
• Exxon Mobil sees 7 major project startups in 2007
• IBM surpasses Hewlett-Packard in storage hardware sales
• Cheesecake Factory added to Top Picks list at Friedman Billings

long GOOG, SBUX, XOM