News Corp. (NASDAQ:NWSA) enters formal settlement arrangements in at least 19 civil lawsuits. The likelihood of many more dozens popping up seems high. Allegations stem from phone hacking at its News of the World tabloid. Cases reaching settlement include ones brought by the actor Jude Law and politician Chris Bryant, say lawyers.

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) moves closer to opening its first outlet in India. It is looking to strike a partnership with Tata Coffee by the end of January, which is a date moved back from its original goal of mid-2011.

Don’t Miss: Starbucks Seeks One of the Largest Markets on Earth.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) rebounds. It lost nearly a fifth of its value after the Concordia disaster, and Nomura’s Harry Curtis suggests that the $3.5 billion decline seen in its market cap was due to an overreaction. The apparent cause of the crash was believed to be human error, which Carnival is insured against.

Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO) and Ambercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF) latest “activewear” for girls which is a pajama-like line of clothing, might annoy parents, however, it’s responsible for an increase at a rate of 21% year-over-year in 2011 compared to the overall apparel growth of 7.8%.

The Washington Post (NYSE:WPO) ups its quarterly dividend payout to $2.45/share. This brings its yield up to 2.48%, which is a bit of a morale booster. Just last week, WPO landed on the list of most hated stocks by analysts.

Nike (NYSE:NKE) does its part in Athens, by leasing an 8,300 square foot prime retail space for at least less than 43% than the previous tenant. The space had been vacant for two years. Nike’s landlord is the Greek civil servants pension fund, and Greek retail sales have been diving for months hitting 8.1% year-over-year.

Don’t Miss: December Real Earnings: Average Workweek Made the Difference.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tanya Harding at staff.writers@wallstcheatsheet.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Damien Hoffman at editors@wallstcheatsheet.com

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