Media Digest (10/15/2012) Reuters, WSJ, FT, Bloomberg

Softbank is near a deal to buy 70% of Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) for $20 billion. (Reuters)

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) releases an Xbox and Windows-based music service to compete with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iTunes. (Reuters)

A meeting of the world's top finance ministers shows that there is little agreement about how to right the global economy. (WSJ)

Oil prices help refiners but not consumers. (WSJ)

China's inflation falls below 2% in September. (WSJ)

As part of a settlement, Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) will offer refunds for some e-books. (WSJ)

Some people who lost homes to foreclosures begin to enter the house buying market. (WSJ)

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says emerging markets should allow their currencies to appreciate. (WSJ)

An ECB member says Spain should seek aid before financial markets force it to do so. (WSJ)

Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) and Baker Hughes Inc. (NYSE: BHI) will be hurt as oil drilling activities drop. (WSJ)

iPhone sales may distort September retail sales numbers. (WSJ)

Emerging markets leaders are upset because of the International Monetary Fund's preoccupation with Europe. (FT)

The global expansion may sputter for the third time in five years. (Bloomberg)

Low wheat harvests may push up bread prices. (Bloomberg)

Douglas A. McIntyre