Premarket roundup: US Steel, Palm

Among the premarket stories for Wednesday, March 4, from AP Financial News:

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ The decision by United States Steel Corp. to temporarily idle some operations in Canada is positive news as the nation's No. 1 steel producer cuts output and inventories, an analyst said Tuesday.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of smart-phone maker Palm Inc. fell in Wednesday premarket trading after the company said it expects a steep slide in fiscal third-quarter revenue, hurt by flagging demand for its older model phones.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Auditors will probably add an important qualifier to their assessment of MGM Mirage's 2008 financials, an analyst said Wednesday, after the casino operator delayed filing its annual results and said it may default on its debt.

NEW YORK (AP) _ An analyst wrote in a note to clients Wednesday that the valuations of regional banks with operations focused in the Northeast are likely to come under pressure in the coming months as the economy continues to weaken.

NEW YORK (AP) _ As the recession continues and companies try and find ways to cut costs, some malls are cutting operating hours to help retailers trim payroll expenses, an analyst said Wednesday.