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Knowing your insurance limits on bank accounts is keyCoverage caps vary, and grasping how they work is crucial if you want to put more than $100,000 in one bank.The rules that govern federal deposit insurance are of more than passing interest to Bill Hogle, a 61-year-old Santa Monica retiree. Source: L.A. Times - Business | 20 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am A Camarillo divorcee takes control of her financesMarjorie Diehl asks a financial planner to help her invest her nest egg for a secure retirement.During her three marriages, Marjorie Diehl says she never felt in control of her financial destiny. Source: L.A. Times - Business | 20 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am A back-to-school break: Cheap is inAs fall approaches, thrift stores and bargain outlets are favored shopping destinations for the well-dressed teenBack-to-school shopping is always fraught with peril for fashion-conscious teens. As they prowl the stores, they know that a summer blunder can mean a long fall stuck with stuff they don't want to wear. ¶ "That's pretty much their main worry -- how they look," said Lauren Milani, a 17-year-old senior from Victorville. "So, of course, going back to school, you want to have new clothes and look good." ¶ There's an added challenge this year, as higher gasoline prices and a sputtering economy have many teens and their parents keeping a closer watch on their wallets. A Deloitte survey set for release this week found that 71% of parents nationwide expected to spend less on back-to-school shopping this year than they did in 2007. Source: L.A. Times - Business | 20 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Banks responsible for the loss of trustBy his own admission, Simi Valley resident Vince Asturi knew he had nothing to worry about when federal authorities took over IndyMac Bank.Source: L.A. Times - Business | 20 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Consumer BriefsVIDEO GAMES Get ready for James Bond, Guitar HeroSource: L.A. Times - Business | 20 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Getting life insurance for those with health problemsDear Liz: I am having difficulty getting a life insurance policy for my husband. He is 39 but takes medication for his heart and kidneys. Can you suggest any companies that would be willing to extend coverage?Source: L.A. Times - Business | 20 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Get used to gas prices topping $4Regarding your column, " Filling up but going nowhere ," (Consumer Confidential, July 16), the really sad part is now that consumers are used to paying over $4 a gallon for gas, the price of gasoline will probably never go lower. If somehow, something better fuel-wise comes along, and no one demands gasoline, the price will be about the same.Source: L.A. Times - Business | 20 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Earnings Outlook: Weak U.S. dollar should boost Big Pharma earningsMajor pharmaceutical companies are expected to roll out higher second-quarter earnings reports in coming days, helped partly by strong overseas sales stoked by a weak U.S. dollar.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 19 Jul 2008 | 2:00 pm British finance minister paints bleak picture of economy (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 1:26 pm NewsWatch: Stocks face heavy earnings week with new hopeInvestors will start next week -- one of the most loaded of the second-quarter earnings season -- hopeful that a nascent positive tone on Wall Street will continue to lift stocks. Crude oil prices seems to be on a downtrend while earnings so far seem to be not as bad as feared.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 19 Jul 2008 | 1:00 pm Auto Review: 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet -- Small is beautifulIf we are to make it through this period of high gasoline prices, we have to change our thinking. And from all indications, consumers are doing just that. Ron Amadon previews the super-small 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet that's being snapped up in Europe, and now the U.S.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 19 Jul 2008 | 1:00 pm Earnings Outlook: Bank of America heads parade firms aiming to show turnaroundBank of America Corp. tops the list of major U.S. financial firms reporting earnings next week, and investors will be looking to see if the nation’s second-largest bank continues a cheerier trend in the news in recent days.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:30 pm The chips are down at AMDSource: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:13 pm Personal Finance Daily: The week's 10 best Personal Finance stories: July 14-18In case you missed them, here are the top 10 Personal Finance stories from MarketWatch for the week of July 14-18:Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:07 pm 100 Best Places to LivePlentiful jobs, great schools, affordable housing - the best small cities have all that and more. See the top 100 - including city profiles and homes for sale.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:05 pm Citigroup $2.5 billion loss soothes investorsNEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc posted a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss, despite $11.7 billion of write-downs and credit losses tied to deteriorating capital markets and a slumping economy.Source: Reuters: Business News | 19 Jul 2008 | 11:48 am Legg Mason To Back Yahoo!, Icahn Bid Is DeadCarl Icahn never really made much of a case for what he would do if he could not sell all or part of Yahoo! (YHOO) to Microsoft (MSFT). He wanted Yahoo! shareholder to support his proxy bid based largely on the hope of an M&A event. Microsoft never promised Icahn a deal. It was always a "maybe" Icahn could have put together a detailed operating plan for the existing company, but it might have undermined his argument that the Yahoo! should not stay independent. Basing his move to unseat the Yahoo! board on a one dimensional plan has now cost...Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 19 Jul 2008 | 11:44 am Gas stays away from recordFuel prices at the pump fell again overnight, a nationwide survey of gas station credit card swipes showed Friday.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 19 Jul 2008 | 11:36 am Apple (AAPL): A Hard Ride AheadAll the news from Apple (AAPL) is good. Recent Gartner and IDC data show the Mac outselling PC products from Dell (DELL) and HP (HPQ). The iPhone sold one million units in its first three days on the market. One of the tough issues for Apple is how much it makes on all of those impressive sales. According to Fortune, "Shaw Wu, the top Apple analyst at American Technology Research, is focused on the company’s gross margins, which came in surprisingly low last quarter for reasons that were never adequately explained." Apple has agreed to stop taking a cut from...Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 19 Jul 2008 | 11:26 am Freddie chief's salary jackpotFreddie Mac chief Richard Syron wants to avoid a government bailout for many reasons. A filing the struggling mortgage giant made Friday lists over 10 million of them.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 19 Jul 2008 | 10:59 am Chinese broker tried in insider tradingThe former president of a major Chinese stock brokerage has gone on trial on insider-trading charges in connection with the company's 2006 stock market debut, a state news agency reported...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 10:24 am For Global Trade Talks, the Stakes Have RisenIf negotiations fail at the Doha round of trade talks, one casualty will be the credibility of the World Trade Organization itself.Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 10:11 am EU wants co-operation with SEC on rating agencies: reportFRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Commission wants to cooperate closely with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the planned regulation of credit rating agencies, the German financial weekly Euro am Sonntag reported.Source: Reuters: Business News | 19 Jul 2008 | 10:00 am EU wants co-operation with SEC on rating agencies: reportFRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Commission wants to cooperate closely with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the planned regulation of credit rating agencies,...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 10:00 am Ex-SocGen trader Kerviel changes legal teamPARIS (Reuters) - Jerome Kerviel, the banker blamed for the world's worst rogue trading scandal, has changed his legal team to focus on a more "aggressive" defense strategy, a spokeswoman for Kerviel said on Saturday.Source: Reuters: Business News | 19 Jul 2008 | 9:33 am Ex-SocGen trader Kerviel changes legal teamPARIS (Reuters) - Jerome Kerviel, the banker blamed for the world's worst rogue trading scandal, has changed his legal team to focus on a more "aggressive" defense strategy, a...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 9:30 am Going small: A Smart driving experienceSometimes, I guess, timing is everything. When DaimlerChrysler AG announced in 2006 that it planned to bring the Smart fortwo micro car to the United States after nearly a decade in Europe,Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 8:35 am House prices could fall for two years: Citigroup (Reuters)Reuters - Citigroup chairman Win Bischoff has warned that house prices in Britain and the United States are likely to keep falling for another two years.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 8:11 am House prices could fall for two years: CitigroupLONDON (Reuters) - Citigroup chairman Win Bischoff has warned that house prices in Britain and the United States are likely to keep falling for another two years.Source: Reuters: Business News | 19 Jul 2008 | 8:10 am San Diego station is in the fast lane with alternative fuelsFrom electricity to charge batteries to biodiesel, natural gas, ethanol and vehicle-grade propane, you can buy it here. Gasoline is also pumped. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Wall Street mixed after earnings reportsNEW YORK -- Wall Street closed out an impressive week with a mixed performance today after disappointing high-tech earnings punctured some of investors' enthusiasm over better-than-expected bank earnings...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Jobs outlook weak as state's unemployment rate hits 6.9% in JuneSmall rise from May brings the gauge to a nearly five-year high. The Los Angeles area has suffered substantial losses since a year earlier. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Many on Main Street can't see past gloomAre things really that bad?Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Dow keeps week's hefty gainsDespite disappointing high-tech earnings, the blue-chip index gains for a third day on rising optimism about the troubled financial sector. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Mattel shares get all dolled upWall Street rewards the toy maker on the heels of its court victory in the battle over the popular Bratz dolls. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 7:00 am Bank stocks look cheap, but buyers remain cautiousMerrill Lynch & Co. Chief Executive John Thain is making a pitch to Wall Street: Buy the brokerage's shares while they're still cheap. But investors don't seem ready to listen. In spite...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 5:59 am Venture capital investments hold steady in 2QThe pace of U.S. venture capital investments remained steady at $7.4 billion during the second quarter despite a wobbly stock market that has made it increasingly difficult for the...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 5:58 am Thai budget airline suspends servicesThailand's low budget airline One-Two-Go announced on Saturday that it was suspending its operations for eight weeks, to allow time for financial restructuring. Services willSource: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 5:28 am Oil price drop in volatile marketThe price of oil records its biggest weekly drop, slipping under $130 a barrel as US consumers use less gasoline.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 19 Jul 2008 | 5:12 am Prepay energy meters are 'unjust'Millions of households on pre-payment meters are paying 'unjust' charges, the Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks has said.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 19 Jul 2008 | 5:02 am U.S. Venture Capital Investment Drops 12% from 2007 Highs with $6.64 Billion Invested in 2Q08Dow Jones VentureSource Reports Fewest Deals Since 2005, Investment at 18-Month Low; IT & Health Care See Sharp Drops; Bright Spots Include Info Services, Energy SAN...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 4:01 am Market Snapshot: Stocks face heavy earnings week with new hopeInvestors will start next week -- one of the most loaded of the second-quarter earnings season -- hopeful that a nascent positive tone on Wall Street will continue to lift stocks. Crude oil prices seems to be on a downtrend while earnings so far seem to be not as bad as feared.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 19 Jul 2008 | 4:01 am In Dispute With BP, Kremlins Hand Is SeenCritics say that Russian shareholders have enlisted an improbable ally in their attempt to force BP to fire the chief executive of TNK-BP.Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 3:33 am W.T.O. Rules Against China for Its Tariffs on Auto PartsChina violates global trade rules by requiring automakers operating there to buy components from local suppliers or face penalties, the World Trade Organization ruled on Friday.Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 3:12 am Companies find benefits in benefitsThere's not a whole lot of good news coming out of corporate America these days. But a new survey out this week does show one bright spot. Danielle Karson reports.Source: Marketplace Money | 19 Jul 2008 | 2:05 am Geek Squad, private eyes?In order to keep his business AustinPCTech legal, Mike Rife may have to become a real-life Sherlock Holmes. He fears that a new Texas law will require his small PC repair company to obtain a private-eye license, or risk incurring a $4,000 penalty and jail time.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 19 Jul 2008 | 1:57 am Bids for Cubs baseball team submitted (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 1:39 am Bids for Cubs baseball team submittedCHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The first bids for the storied Chicago Cubs baseball team and related assets were submitted on Friday in an auction that could fetch more than $1 billion, according to a source close to the process.Source: Reuters: Business News | 19 Jul 2008 | 1:38 am Jobs outlook weak as California's unemployment rate hits 6.9% in JuneSmall rise from May brings gauge to a nearly five-year high. The Los Angeles area has suffered substantial losses since a year earlier. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 1:12 am Citigroup $2.5 billion loss soothes investorsNEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc posted a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss, despite $11.7 billion of write-downs and credit losses tied to deteriorating capital markets and a...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:24 am Conference Call to Announce Q2 2008 Financial Results for Ambassadors International, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMIE)NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time Dial In #: (866) 632-2359Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:20 am Analysts cut earning forecasts for NextNext, the clothing and homewares retailer, saw analysts' earning forecasts trimmed yesterday after JP Morgan, the investment bank, said that trading conditions would remain tough next year and beyond.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Week's job cuts total hits 3,800 as Kier plans 350 redundanciesA miserable week for job losses was made worse yesterday by the news of a further 770 cuts across Britain.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Collins Stewart are banking on diversificationCollins Stewart's A-Team are happy with the direction they've taken, writes James QuinnSource: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Barclays' investors snub £4.5bn open offerBarclays' £4.5bn placing and open offer was shunned by most of its investors, leaving key institutional shareholders and sovereign wealth funds to pick up most of the issue.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Dawnay Day offload sends Premium plungingPremium Bars and Restaurants saw its shares slump 45pc after ailing investment firm Dawnay Day was forced to offload more than a 5pc stake in the high street group.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am BP retains law firm for Russia venture fightOil giant BP has begun marshalling its defences in the battle for control of TNK-BP by retaining the services of a leading Russian law firm.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Aberdeen assets rise 6pc after GPI purchaseAberdeen Asset Management saw assets under management rise by 6pc as the acquisition of property fund manager Goodman Property Investors amid tough economic conditions produced early rewards.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Collins Stewart looks to Hong Kong moveCollins Stewart is investigating a move into Hong Kong as part of its ambitious global expansion programme led by chief executive Joel Plasco.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am CLG fails to light up auditI hear that civil servants at Communities and Local Government might have to work a little harder at installing their energy saving light bulbs. The department in charge of introducing the EU's whizzy new energy rating system across all commercial buildings recently had its own environmental audit. No surprise that the outcome wasn't too good.Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Confirmed: the lunatics are running the asylumOn Tuesday we speculated whether, by the end of this week, we would be any closer to answering the looming economic question: hard or soft landing?Source: Telegraph Business | 19 Jul 2008 | 12:01 am Freddie Mac files with SEC, first step to capitalWASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Freddie Mac won approval from regulators on Friday to sell the stock needed to overcome mounting losses, and the Wall Street Journal said the mortgage finance company may seek $10 billion.Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:55 pm On The Ball: Yankees' Performance, Beach VolleyballSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:52 pm British Open Without Tiger Woods, Packer Exits CBS SportsSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:47 pm Auction Implosion Reaps Fees, Not Scorn, for Dealers:CommentarySource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:39 pm Facebook sues 'knock-off' German siteFacebook filed a copyright lawsuit against StudiVZ, a German company that it has accused of running a "knock-off" of the social networking websiteSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:30 pm Latin American Markets: Mexican shares down after rate hike; Brazil higherMajor Latin American equity markets close lower, with Mexican shares down following the central bank’s hike of its key interest rate.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:05 pm Weekend Edition: What, me bear?Some investors and strategists, anxious to put the devastation of the credit crisis behind them, hope the market's recent entry into bear territory signals the worst is almost over for U.S. stocks.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:02 pm Boom times for American pawnbrokers as rich hit hard times“I need $3,000,$” Tito Vazquez, 45, says as he looks at his gleaming Harley-Davidson motorcycle. “But the economy's a mess right now and my credit cards are all maxed out.”Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Google UK not immune to economic downturnGoogle's UK turnover fell in the second quarter, its first decline since it began reporting as a public company in 2004, as the dominant internet search engine showed that it was not immune to the impact of the economic slowdown.Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm House prices tipped to fall 20% in two yearsThe value of homes in Britain could slump by a further 20 per cent in the next two years as the number of buyers continues to fall, experts predicted yesterday.Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Threat from lack of gas capacity, expert saysA lack of adequate gas storage has left Britain's energy market like a “house of cards”, more vulnerable to supply shocks than any other country in Western Europe, according to a leading energy analyst.Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Britain stays in with a ready meal and plonkMany Britons appear to be handling the prospect of recession and the economic downturn by staying at home to eat ready-made meals washed down with New World wines from upmarket stores, venturing out to shop only for cut-price goods.Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Amazon uses all its might to wage price war against publisherA price war is raging between a powerful online bookseller and a leading publisher, with authors caught in the crossfire and losing vital royalties.Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Taxpayer can bear no more, admits Alistair DarlingTaxpayers are at the limit of what they are willing to pay to fund public services, the Chancellor has said in an interview with The Times.Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Need to know: Novartis expects growth ... John Lewis up ... Logica winsEconomicsSource: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Citigroup takes hit but adds to optimismCitigroup, America’s biggest financial services operation, reported a further $14.2 billion ($£7.1 billion) hit from the credit crunch in its second quarter, taking it to an overall loss of $2.5 billion for the period.$Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Need cheering up? Let's play PollyannaOn the basis that no one ever got fired for agreeing with the boss, let me continue yesterday's list, started by the Business Editor, of indicators that things might not be quite as bad as they might seem. Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 2, then.Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:00 pm Economic Diary on Leading Indicators, U.S. Home SalesSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:52 pm After Hours: Tech stocks tick higher after dayside sell-offLOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Tech stocks gained ground Friday evening, following a rough session during which investors dumped shares of sector heavyweights in the wake of disappointing financial updates.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:44 pm Top Ten: The week's top news and analysis, July 14-18What a wild ride this week. If you haven't been spending your days riding roller coasters at the local amusement park, watching this market has been a close approximation.Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:43 pm Koch Says U.N. `Should Take Over' Iraq, Afghanistan ConflictsSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:36 pm Bear market bites California's two big public pension fundsSource: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:33 pm VIX Index of U.S. Stock Option Prices Retreats 3.84% to 24.05Source: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:31 pm Mortgage Applications, New VW Plant, Woods Absent at OpenSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:26 pm Freddie and Fannie rescue hopes growRichard Shelby, the powerful Republican senator, said that the US Treasury department's plan to rescue Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be approved by Congress within two weeks, in a sign that opposition to the proposal on Capitol Hill is waningSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:24 pm Straight Story: Fannie, Freddie and fedsEconomics editor says Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are on the road to nationalization, and their stockholders are going to pay the price.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Not Quite 6 Feet Under: Life insuranceTess Vigeland continues her conversations with John Ventura, author of "Kiplinger's Estate Planning." This week the topic is life insurance.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Seeing the need to prepare for deathIn our continuing series about estate planning, we're talking to people who deal with death on a regular basis. In this installment, we hear from someone who provides spiritual counseling to families, Rabbi Gary Oren.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Day in the Work Life: Boarding housesThis week we meet Shawn Chapman, whose job is to board up vacant houses in Baltimore, Md.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Getting PersonalTess Vigeland and Chris Farrell take on all sorts of questions from listeners concerned about how their financial holdings might be affected by the nation's volatile banking situation.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Summer School lesson: AmortizationSo, just what does amortization mean on a loan? Jonathan Clements is at the blackboard with this week's explanation.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Is your employer doing the '401k float'?Some Americans are giving their employers an interest-free loan, whether they know it or not. It's all thanks to the "float" -- the time it takes for 401k contributions to move out of your paycheck and into your retirement account. Rico Gagliano reports.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Are Fannie and Freddie sound?An implicit federal government guarantee backing up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac became an explicit one this week. Will it be enough? Professor Anthony Sanders of Arizona State University fills us in.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm Alliant Tech says major acquisitions not attractiveFARNBOROUGH (Reuters) - U.S. rocket maker Alliant Techsystems aims to expand in space systems, advanced weapons and electronics but is shunning big acquisitions after its bid for a Canadian defense business failed.Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:16 pm IndyMac's failure isn't contagiousWith the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's takeover of IndyMac Bank, we went to its headquarters as depositors waited in line to withdraw their funds. We took some of their questions and posed them to banking consultant Bert Ely.Source: Marketplace Money | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:14 pm Small-Biz Entrepreneurs' 401(k) Perks (Investor's Business Daily)Investor's Business Daily - If you run a small company that does not have a 401(k) plan, you may be missing out on a two-pronged benefit.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:11 pm IAC heads toward $2B spinoffRead full story for latest details.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:55 pm OPEC and the oil crisisHost Kai Ryssdal, who's been talking to experts about oil this week, speaks today with oil analyst Ruchir Kadakia about OPEC's standing in the oil world these days.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:42 pm Government weighs more charges in Bear case (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:38 pm Legg Mason backs Yahoo boardRead full story for latest details.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:38 pm Government weighs more charges in Bear caseNEW YORK (Reuters) - The government is considering bringing further criminal charges in the case involving two former Bear Stearns executives indicted last month related to the collapse of two hedge funds they oversaw, a federal prosecutor said on Friday.Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:38 pm House likely to modify Fannie, Freddie rescueThe House is likely next week to take up a Bush administration proposal to empower the Treasury to back up embattled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:34 pm US builders forced to sell off holdingsDemand for new homes on the outskirts of US towns has fallen spectacularly in the last three years, while foreclosures and speculative building have created a far greater supply of homes than there are buyersSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:26 pm 'Dark Knight' brightens Warner Bros.' daySource: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:09 pm Blue chips rally, but techs tumbleWall Street was erratic throughout the day Friday, with blue chips rallying late on more encouraging financial sector news, after volatile oil prices sent shares lower early in the day.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:02 pm Nextier's Seibert Sees `Too Much Pessimism' on Financial StocksSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:00 pm Some Car Renters Socked With $8 a Gallon (Deal of the Day)These days, the dreaded refueling charge is nastier than ever. Here's how to avoid it.Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:56 pm Financial ETFs End Week in the Black (Daily ETF Wrap-Up)Traders bet big that financial ETFs are finally due for a comeback.Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:43 pm Tech stocks sink as Google and Microsoft disappoint, Dow upNEW YORK (Reuters) - Technology stocks fell on Friday and drove the Nasdaq down 1 percent on disappointing earnings from Google and Microsoft, while Citigroup's smaller-than-expected loss pushed up the Dow and helped keep the broader market near the unchanged mark.Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:36 pm Google ad slump spreads abroadIn the clearest sign yet that online ad sales growth cannot outrun a global economic slowdown, Google reported the first-ever sequential quarterly revenue decline in its U.K. business. The dip, as reported in the company's second-quarter earnings Thursday, cut into Google's overall international growth, bringing it down to 52% from 55% in the first quarter.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:30 pm Mixed Over EarningsThe Nasdaq fell on weak outlooks from Microsoft and Google, while the Dow extended its winning streak.Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:28 pm Calpers posts 2.4 percent lossSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Calpers, the biggest U.S. pension fund, posted a 2.4 percent loss in its June-ended fiscal year, fueled by a 10.7 percent decline in the value of its stock holdings, its top investment officer said on Friday.Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:28 pm Bloomberg's Keene Says Job Cuts Moving Up `Food Chain'Source: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:03 pm Strossen Says ACLU Is `Well Accepted, Entrenched'Source: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:00 pm 'Not Bad' is the New 'Great!'Remember last week? It seems so long ago already. Stocks entered bear-market territory and it appeared the end was near for some in the financial sector. Terrific! You beat Wall Street's incredibly low expectations! The Fed Turns Up the Tap Dud Loans Slap Freddie Mac The Case Against Hybrids Source: Portfolio.com: Top 5 | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:00 pm Freddie Mac files with SEC, first step to capital (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 7:48 pm Threat of 'no-fun' OlympicsJust three weeks before the Beijing games, concerns are growing that sweeping security measures could suck all the fun out of the world's biggest sportsfestSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 7:47 pm 52-Week Low Club (AYE, AXL, APL, AUO, CHB, CMLS, GAP, MAC, MIR, RRI, SGLP, SWY, VRTU)Its Friday, and despite a fairly stable market today there were of course many 52-week lows. Some look like a mid-city explosion from news, and some are just the normal selling. As a reminder, some of these stocks are not under the 52-week lows at the time this published but these would have hit prior 52-week lows or traded under them on an intra-day basis.Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Jul 2008 | 7:29 pm Five Emerging-Markets Funds to Explore (Fund Screen)As emerging markets cool off, is it time for investors to take some profits?Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 7:09 pm Will Apple Avoid Tech Earnings Woes? (AAPL)Investors holding Apple Inc. (NASDAQ; AAPL) and traders alike are all eagerly going to be waiting for Monday's (July 21) earnings release after the close. We would warn you ahead that First Call estimates are likely to see some updates on the actual estimates themselves and on the target prices analysts have for forecasting now that we have seen a disappointment from both Google and from Microsoft. First Call has estimates currently pegged at $1.08 EPS and $7.36 Billion in revenues. As far as next quarter (also its fiscal year end), we show estimates as $1.24 EPS on $8.31 Billion...Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Jul 2008 | 7:00 pm Citi's $2.5bn loss less than fearedCitigroup capped a wild week for US equity markets, unveiling $7.2bn of writedowns and a smaller-than-expected loss that prompted investors to return to financial stocks as despair again gave way to reliefSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 7:00 pm MTN quits Reliance talksSouth Africa's MTN walked away from a potential combination with India's Reliance Communications on Friday, scuppering the creation of an emerging market telecoms giant and damaging the standing of corporate IndiaSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:59 pm Iraqis divided on pull-out planAs Barack Obama prepares to visit Iraq, people across the country and politicians are divided over the presumptive Democratic nominee's plan to withdraw US troops in 16 months if be becomes presidentSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:30 pm FDIC Protects Most, but Not All, Bank Assets (The Irritable Investor)Worried about the next IndyMac? Then don't put all of your nest eggs in one basket.Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:25 pm Argentina drops disputed farm taxArgentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner cancels tax rises on farm exports, after months of protests.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:19 pm Legg Mason to back Yahoo's boardYahoo won an important supporter in its fight against activist investor Carl Icahn as Bill Miller, Legg Mason's chief investment officer, said he expected to back the existing board at the company's annual meeting on August 1Source: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:16 pm Teva to buy Barr for $7.5bnAcquisition will boost Israeli group's position as the largest seller of off-patent medicinesSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:15 pm Small is beautiful for Gen-iTelecom's business Gen-i does not expect to lose money by not tendering for another contract with Australian bank CBA. Telecom signed a five-year, A$500 million ($638 million) contract in 2000 to provide Commonwealth Bank of Australia...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:15 pm Economy Too Bad For Funerals? (SCI, CSV, STEI)If you follow the death care industry, the one name you probably know is Service Corp. International (NYSE: SCI). There is a second tier small player that many haven't heard of named Carriage Services Inc. (NYSE: CSV). We noticed this one today in our screening of 52-week lows, although it barely went under that prior $6.10 52-week level and has since come back up to $6.25. As of December 31, 2007, Carriage Services operated 139 funeral homes in 25 states and 32 cemeteries in 11 states; and the company is based in Houston, Texas (that's important, read on). As of...Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:11 pm CME sweetens bid for Nymex by $113mCME Group, the world's largest futures exchange, sweetened its bid to take over Nymex by $113m, focusing its efforts on winning over members of the New York energy exchange while keeping its offer to shareholders unchangedSource: FT.com - US homepage | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:03 pm Citigroup, for once, springs a happy surprise on Wall StreetSource: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:59 pm Citigroup $2.5 billion loss soothes investors (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:49 pm Podmore quits DorchesterKevin Podmore yesterday resigned as director of finance company Dorchester Pacific and its subsidiaries. Podmore had decided to release himself from a number of responsibilities, including that as a director of Dorchester, to...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:30 pm Hot Jobs: Boardwalk retailersFor the latest installment of our "Hot Jobs" series, we head to the Boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, where we talk to a pair of summer retailers.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:11 pm Fannie and Freddie shares up againA rescue plan is in the works for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, but again today stock prices rose for both. And hoping to head off a government takeover, Freddie Mac is looking to sell $5.5 billion in stock. John Dimsdale sorts things out.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:11 pm IBM service contracts boost profitIBM, which had strong second-quarter earnings, is known as an indicator for the health of tech stocks. Then why did other tech giants fall flat? Janet Babin has the story.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:11 pm Week on Wall StreetStockbroker and business analyst David Johnson chats with host Kai Ryssdal about what happened on Wall Street this week and what may lie ahead.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:10 pm Letters from our listenersMarketplace listeners give us some food for thought about summer camp, photographs, Rubbermaid and tennis.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:10 pm Will one style of Levi's 501 fly?San Francisco-based Levi's, which used to tailor its 501 jeans for varying body sizes, will market one standard cut and style around the world to cut costs. Nancy Marshall Genzer has more.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:10 pm China loses WTO car parts disputeThe World Trade Organization (WTO) rules that Chinese import tariffs on foreign car parts break the trade body's rules.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:07 pm Can the NZX be saved?BHP Billiton, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, Rio Tinto, Telstra and Woodside Petroleum. These are Australia's six largest listed companies and they each have a market capitalisation larger than the entire...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm Liam Dann : Low-hanging fruit ripe for pickingSo here's the nightmare scenario. The NZX gets stuck at current levels for the next 12 months leaving its blue chip stocks at rock bottom prices. Then the big international corporations and the private equity players get their credit...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm Brian Gaynor : Don't crush inflation at any expenseThe latest quarterly inflation figures, which are arguably the country's most important economic statistics, sent shivers through financial markets on Tuesday. This is because Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard has been given a...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm High-flyer doesn't dwell on bad timesWhen I ask Richard Izard if he's an angel investor, a sound suspiciously like a guffaw emanates from his belly. "Hell no, I like profit," he chuckles, with genuine amusement. Profit is something the 74-year-old entrepreneur...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm First blood to Mattel in legal catfightMattel won a major victory yesterday in its copyright infringement lawsuit against the maker of the rival Bratz dolls. A jury ruled that a designer conceived the doll characters while working for Mattel, the world's largest toymaker....Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm City fringe sale brightens gloomDespite an aura of doom and gloom pervading some sectors of the commercial property market, CB Richard Ellis has completed one of the largest property transactions of the year with the sale of a GE Finance-owned building at 49 Symonds...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm Editorial : Exchange needs rescuingOver the past few years, the number of companies listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange has decreased alarmingly. Many household names have disappeared, some the consequence of takeover, some the subject of private buy-outs, and...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm Diana Clement : Looking at safe options for your cashInvestors are running scared. Everywhere you turn, companies are going to the wall with your hard-earned cash. First of all it was finance companies - taking thousands of Kiwis' life savings with them. Then clever investments such...Source: New Zealand Herald - Business | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:00 pm The quirks of doing business in ChinaIn Beijing now, new rules can close businesses in Olympic "safety zones." But as Scott Tong reports, seemingly overnight rule changes are nothing new in China when it comes to business.Source: Marketplace | 18 Jul 2008 | 4:18 pm Qualcomm Could Win Big As the iPhone 3G Calls (Today From Barron's)Qualcomm is set to cash in on the growth in smartphones.Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 4:13 pm Citigroup posts another big lossCitigroup reports another big three-month loss, although it lost less than had been expected.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 3:33 pm Mortgage REIT to Profit From Lending Mess (The Invisible Hand)There's no such thing as a safe 15% yield. But this mortgage REIT comes darn close.Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 3:31 pm Sony Ericsson to axe 2,000 jobsMobile phone maker Sony Ericsson says it will shed 2,000 jobs worldwide in order to cut costs.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 3:17 pm Cost-cutters boost IBM's resultsIBM benefits from companies calling in its services division to help them cut costs.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 2:43 pm Google profits trigger concernsGoogle's quarterly profits rise by less than expected, raising concerns of a slowdown in the online advertising market.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 2:39 pm Microsoft results hit its sharesMicrosoft's quarterly earnings and predictions for the next three months are worse than expected, hitting the software firm's shares.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 2:36 pm Boo-Hoo, CarlIt's all over but the shouting.And when it comes to the fight over Yahoo and how to get Microsoft to make an offer of $33 per share or more, there will be shouting, as our Jack Flack has noted, and perhaps more than that. But Carl Icahn's chances of securing some seats on the Yahoo board in a proxy challenge have dropped to near zero, as Bill Miller, chief executive of Legg Mason Capital Management, has announced that his fund will vote its 4.4 percent stake in Yahoo in favor of the current board. "We believe the current board acted with care and diligence when evaluating Microsoft's offers. We believe the board is independent and focused on value creation for long-term shareholders," Miller wrote. Noting that Icahn has said that Microsoft has made it clear that it cannot negotiate a deal with the current board, Miller said, "If Microsoft wants to acquire Yahoo, it can make the terms and conditions of its offer public. If Yahoo shareholders support it, I am confident the board of Yahoo will accept it." Miller is a large and influential investor. Still, other big Yahoo shareholders, like Gordon Crawford at Capital Research Global Investors, which has a 6.5 percent stake, and John Paulson's hedge fund, which has a 3.6 percent stake, have made it clear that they are angry at Yahoo management and its board and are likely to back Icahn's slate. Yet Yahoo's co-founders, Jerry Yang and David Filo, own roughly 10 percent of the company. A question mark is Capital World Investors, a sister fund of Capital Research Global, but one not controlled by Crawford, which also has about a 10 percent stake. In any case, as Peter Kafka notes on Silicon Alley Insider, Microsoft, with or without an Icahn proxy challenge, will continue to run at Yahoo. The proxy battle may be over, but the war goes on. Related Links Parsing Microsoft: Easy Dude, I Was Only Reaching for My Zune Ballmer and Icahn, B.F.F.'s Parsing Yahoo: $33 Is More Than $28 Source: Portfolio.com: Top 5 | 18 Jul 2008 | 2:30 pm Barclays share sale raises £4.5bnBarclays raises £4.5bn from investors to bolster its finances but ordinary shareholders are lukewarm on the plan.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 2:25 pm Today's Investor Sentiment Makes No Sense (Ahead of the Curve)There's a big difference between pessimism and paranoia. We've crossed it.Source: SmartMoney.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 1:22 pm Sirius/XM Nearing Final Hurdles (SIRI, XMSR)Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) and XM Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: XMSR) are both trading higher pre-market on reports that the last FCC commissioner will back the merger if the companies agree to additional conditions. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has already supported the merger despite all of the congressional special interests and the RIAA objections to this competing against terrestrial radio. Apparently the newest requests are for a 6-year pricing cap and a request for one-quarter of the programming to be made available for minority or public interests. Interestingly enough, we noted over at VOLUME SPIKE (VSInvestor.com) that there...Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Jul 2008 | 1:00 pm
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