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Stock futures point to moderately higher opening (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:39 am RadioShack profit misses estimates (Reuters)Reuters - RadioShack Corp reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit on weak demand for its converter boxes, laptop computers and wireless accessories.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:33 am Ladbrokes in successful cash callShareholders in Ladbrokes bookmaker agree to buy more than 95% of the shares offered in a £375m rights issue.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:29 am T-Mobile Offers Everything Free To Battle AT&T, Sprint, And VerizonThe T-Mobile US division of German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom (NYSE:DT) has run a distant fourth in cellular subscribers in America well behind AT&T (NYSE:T), Sprint (NYSE:S), and Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ)(NYSE:VOD). T-Mobile means to close some of that gap between itself and its rivals, but it may start a price war in the process. T-Mobile announced that [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:28 am Senate health bill will include public optionSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is poised to proceed with plans to introduce a Senate health care bill with a public health insurance option that would allow states to opt out, a senior aide to Reid told CNN on Sunday.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:28 am Stock futures point to higher open for Wall Street (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:12 am Stock futures point to higher open for Wall Street (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:12 am Talks target post strike solutionRoyal Mail bosses and union leaders are holding fresh talks aimed at ending the strike action by postal workers.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:06 am ING to split in two, launch rights issueAMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch bancassurer ING Group NV will split in two, shrinking itself into a smaller Europe-focused bank, in the most striking example yet of the deep changes the EU wants to force on banks that received state aid.Source: Reuters: Business News | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:04 am Google’s (GOOG) Android Could Squeeze Out Apple (AAPL)Nokia’s (NYSE:NOK) Symbian mobile operating system has dominated the handset software business for years. Microsoft’s mobile Windows has made some progress in picking up market share during the last decade, but its success has been very modest. The operating systems which are part of the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and RIM (NYSE:RIMM) Blackberry were almost instant successes [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:04 am Gas prices surge 7% in 2 weeksGasoline prices jumped nearly 18 cents over the past two weeks, the first two-week rise since early August, according to a survey published Sunday.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 4:01 am ING to split itself, issue $11.3 billion of sharesING Groep NV, one of the world's largest financial services companies, announced plans Monday to sell or list its insurance and investment management arms and to issue euro7.5 billion...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:57 am Global stocks edge higher; China report hits dollarLONDON (Reuters) - A Chinese report saying Beijing should increase its holdings of euros and yen in its foreign reserves knocked the already battered dollar on Monday while global stocks sought to recover from last week's weakness.Source: Reuters: Business News | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:57 am Global stocks edge higher; China report hits dollar (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:57 am ING to split itself, issue $11.3B of sharesING Groep NV, one of the world's largest financial services companies, announced plans Monday to sell or list its insurance and investment management arms and to issue euro7.5 billion...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:56 am Electrolux 3Q profit rises 93 percentSwedish appliance maker Electrolux AB on Monday reported a 93 percent rise in third-quarter profit as cost cuts and increased prices on its products helped it defy weak market demand. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:54 am Korean growth at seven-year highSouth Korea's economy grew between July and September at its fastest quarterly pace since early 2002, official figures show.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:53 am Merck says 3Q net income falls 28 percentGerman drug and chemical maker Merck KGaA reported Monday that net income fell 28 percent to euro144 million ($216 million) in the third quarter as weak demand hurt revenue, but said its...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:53 am SKorea's economy grows at fastest pace in 7 yearsSouth Korea's economy grew at its fastest pace in over seven years in the third quarter amid strength in manufacturing and capital spending as Asian countries lead the global recovery. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:51 am 'State plan' for Japan AirlinesLoss-making carrier Japan Airlines is to be put under the supervision of a state-backed turnaround body, a report says.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:45 am Bank failures top 106 for 2009The tally of bank failures easily broke past the No. 100 milestone on Friday night, with regulators announcing the year's 106th closure.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:45 am Green jobs: 15 hot spots for growthDear Annie: I graduated from college with a civil engineering degree last spring, and I'm planning to go to architecture school. I want to focus my training on learning how to retrofit existing buildings and power plants to be more energy-efficient.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:44 am Madoff billionaire investor Picower diesRead full story for latest details.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:40 am US Healthcare System Wastes $800 Billion A YearThe Administration may not need to push a healthcare reform bill though Congress. It might be better off creating laws that would wring excess out of the current system. It would avoid risking hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayers money and would yield enough capital to help give insurance to the uninsured. New data compiled by the healthcare analytics group [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:38 am Earnings Watch: Updates, advisories and surprisesA roundup of the latest corporate earnings reports and what companies are saying about future quarters.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:31 am Oil falls to around $80 on recovery concernsLONDON (Reuters) - Oil fell for a third day to around $80 a barrel on Monday, extending its retreat from last week's one-year high, on renewed concerns about the strength of the global economy.Source: Reuters: Business News | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:23 am FACTBOX-Details of ING split-up and resultsOct 26 (Reuters) - Dutch financial services group ING Group NV will split its insurance and investment management and banking operations, ending the group's combination as formed in 1991. [ID:nLQ54845]...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:16 am Mac vs. Windows: The ad battleSource: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:11 am Oleg Deripaska's Rusal lost 6bn last year reportRusal the Russian aluminum company in which oligarch Oleg Deripaska holds a majority stake suffered a 6bn £3.7bn loss in 2008 due the global economic crisis a Russian newspaper reported.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:11 am The Twenty Companies Wall St. Can Trust The Most24/7 Wall St. asked Audit Integrity to screen companies with market caps of more than $3 billion to create a list of the firms that use the most transparent and conservative accounting programs and have ”best of class” corporate governance and management. This data is based on the The Audit Integrity Accounting and Governance Risk rating which is a forensic measure of [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:10 am Wall St. rebound seenU.S. stocks looked set to open with gains Monday, as investors prepared for another big batch of corporate results.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:08 am ING to raise 7.5 bln euros to repay govt, restructureDutch banking and insurance group ING said Monday it plans to restructure its business, selling off its insurance operations and raising up to 7.5 billion euros to pay back government...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am RPT-PREVIEW-Sony to book Q2 loss, rivals to fare better* Sony set for Q2 loss, but gaining on Nintendo in gamesSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am Electrolux net income nearly doubles; shares riseElectrolux shares jump as the Swedish appliance maker reports third-quarter net income nearly doubled, soaring past analysts’ expectations.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:59 am ING to split banking and insurance operationsCiting pressure from the European Commission's antitrust enforcers, Holland's ING on Monday announces a sweeping plan to break itself apart as well as to repay some of the state aid that Holland has provided.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:54 am Barrage of earnings, economic data to drive market (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:50 am Miners fuel fresh FTSE gainsThe FTSE 100 continued its upward trend today adding 1 per cent in early trading to open at 5,259.81 points. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:48 am Indications: U.S. stock futures lean higher before earningsU.S. stock futures creep higher Monday as investors look ahead to earnings reports that so far have clobbered expectations.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:47 am Global growth hopes boost London sharesLondon equities resumed their climb on Monday, with the FTSE 100's rally again underpinned by resource stocks on hopes for a sustained global economic rebound.The benchmark index rose a further 24 points...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:45 am Seoul, Tokyo stocks pace Asian marketsAsian markets end mostly higher Monday as South Korean shares advance on upbeat economic data, while expectations of strong corporate earnings lifts exporters in Japan.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:44 am Tories urge bank cash-bonus limitHigh Street banks should not pay bonuses of more than £2,000 in cash, shadow chancellor George Osborne says.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:41 am ING to divide and repay state aidDutch financial services group ING is to split itself in two and launch a share issue to repay its aid from the Dutch state early.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:39 am Europe Markets: Financials pressure in steady Europe as ING dropsEuropean shares rise on Monday, with autos and chemical firms leading a broad-based advance, although ING shares decline after the firm announces a restructuring.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:39 am Asia markets rise as SKorea reports faster growth (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:36 am ANALYSIS-Aggressive China online game firms eye global crown* Shanda, Changyou IPOs galvanise push for overseas growthSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:33 am DEALTALK-Anglo may unload zinc first in $6 billion auction* Zinc mines may be first to go in fresh divestment planSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:33 am London Markets: Standard Chartered, Shire gain in LondonBritish shares tick up on Monday, with banking group Standard Chartered and drugmaker Shire among the top performers.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:26 am FTSE bosses 'get big salary rise'The bosses of Britain's top firms have seen a sharp rise in salaries despite the recession, research suggests.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:22 am Seoul growth data lift Korean marketsTOKYO, Oct 26 Shares in Japan and South Korea rose on Monday, with Seoul lifted by strong economic growth data, while the dollar slid after a Chinese article said Beijing should raise its euro and yen...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:21 am ING to divest insurance businessSource: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:21 am Media Digest 10/26/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, BloombergReuters: Corporate directors are on the hot seat over management pay. Reuters: The US healthcare system wastes up to $800 billion a year. Reuters: Capmark Financial filed for bankrupcy. Reuters: The land dealer advisor resigned from Calpers. Reuters: Legg Mason (NYSE:LM) will elect Nelson Peltz to its board. Reuters: HealthSouth will fund the expenses of dissident nominees to its board. Reuters: [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:13 am Clock ticking on $12.1 trillion debt ceilingRoughly $211 billion separates what the country owes and its self-imposed credit limit.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:08 am Why your wallet doesn't feel fatterThe government says consumers are paying less for their everyday needs compared to a year ago. But if it feels like your dollar is not going as far as it used to, you're not alone.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:07 am Scania net declines; signs of recovery are seenSwedish truck maker Scania on Monday reports an 85% fall in third-quarter net income, with deliveries and sales also weak, but says the worst of the downturn for the Western Europe market may be over.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:03 am ING to split launch €7.5bn rights issue and repay state aidDutch financial services group to split its banking and insurance businesses repay half of the state aid it received and launch a rights issue.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 26 Oct 2009 | 2:01 am Sporting carnivalRio to flex economic muscle during 2016 Olympic gamesSource: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:53 am George Soros: we must let banks earn their way out of a 'hole' before reforming themGeorge Soros the billionaire investor has said that enacting farreaching reform of the banking system risks the stability of the financial system and wider economy.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:52 am Cost cuts help Electrolux profitsHome appliance maker Electrolux reports a 93% rise in three-month profits, helped by cost-cutting and higher prices.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:52 am ING to split into twoAMSTERDAM, Oct 26 Dutch bancassurer ING Group on Monday said it would split itself in two as part of a restructuring deal with the European Commission, transforming itself over the next four years into...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:45 am ING to raise €7.5bn and divide bank in twoING, the Dutch banking group bailed out by its government last year, today unveiled plans to launch a €7.5 billion (£6.9 billion) rights issue and split itself in two as it moves to pay back some of the state's cash far earlier than expected. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:43 am Halifax's new bank overdraft charges will give customers a nasty shockSource: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:30 am Asia Markets And Europe Open (10/26/2009)Markets in Asia were modestly higher. The Nikkei rose .8% to 10,363. Hong Kong was closed for a holiday. The Shanghai Composite was up .1% to 3,190. In Europe, ING will split itself into a bank and insurance company. Data from Reuters. Douglas A. McIntyre Posted in International Markets[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:27 am Bollywood movies a bright spot for U.S. cinema industryBig Cinemas, India's largest theater chain, is hoping to cash in on the fast-growing and affluent population of Indian Americans. It now manages 18 U.S. theaters, with some showing Indian films only. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Books: The Upside of TurbulenceThe best companies are able to absorb the shocks of market turbulence, the author contends. Depending on conditions, some firms may see a need to retrench; others may make the most of an opportunity. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Madoff friend Jeffry Picower dies; was found at bottom of poolJeffry Picower, a philanthropist accused of profiting by more than $7 billion from the investment schemes of his longtime friend Bernard Madoff, was found at the bottom of the pool at his ocean-side mansion and died Sunday, police said. He was 67.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Bollywood movies a bright spot for U.S. cinema industryBig Cinemas, India's largest theater chain, is hoping to cash in on the fast-growing and affluent population of Indian Americans. It now manages 18 U.S. theaters, with some showing Indian films only.It's 8 p.m. Friday and the historic Towne Theatre downtown is sold out. About 500 moviegoers have crowded into the three-screen movie house, paying up to $12 a ticket to watch not the latest Hollywood blockbuster but instead the premieres of three Indian movies that are opening simultaneously in India.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Insurers poised to reap benefits from healthcare overhaulThe final bill may well reflect an industry group's strategy of shaping universal coverage to benefit companies. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am 'Paranormal Activity' cuts off 'Saw VI' at the box officeThe low-budget upstart easily beats the latest entry in Lionsgate's popular series. Three other new films -- 'Astro Boy,' 'Cirque du Freak' and 'Amelia' -- flop.Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey had an unusual message for an industry in which taking credit for the latest hit is standard practice.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Fisker Automotive may reopen idled GM plantThe Irvine carmaker, which received a U.S. loan, reportedly will make plug-in hybrids at a factory in Delaware, Vice President Joe Biden's home state.The White House is expected to announce this week that an Irvine automaker will be setting up shop in a recently idled General Motors plant in Vice President Joe Biden's home state of Delaware.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Books: The Upside of TurbulenceThe best companies are able to absorb the shocks of market turbulence, the author contends. Depending on conditions, some firms may see a need to retrench; others may make the most of an opportunity.You know when a management writer has found a little phrase that induces a moment of self-satisfaction. It gets aired time and again and sometimes earns a chapter of its own.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am One man puts a dent in tax evasionsBradley Birkenfeld, who used to help wealthy Americans hide millions from the IRS for a Swiss bank, turned informant and triggered a crackdown on tax cheats.Swiss banker Bradley Birkenfeld would do just about anything for the wealthy Americans who entrusted him with millions of dollars they wanted to hide from the Internal Revenue Service.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am One man puts a dent in tax evasionsBradley Birkenfeld, who used to help wealthy Americans hide millions from the IRS for a Swiss bank, turned informant and triggered a crackdown on tax cheats. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Madoff friend Jeffry Picower dies; was found at bottom of poolJeffry Picower, a philanthropist accused of profiting by more than $7 billion from the investment schemes of his longtime friend Bernard Madoff, was found at the bottom of the pool at his ocean-side mansion...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Fisker Automotive may reopen idled GM plantThe Irvine carmaker, which received a U.S. loan, reportedly will make plug-in hybrids at a factory in Delaware, Vice President Joe Biden's home state. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Wall Street is looking for reassurance of a recoveryInvestors would like a definitive answer to the question: Is the economy in fact in recovery? The answers this week may not be conclusive, but they might remove some of the uncertainty that has made stock trading choppy lately.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Pulling the TV cord yet staying plugged inA small but apparently growing number of people are cutting the television service connections from cable satellite and telephone companies in favor of viewing their picks over the computer.Jazz musician Bill Cunliffe loves television -- but he doesn't watch it on a TV set.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Capmark Financial files for bankruptcy protectionCapmark Financial Group Inc., the lender owned by firms including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and KKR & Co., filed for bankruptcy protection after posting a second-quarter loss of about $1.6 billion.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Insurers poised to reap benefits from healthcare overhaulThe final bill may well reflect an industry group's strategy of shaping universal coverage to benefit companies.As President Obama's push for a healthcare overhaul moves toward its final act, the oft-vilified health insurance industry is on the verge of seeing a plan enacted that largely protects its financial interests.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am 'Paranormal Activity' cuts off 'Saw VI' at the box officeThe low-budget upstart easily beats the latest entry in Lionsgate's popular series. Three other new films -- 'Astro Boy,' 'Cirque du Freak' and 'Amelia' -- flop. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 26 Oct 2009 | 1:00 am Legg Mason to elect investor Nelson Peltz to boardBANGALORE (Reuters) - Billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz will be elected to Legg Mason Inc's board, the U.S. asset manager said on Monday, in a move that would avoid a proxy fight for the next two years.Source: Reuters: Business News | 26 Oct 2009 | 12:38 am Legg Mason to elect investor Nelson Peltz to board (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 12:38 am HealthSouth plans to fund dissident nominees' expenses: report(Reuters) - HealthSouth Corp , a U.S. hospital operator, plans to unveil a new corporate bylaw that will reimburse activist shareholders for the expense of unseating management-backed directors, the Wall Street Journal said on its website.Source: Reuters: Business News | 26 Oct 2009 | 12:18 am HealthSouth plans to fund dissident nominees' expenses: report (Reuters)Reuters - HealthSouth Corp , a U.S. hospital operator, plans to unveil a new corporate bylaw that will reimburse activist shareholders for the expense of unseating management-backed directors, the Wall Street Journal said on its website.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 26 Oct 2009 | 12:18 am V. Phani Kumar's This Week in India: RBI rate move, earnings storm in the offingEven seasoned investors accustomed to a sudden outbreak of activity in the last few days of October will possibly be left gasping for breath this week as a crucial review of the monetary policy and a storm of corporate earnings hit India’s capital markets.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 25 Oct 2009 | 11:36 pm Deloitte says 2009 global revenue falls 4.9 percentNEW YORK (Reuters) - Global accounting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu said on Monday revenue at its member firms slipped 4.9 percent in fiscal 2009 to $26.1 billion, hurt by a decline in deal activity in the worldwide economic downturn.Source: Reuters: Business News | 25 Oct 2009 | 11:15 pm Democrats seek power over failing companiesUS House Democrats will put forward draft legislation on how to regulate better and, when necessary, wind down the largest financial institutionsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 11:01 pm China PBOC official downplays dollar remarksA researcher at the People’s Bank of China downplays comments that the Chinese central bank should rebalance its reserves away from the U.S. dollar, after the remarks send the greenback plunging.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:52 pm Moving on From Mr. In-Between (Pundit Watch)The late Johnny Mercer was on to something about the markets, whether he knew it or not. Investors are trying desperately to heed his instructions: Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don’t mess with Mr. In-Between. The sentiment in those lyrics captures the tug of war between today's bulls and bears. The recession is over, but recovery is halting, jerky and largely dependent on government stimulus. Though there's broad consensus that the worst has passed, forecasters' worries now center on inflation, unemployment and consumer spending. Is the rally sustainable? Are earnings surprises coming from deep cost cuts or rising sales? It's not clear, and that's what makes this recovery a puzzle. Joseph Pellegrini, of Robert W. Baird's consumer and retail analyst team, summed up the conundrum in his October Outlook: "We view a binary classification of the economic environment as 'recession' or 'recovery' as too limiting in the current case given the connotations associated with such words. In the past, when recovery quickly followed recession, this economic intermezzo mattered little because it was so brief. Now, however, it appears to have morphed into a movement of its own, with themes and variations that merit discussion and analysis." As third-quarter earnings roll in, mostly on the positive side, there's plenty of discussion and analysis. At the core of it all is the government's role in recovery. "With the micro and macro news generally positive, in our view, the only remaining question as to whether the rally will continue is Fed liquidity," Barclays Capital strategist Barry Knapp wrote in an Oct. 16 note. He points out that, since the September FOMC meeting, the Fed has slowed its purchases of agency mortgage-backed securities – funding their debt, essentially – from $25 billion per week to $20 billion a week. With total fixed-income supply expected to increase from $975 billion in 2009 to $2.128 trillion in 2010, and the bulk of the supply in the Treasury market, "without Fed buying, this should be interesting,” he wrote. “One of our core views is that monetary policy is a blunt instrument, and there are always unintended consequences of aggressive policy moves." Inflation if often a result of big government spending binges, and although it's not here yet, it's remains a concern. "Early in a recovery, interest rates and inflation tend to move in the same direction," Morgan Keegan economist Donald Ratajczak said in an Oct. 19 note. That should go on for the first quarter of the business cycle, but "certainly by next summer, long rates will be significantly higher than they are today." For now, the hope is for more signs of economic recovery through the rest of this earnings season and the end of the year. Data gleaned by ISI Group's Ed Hyman offer "a reasonably solid, but complex economic outlook," with stronger chain-store sales, declining unemployment claims and international trade recovering quickly. "So far, profits have been boosted by cost cutting," he wrote Thursday. "Now an unprecedented synchronized global upturn is lifting profits by strengthening earnings of domestic companies and both sales and earnings for U.S. multinationals. In addition, profits are being lifted by the declining dollar via both foreign earnings of U.S. multinationals and U.S. trade improving." Although we might reap those benefits, Americans may need to grow accustomed to not setting the economic pace for a while, wrote economist Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research. "The resumption of the Greatest Global Boom of All Times could certainly do the trick," he wrote Thrusday, employing a favorite phrase in his reports. "It started on Dec. 11, 2001, when China joined the World Trade Organization. It was interrupted over the past couple of years by the collapse of the credit insurance fraud industry. But now it seems to be gaining traction again. While there might be a protracted period of economic stagnation for the billion people in the Old World (Japan, the U.S., and Western Europe), there are two to three billion people in the New World who want to prosper." After all, "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," released in 1944, was a global hit for years. SMARTMONEY ® Layout and look and feel of SmartMoney.com are trademarks of SmartMoney, a joint venture between Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst SM Partnership. © 1995 - 2009 SmartMoney. All Rights Reserved.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm Should You Still Be Buying Gold?Unless you’ve been living in a mine, it would have been hard to miss gold’s most recent glittering run. Increasingly, people who would have never considered the stuff as an investment are pondering whether to buy it. But those who haven’t yet figured out if they want to join the gold party might be surprised at the indicator some pros are looking to for the answer: the boring, not very glamorous 10-year Treasury bond. In theory, the direction of both gold prices and Treasury yields reflects what investors think about inflation and the health of the U.S. economy. But these days it appears the two are looking at decidedly different facts. While gold prices have soared to around $1,059 per ounce, the yield on the 10-year Treasury is only 3.4 percent, lower than early in the summer and lower than even a year ago. Gold’s steep price indicates that many buyers are sure the U.S. government’s trillion-dollar deficit will lead to rampant inflation and a potential collapse of the U.S. dollar. Since gold holds its worth if the dollar loses value, it has been a haven for fearful investors for decades. But bond investors don’t seem to be sweating at all. If they were really worried about inflation, analysts say, bondholders would demand much higher interest rates on Treasurys. “In one market they’re ignoring inflation’s impact, and in the other they’re banking on it,” says Jeffrey Kleintop, chief market strategist at LPL Financial. So who’s right? Over the long run, Warren Buffett and others say higher inflation is inevitable unless the government curbs spending (good luck with that). If that’s the case, experts say a little gold, perhaps 5 percent of a portfolio, can provide a good hedge against a decline in the value of the dollar. (Individual investors can get the shiny yellow metal easily enough through an exchange-traded fund such as the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) or buy gold coins directly from the U.S. Mint.) In the short term, however, the bond guys may be right. The recession has left a lot of idle factories and excess inventory, so even if the economy does come back, ample supplies of numerous goods, such as houses and cars, could keep a lid on inflation. That argument trashes the rationale for the most recent run-up in gold. And based on supply-and-demand alone, gold should be trading between $680 and $880 an ounce, says Jon Nadler, senior analyst with commodities dealer Kitco Metals. Recent history certainly favors the bond guys. In the spring of 2008, many economists and investors were afraid of inflation, and gold prices soared toward $1,000. But inflation remained in check, and gold’s price tumbled more than 30 percent in a matter of months. Bonds? Yields fell dramatically, and investors in Treasurys made a killing. SMARTMONEY ® Layout and look and feel of SmartMoney.com are trademarks of SmartMoney, a joint venture between Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst SM Partnership. © 1995 - 2009 SmartMoney. All Rights Reserved.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm Looking for a New Job? Follow the Pink Slips (Consumer Action)Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) intends to lay off 113 full-time employees at its facilities in Evansville and Mount Vernon, Ind. Sun Microsystems (JAVA) plans to eliminate 3,000 positions world-wide in the next 12 months, and Expedia (EXPE) expects to close a call center in Tacoma, Wash., leaving roughly half its 170 workers unemployed. For job seekers, those companies – and others making headlines with work-force cuts – may not sound like the most fertile territory when it comes to landing a new opportunity. But just the opposite may be true: Companies cutting jobs are often hiring in some areas, even as they shrink in others, which means they can be overlooked but potentially a smart place to hunt. In the case of all three big names above, for instance, the companies’ latest job listings show a substantial list of openings. Sun Microsystems had 43, Bristol-Myers listed 165 and Expedia, 166. Bristol-Myers and Sun declined to comment. In a statement, Expedia said it plans to relocate some of its affected employees to Bellevue, Wash., and others will be offered the opportunity to move to Las Vegas. Hiring and firing employees simultaneously isn’t unusual, says John Challenger, the chief executive officer of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. “Larger companies, especially, are big, complex organizations, often with many different lines of business,” he says. “It’s certainly not impossible for a company to be laying off in one area of their business and be holding steady or even growing and doing selective hiring in another.” That’s particularly common at companies that relocate facilities – warehouses, production plants or even headquarters – in order to cut costs, says Jared Lubitz, president of AllPinkSlips.com, a job search engine that also tracks layoffs. For example, earlier this month, Wichita, Kan.-based Coleman said it plans to move to a larger new warehouse in Gardner, Kan. That's great news for workers there, as the company expects to hire 200 people for the new facility, but bad news for its Wichita employees, who will lose their jobs. Company spokeswoman Delaina Lee declined to disclose the number of Wichita employees who will be affected. Other employers simply use the economic environment as an excuse to clean house, Lubitz says. “Whether it’s to clean out senior-level leadership that’s just been making too much money or cut costs in anticipation of tougher times down the road, they’ll start to hire again shortly after,” he says. At some companies, the cuts represent strategic moves to swap out “C” players for “A” players, says Seymour Adler, a senior vice president in the Human Capital Practice at Aon Consulting. “They are exploiting the economic environment to find great talent.” However, at most companies, such staffing dynamics are simply the result of haphazard layoffs. If a company fires too many people too fast – or with no regard to the strategic value of their talent – they will find themselves “scrambling around to hire people to plug in the holes that they’ve created,” Adler says. What does all this mean for job seekers? To start with the obvious, if you’re unemployed you shouldn’t automatically write off opportunities at companies that are in the news for letting people go. Chances are, there will be job opportunities elsewhere within the company. But that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down completely: If given the opportunity, use a job interview to ask about the reason behind the recent layoffs and how they would affect the position you're pursuing. The company could be eliminating outdated positions and looking to expand in areas more suited for today’s business environment. A publisher may be cutting editorial positions, for example, while adding video- and web-production ones, Challenger says. Financial institutions may still be trimming investment-banking positions, but seeking out risk managers. And law firms may be getting rid of lawyers specializing in corporate mergers while adding ones with bankruptcy expertise. These days, knowing which areas in your field are growing – and, if possible, acquiring the skills and training that’s required – may improve your chances of finding work more quickly.
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Source: SmartMoney.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm Want to Skip Windows 7? 6 Ways to Boost Your PC (Deal of the Day)
In case you hadn’t noticed, practically the entire computer industry wants you to upgrade right now. Microsoft (MSFT) is pushing its new Windows 7 operating system, while big computer makers like Dell (DELL) and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) would love to sell you a new computer this holiday season to run Windows 7. Meanwhile, Apple (AAPL) is running ads suggesting that Windows users who want a big upgrade should just switch to Mac. “The working life of a PC, particularly a desktop PC, can be easily eight years,” says Robert Houghton, the president of Columbus, Ohio-based Redemtech, which helps companies extend the life of their information technology with periodic upgrading and refurbishing. Consumers also can add years to their computers with some basic care – some of which is free of charge. However, consumers should consider the cost benefit of updating their computer versus buying a new one, says Rick Edson, the director of technology at the San Mateo-Foster City School District in California, where he oversees 3,000 computers. Those who use their computer primarily for web surfing, email and light Word processing should stick with upgrades because the wear-and-tear should be minimal. But when essential upgrades reach $200, most consumers are better off buying a new computer, which might not cost much more. (For example, the starting price for a Dell Inspiron 546 is $246, not including the monitor.) Here are six affordable computer improvements: Install additional memoryPrice: Starts at around $25, but averages $50 If it takes a few minutes to retrieve a file, your computer probably needs additional Random Access Memory (RAM). RAM provides space for a computer to read and write data. The more you have, the more tasks your computer can perform at once. Users see this as speed. Some software upgrades – say, an uploaded program or a switch from Vista to Windows 7 – demand more memory, effectively slowing a computer down. Users who want to add memory can either add additional memory modules or replace those that came with their computer with larger ones. First, you’ll need to know if your computer has more than one slot for memory. Consult your manual (often available on the computer manufacturers’ web sites), where you’ll find a diagram of the inside of your computer where the memory is located. Computers can have as few as one slot or as many as eight or more. You can also check out Crucial.com where you can input your computer model number and find out how many memory slots it has. Different computers require different denominations of RAM modules, but most demand the same amount of RAM on all modules in the machine. When you start shopping, you’ll need to find the memory that’s compatible with your computer. Major retailers like Best Buy (BBY) can help; so can computer suppliers like Kingston Technology Company, whose site lists the memory upgrades compatible with different computers. For some, the hardest part is physically installing the memory. You’ll have to unsnap the computer (or use a screwdriver) and snap the RAM in place. (The RAM should be sold with installation instructions.) There are around 3,000 types of memory modules, and prices vary depending on size and speed, says Jason Tierney, a vice president at Poolesville, Md.-based Corporate Network Services, which provides IT services to small and midsize businesses. Add an external hard drive or sign up with an online backup servicePrice: Starting prices for external hard drives are $70 at Best Buy and $100 at Staples. Users who upload thousands of songs, videos, movies and photos eventually may need more space than their computer had when they bought it. An external hard drive offers additional space where users can store files. Most are compatible with Macs or PCs, as long as the computer has a USB port. They can be purchased at retailers like Staples (SPLS) or Best Buy. External hard drives don’t just back up media – they can preserve crucial system data. “Even reliable new and refurbished computers have hard drive failures, and it’s critical for data to be backed up,” says Houghton. Online backup services, like Carbonite.com or Mozy.com, allow users to back up data over the Internet. Should the computer crash, users can retrieve their data from the online service. (At Carbonite.com, a one-year subscription starts at $54.95, and at Mozy.com monthly subscription costs would total $59.40 for a year.) Although external hard drives are more expensive initially, they represent a one-time cost, whereas consumers who opt for the online service will be paying on a monthly or annual basis. Sweep for viruses and spywarePrice: Free Viruses and spyware can make a computer noticeably sluggish. Most new computers are sold with antivirus protection. And most antivirus programs will update automatically, as long as the computer is connected to the Internet. Otherwise, look for free versions from antivirus protection providers like Avast or AVG. Spyware, or covert software designed to record your activity for marketing purposes, typically accumulates from browsing the Internet. A common sign of spyware is pop-up ads. To protect your computer, run a spyware scan each month, says Tierney. Malwarebytes.org offers a free version of its scan software. Consider new peripheralsPrice: At Staples, keyboards start at $15 and mice start at around $27. Most LCD computer screens at major retailers start at around $100. Tired of that old, oversized computer screen? Flat LCD screens require less space and are compatible with most computers. Computer keyboards and mice can get grimy and even start wearing out after a few months of use. When shopping for a new keyboard, make sure it has the same connector (typically a USB or a PS2 for older models) as the old one. Remove unwanted programsPrice: Free To free up space on your computer’s hard drive, remove programs that you no longer use for, say, instant messaging or music downloads. (To do this on Windows-based PC, click on “Control Panel,” where you’ll find an option to “add or remove programs.”) “Even though they’re not currently running, they’re taking up unnecessary disk space on your hard drive,” says Edson. Reformat your hard drivePrice: Free To cleanse your computer of junk, consider reformatting the hard drive. A reformat clears the hard drive, deleting unused or forgotten programs, and often makes your computer run like new. First, you’ll need to move all the files you want to keep onto CDs, DVDs or an external hard drive. But you may need the original installation discs to reinstall software you’ve purchased. Files left on the computer during reformatting get deleted. A reformatting program comes with most new computers. If yours doesn’t have one, you can find the recovery or factory-restore disc that came with the computer when you purchased it. If you can’t find the disc, contact your computer’s manufacturer, which should sell it for $20 to $30, says John Alston, the chief executive of ClubDrive Systems, an IT service provider based in Atlanta. SMARTMONEY ® Layout and look and feel of SmartMoney.com are trademarks of SmartMoney, a joint venture between Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst SM Partnership. © 1995 - 2009 SmartMoney. All Rights Reserved.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm 10 Things Your Headhunter Won't Tell You (10 Things)1. “I’ll play you for a sucker.” Headhunters come in two flavors. “Retained” executive search firms, such as blue-chippers Korn/Ferry International or Heidrick & Struggles, charge a company up front to locate candidates for client openings. “Contingency” search firms, on the other hand, get paid by employers only if they place a candidate. The payoff? For both, around a third of your first year’s salary. Charging the candidate for a search is verboten. The Association of Executive Search Consultants, which represents 250 retained firms worldwide, urges jobseekers to proceed with caution. But there are headhunters out there who still try to bill candidates thousands of dollars for “career services,” thus potentially snaring fees at both ends. Industry bible Kennedy Information’s Directory of Executive Recruiters has been known to screen out new applicants who squeeze job candidates for fees, and plenty of other firms doing the same thing don’t even try to get listed. There are also numerous online ventures that charge the candidate, and not the posting companies, for the privilege of trolling through their jobs databases. How can you determine whether your headhunter is on the up-and-up? The answer's simple: Ask up front. 2. “There’s a lawsuit in your future.” Lawyers must love the job-search industry. Why? Because any given job move has the potential to embroil your former employer, your new employer, your search firm—and even you—in a fireworks display of legal writs. Company-to-company lawsuits over talent pilfering, for example, have become almost commonplace: Starbucks v. Dunkin' Donuts, Wal-Mart v. Amazon.com, Nortel Networks v. ONI Systems, Nike v. Gap, and so on. And how do these affect the job candidate? Such a suit could hold up your appointment, or even block it altogether, especially if you signed a noncompete agreement and are jumping to another firm in your field. What should you do if you're interested in accepting a new offer but don't know if you're crossing the legal line? If you're leaving a job and have a non-compete, it's best to seek the advice of an employment attorney before making any big moves. 3. “I may be headed for extinction.” If you’re a rising star, recruiters are going to want you all to themselves. And, indeed, an exclusive relationship with the right recruiter who knows you well can lead to fantastic job offers, the right corporate fit—and, of course, commissions in the recruiter’s pocket. But before you invest all that time and energy with a headhunter, take heed: He may be going the way of the 8-track tape. Websites such as BountyJobs.com, 6FigureJobs.com, and Netshare.com have been compiling databases of $100,000- plus earners and matching them directly with companies, a task previously the sole domain of retained recruiters. It’s faster, and it’s financially alluring—no middleman, no hefty fee. For its part, 6FigureJobs.com says it’s seeing the shift away from recruiters gain momentum: Whereas the site’s subscriber ratio was 60/40 recruiters to companies back in 2000, these days it’s more like 35/65. “We think the math just makes that inevitable,” says a spokesperson for 6FigureJobs.com. “You can save yourself a lot of money by using smart research and using the right mix of sites.” 4. “I’m not above wasting your time.” You may be excited about an upcoming job interview your headhunter just set up, but don’t break out the bubbly just yet. The reality is that you may be considered “filler.” That is, the recruiter doesn’t think you’re a good fit for the position but sends you to the interview anyway. To mask the fact that you’re a square peg being pitched for a round hole, your résumé might even be tweaked by an overzealous recruiter who’s stretching for a fit. This tactic revealed itself to an automation engineer for a South Carolina industrial equipment manufacturer who was lured to an interview by a lavish job description— and found that his CV had been altered almost beyond recognition: “I said, ‘What is that?’ The interviewer said, ‘This is your résumé.’ I said, ‘No, it’s not.’” The job candidate says that the recruiter had changed the format of the résumé completely, as well as the way he had listed his jobs and skills. “They only wanted to emphasize the things that matched the job description, so they could have an identical fit,” he says. Other times, particularly given today's job market, recruiters may send you to an interview at a company that doesn't necessarily have an open position. When times are slow, HR departments within companies still need to keep busy, and so it's in their best interest to screen potential candidates anyway. The best case scenario: They'll keep you on file and contact you again when the timing is right. 5. “I’ll send your résumé everywhere—even if you don’t want me to.” Since contingency firms get paid only if they place a candidate, the temptation is to carpet-bomb hundreds of companies in hopes that something pans out. The result: Your information could be spread far and wide by recruiters eager to make a commission or traded with others who might do the same. It could even end up in the lap of your current employer. Even if you’re careful, you might still get burned. If multiple agencies are sending in your résumé, a company might decline to hire you simply because it looks like you don’t know what you’re doing. Or it might not want to get involved in a nasty fee dispute between competing headhunters who are pitching the same person—even if you’re the perfect candidate. 6. “I have no idea what you do for a living.” When it comes to technology, too many recruiters still don’t know what they’re talking about. To be sure, many firms now offer sector-specific high-tech placement services. But there are plenty of headhunters who are just trying to get by. They might be up on the latest tech buzzwords, for example, but that doesn’t mean they’re savvy about e-commerce. At the very least, it can mean a waste of time and effort spent chasing the wrong job. Worse, if you took the word of a clueless recruiter, you could be looking for another job as soon as you start. 7. “We’re too busy to worry about you.” One big dilemma with headhunters: When the market’s in trouble, there aren’t enough jobs for candidates; then, when the market recovers, recruitment firms overbook themselves, meaning clients don’t get enough or the right kind of attention. Another consequence of a firm’s scrambling on too many searches at once: Your file might be offloaded onto a junior person. This happened to Tim Hu, a Cheyenne, Wyo., systems analyst. Bounced around between reps, he ended up with a green staffer who “didn’t quite understand what was going on,” Hu says. The result: Hu was placed at a financial services firm with a far more buttoned down corporate culture than he had been looking for. He left soon afterward. 8. “I make promises I can’t keep.” In a tight job market, recruiters and the high-tech companies they represent often offer perks they can’t deliver. Think attractive 401(k) plans, stock options, lengthy vacation time or the likelihood of a promotion upon a one-year review. Recruiters will also sometimes paint a far rosier picture of a job than is actually the case. And that could lead to some very bad career decisions. You should think of your recruiter as a salesman; you can't take everything he or she says at face value. Do your own research. Also arrive at each job interview armed with questions, so you can compare and contrast with what the recruiter tells you. "There are some terrific individuals out there who can make a big difference to your job search, but you must do your due diligence," says Della Giles, director of executive search firm BlueSteps.com. 9. “You didn’t hire me—but I’m out pitching your résumé anyway.” At the lower end of the headhunter food chain, recruitment tactics can get a little fast and loose. In the case of a desperate firm, the recruiter might pitch you without having ever met you or even spoken with you about the job. So how do these firms find out about you? The Web, naturally. Headhunters have grown increasingly savvy when it comes to navigating job-hunting sites like LinkedIn or Monster. Often they’ll manually search these sites, where they may come upon your résumé and add it to their own candidate pool—without your ever knowing about it. In addition, member profiles for LinkedIn will often come up in Google searches with a high page rating if the user has chosen to let their profile be “publicly viewed,” a LinkedIn spokesperson explains. Fortunately, there are ways to limit the possibility of your résumé landing in the hands of a dicey headhunter —especially if you’re posting it for networking purposes, rather than to find a new job. Many sites offer contact and privacy settings that you can fiddle with. A spokesperson for LinkedIn also suggests typing the phrase, “If you’re a headhunter, please do not contact me,” directly in your online profile. 10. “This job will self-destruct in three months.” Don’t expect headhunters to tip you off about a possible merger, downsizing, or corporate meltdown. Even if they know, they won’t tell you—sometimes because they’re legally required to stay mum, and sometimes because it’s just not in their job description to air a company’s dirty laundry. After all, recruiters work for the companies, not you.
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Source: SmartMoney.com | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm ECB's Noyer warns banks on excessive risk-takingSINGAPORE (Reuters) - European Central Bank Governing Council member Christian Noyer warned that banks are taking the same risks that led to the financial crisis and said they should preserve capital rather than pay it out to bankers and investors.Source: Reuters: Business News | 25 Oct 2009 | 9:31 pm Madoff friend Picower found dead in poolPalm Beach billionaire and philanthropist Jeffry Picower, described as the biggest beneficiary of Bernard Madoff’s fraud, is found dead at the bottom of the pool at his home, police saySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 9:09 pm Land deal advisor resigns from CalpersLOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The real estate investment manager who led the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the nation's largest pension fund, into a money-losing land venture has resigned as an adviser to the fund, a spokeswoman for MacFarlane Partners said on Saturday.Source: Reuters: Business News | 25 Oct 2009 | 8:38 pm Madoff friend found dead in poolA close friend of jailed financial fraudster Bernard Madoff is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool in Florida.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 25 Oct 2009 | 7:58 pm Capmark Financial files for bankruptcyCapmark Financial, one of America's biggest commercial property lenders, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday night after being hit by souring loans. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 7:13 pm Capmark Financial files for bankruptcy (Reuters)Reuters - Commercial real estate company Capmark Financial filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday, wiping out the investment of several private equity firms including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:46 pm Capmark Financial files for bankruptcyNEW YORK (Reuters) - Commercial real estate company Capmark Financial filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday, wiping out the investment of several private equity firms including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.Source: Reuters: Business News | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:46 pm Cadillac’s Irreversible SlideWhen GM decided to close its Saturn and Pontiac brands it forgot to put a “do not resuscitate” sign on Cadillac. Cadillac is in trouble, and that trouble is likely to get much worse in 2010 due to a poor product mix, a leasing system that puts it at a huge disadvantage to its competition, and [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:13 pm Bradford & Bingley to split good and bad assets to pay back £18.4bn loanBank looking to to divide its £50bn balance sheet and sell attractive assets to private buyersSource: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:08 pm Antitrust threat to Atlantic air allianceEuropean regulators have told British Airways, American Airlines and Spain’s Iberia that they could be forced to give up valuable take-off and landing slots if they want their long-planned transatlantic tie-up to go aheadSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:07 pm Bradford & Bingley to split good and bad assets to repay £18.4bn loan earlyBradford & Bingley (B&B) is to divide its £50 billion balance sheet into “good” and “bad” assets in an exercise that echoes similar plans at Northern Rock. B&B, which was broken up and partly nationalised a year ago, is looking for attractive assets that it can sell to private buyers. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm PricewaterhouseCoopers tries to win approval for Lehman Brothers’ assets schemePricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the administrator of Lehman Brothers in Europe, will return to court this morning for a second attempt to win approval for a plan designed to speed up the administration. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm Outcry over Crown's rent rise for wind farmsPlans by the Crown Estate to treble its revenues from offshore wind parks have angered energy companies, who say that the move could jeopardise the viability of important new projects and undermine government hopes to boost renewable energy in Britain. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm Internet giants join forces to beat Nigerian e-mail scamsDear Honourable Friend. Those generous Nigerians who e-mail you with promises of a fortune are themselves being targeted in a new drive to deter cyber criminals. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm Internet giants join forces to beat Nigerian e-mail scamsDear Honourable Friend. Those generous Nigerians who e-mail you with promises of a fortune are themselves being targeted in a new drive to deter cyber criminals. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm Credit card companies will be forced to help customers under new lawsNew laws requiring credit card companies to help customers to reduce their debt rather than encourage them to increase it will be proposed tomorrow. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm InterContinental Hotels Group - IHG - keeps on growth trackThe hotel industry may be mired in its worst trading decline in living memory amid a slump in corporate spending, but InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the world’s biggest hotel company, will provide compelling evidence this week that the pipeline of new development, even at the top end, has yet to dry up. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 25 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm Fund to focus on role of womenThe Women’s Leadership Fund, started by Zurich-based Naissance Capital, hopes to invest up to $2bn and take activist positions in companies with few or no women in executive or board rolesSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 5:32 pm Friend of Bernard Madoff found dead in swimming poolJeffry Picower a philanthropist accused of profiting more than 7 billion from the investment schemes of his longtime friend Bernard Madoff was found at the bottom of the pool at his oceanside mansion and died on Sunday police said.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 25 Oct 2009 | 5:24 pm Google’s Android takes on AppleThe Apple iPhone, which has been setting the bar in touch-screen smartphones, could soon be overtaken by an army of Google-powered handsets.Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 4:33 pm Disney boss tells Hollywood to rewrite scriptBob Iger, the Walt Disney chief executive, has issued a stark warning to Hollywood, saying the film business is “changing right before our eyes” after a turbulent year in which studios have been forced to re-examine their business modelsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 4:32 pm Capmark bankruptcy filing highlights property woesCapmark Financial Group, the US commercial real estate finance company, filed for bankruptcy, highlighting the ongoing stress in this corner of the property marketSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 3:54 pm On a roll KimberlyClark boss is fending off own brandsJosephine Moulds speaks to chairman and CEO Tom Falk and finds out how the paper giant is keeping ahead of the pack.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 25 Oct 2009 | 2:58 pm Shareholders attack banks in bonus rowCity investors demand that regulators stop bonuses from being awarded out of profits made on the back of taxpayer support.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 25 Oct 2009 | 2:47 pm Eyre in frame for C4 chairRichard Eyre the former chairman of GCap Media has been shortlisted for the role of chairman at Channel 4.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 25 Oct 2009 | 2:43 pm Footling measures are of no use when dealing with public sector debtLast week saw further evidence of the dire state of the public finances. Borrowing came in at almost £15bn for September alone and nearly £80bn for the financial year so far.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 25 Oct 2009 | 2:42 pm Swap your Yahoo shares for Google: Barron'sNEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors should swap their shares of Yahoo Inc for those of Google Inc because Yahoo's advertising revenues are on the decline while Google's are rising, Barron's reported in its October 26 edition.Source: Reuters: Business News | 25 Oct 2009 | 2:39 pm Brazil keeps economic excitement in checkEveryone is excited about the emergence of Brazil as an economic power, but with uncertainty about the transition to the next government there are reasons to be warySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 1:45 pm Beijing allows overseas investment after 17-month breakChina has resumed approvals for institutions to buy overseas securities under its tightly managed offshore investment regime after a 17-month hiatus, suggesting Beijing believes the worst of the financial crisis is overSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 1:27 pm Car bombs in Iraqi capital leave 136 deadTwin car bombs targeting two government buildings including the justice ministry killed at least 136 people and wounded 520 in central Baghdad, in the bloodiest attack in the capital for monthsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 25 Oct 2009 | 1:15 pm Growers aim at premium red salesHawkes Bay winegrowers are joining forces to try to change New Zealand's image as a one-and-a-half trick pony on the international wine stage.The vast bulk of New Zealand's wine exports are sauvignon blanc, with a sideline in...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Fears Jackson will deliver harsh verdictNever mind Peter Jackson's remake of The Dam Busters .The New Zealand director's report with Australian academic David Court on the New Zealand Film Commission is expected to deliver bombshells.Arts Minister Chris Finlayson...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Composting portable loo wins business challengeSometimes a great idea strikes you in the most unexpected of moments.For Brad Lovett the idea that came to him while sitting on a toilet has just earned him $30,000. He came up with the concept of Green Loos while using a particularly...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Damien Grant: IRD must keep right to wind up sick firmsThe ease of incorporating a new company in New Zealand is what allows some directors to leave a trail of unpaid tax and burned creditors in their wake.At present, if a company goes into liquidation the liquidator must pay creditors...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Queen makes killing in propertyThe Queen has beaten the property market over the past six months, with a big rebound in the valuation of her portfolio, leaving many commercial rivals trailing in her wake.Her estate - which is now worth £6.5 billion ($14 billion)...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Exports stronger than thought: instituteNew Zealand's exports are more diversified and its manufacturers more competitive than they are given credit for, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research says.The United Nations' trade classification system recognises over...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Seaweed harvesting raises habitat concernsA decision to open up the North Island for commercial farming of seaweed has drawn concerns that harvesting could affect other fishery industries.This month, most of the North Island was opened for the gathering of beach-cast...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am China's African deals raise ethical concernsBEIJING - A US$7 billion ($9.23 billion) mining deal between Guinea's repressive military regime and a little-known Chinese company underscores China's full-throttle rush into Africa and its willingness to deal with brutal and corrupt...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Russia coming out of recessionMOSCOW - Russia's Finance Minister predicted at the weekend that the economy will grow more than 2 per cent in the fourth quarter in another sign the country is coming out of its recession.Alexei Kudrin said 2 per cent growth...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Obama asks banks to lend moreBanks should return the favour they received in their recent taxpayer-financed bailout by lending more money to small businesses, President Barack Obama said yesterday.In his weekly radio and internet address, Obama said too many...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 25 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am Earnings, data to determine rally's fate (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 25 Oct 2009 | 8:40 am The Fannie-Freddie Equity Conundrum (FNM, FRE)It is no secret that things could be much better at Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE). But the last week or so has re-highlighted just how dire the situation is for these government sponsored entities and perhaps more importantly for the common shareholders. Both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were forced into [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 25 Oct 2009 | 5:45 am 4 More DJIA Stocks To Report Earnings (VZ, XOM, PG, CVX)Last week marked what was the crest of third quarter earnings season for 2009, yet there is still a flood of earnings reports coming out this next week. We have four more DJIA components set to report earnings this week, and that should make for 25 of the 30 DJIA components after the week is [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 25 Oct 2009 | 5:20 am
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