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Eurozone emerges from recessionThe eurozone economy has emerged from recession after growing between July and September, figures show.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:39 am Dollar rebound weighs on European boursesMarkets Overview: European bourses struggled to make headway on Friday as traders pondered the implications of the dollar’s strong advance in the previous session.Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:28 am Kenmore appoints administrators leaves Lloyds exposedKenmore the property group which is reported to owe Lloyds bank around £700m has placed 21 of its companies into administration and a further two into receivership accountants Grant Thornton said.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:25 am Economic Report: Euro zone returns to growth in third quarterThe latest GDP results for the 16-nation region come in slightly below expectations.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:23 am Europe Markets: Airlines, luxury goods firms help Europe gainEuropean shares edged higher on Friday, the third session of gains for the region, as British Airways and Iberia climbed after striking a merger pact and as luxury goods producers rose after unveiling forecast-beating profits.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:23 am Stocks set for higher openU.S. stocks looked set for a rebound of sorts Friday, as investors eyed opportunities after the previous session's sharp drop.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:18 am The Swine Flu Epidemic Fails To Do Economic DamageSwine flu vaccinations have been slow to get to those who want to be treated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that about 22 million American have contracted the disease and of those almost 4,000 have died. The number of people who have had to go to hospitals because if the illness is [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:12 am British Airways, Iberia agree to $7 billion mergerMADRID/LONDON (Reuters) - British Airways and Spain's Iberia announced on Thursday a preliminary agreement for a $7 billion merger to create the world's third-largest airline by revenue.Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:07 am British Airways, Iberia agree to $7 billion merger (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:07 am Japan Airlines plunges into lossStruggling carrier Japan Airlines reports $357m second-quarter loss as it negotiates a fourth financial bailout.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:07 am Euro zone economy jumps out of recession in Q3 (Reuters)Reuters - The euro zone economy jumped out of recession in the third quarter, data showed on Friday, but with slightly less spring than expected after the area's top three economies fell short of market forecasts.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:06 am Euro zone economy jumps out of recession in Q3BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The euro zone economy jumped out of recession in the third quarter, data showed on Friday, but with slightly less spring than expected after the area's top three economies fell short of market forecasts.Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:06 am London Markets: British Airways aloft in mildly higher LondonLondon gets a boost from airline British Airways after it announces a plan to combine with Spain’s Iberia.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:57 am Boeing (BA) Dreamliner Still Broken Along With Firm’s ManagementBoeing (NYSE:BA) said it had encountered another problem with the final assembly of its Dreamliner in a cryptic press release from the company. The issue was discovered in the area where the plane’s wing meets its body. The discovery may only push back the time table for flight testing of the 787 for a brief time, but it is still [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:51 am My hypochondriac boss is swine-flu crazyDear Annie: My boss (who also owns the company I work for) has always been a hypochondriac, but lately he's gone over the edge.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:48 am M&S advert 'backfires' as Waitrose sales soarWaitrose claimed today that Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) comparison adverts featuring several of their products have helped push sales up by the biggest increase in three years. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:41 am Liberty Global to buy Unitymedia for $5.2 billionJohn Malone’s international cable operator is to acquire Germany’s second largest cable-television firm.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:38 am Obama kicks off Asia tour in JapanBarack Obama has begun his first Asia tour as US president, arriving in a chilly and foggy Tokyo for talks officials hope will help smooth recent frictions with Japan's new leadersSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:35 am Housing agency running out of cashThe mortgage meltdown has ravaged the finances of a crucial government agency tasked with propping up the housing industry.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:32 am GM still wants state aid for Opel restructuringFRANKFURT (Reuters) - General Motors reiterated on Friday it wanted state aid to help restructure European arm Opel after Germany's economics minister said the carmaker would not ask European taxpayers for help.Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:30 am GM still wants state aid for Opel restructuring (Reuters)Reuters - General Motors reiterated on Friday it wanted state aid to help restructure European arm Opel after Germany's economics minister said the carmaker would not ask European taxpayers for help.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:30 am BA merger 'good for passengers'British Airways says its planned merger with Iberia will be good news for customers, and pledges no cuts to its service standards.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:28 am Where next for income?Research shows that cash has outperformed equities since 1999.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:26 am Rumors: Verizon iPhone in 2010Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:25 am Haggling over global warmingA recent plan offering high hopes that struggling greenhouse gas legislation might soon become law is still far from being a sure thing.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:24 am Dollar eases, lifting commodities; stocks tick upLONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar eased on Friday after overnight gains and ahead of euro zone growth data, boosting metal and crude prices, while world stocks drifted higher. The dollar rose overnight against a basket of currencies but succumbed to another sporadic bout of profit-taking, and traders said the currency's broad weakness was likely to continue over the longer term.Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:22 am Dollar eases, lifting commodities; stocks tick up (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:22 am Google adds Gizmo5 to stableGoogle plugs a key gap in its growing portfolio of communication services with the acquisition of Gizmo5, a Californian start-up that handles internet-based voice calls and instant messagingSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:19 am World stock markets mixed after Wall Street fall (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:19 am AP sources: Probers eye census worker's insurance (AP)AP - Investigators trying to solve the mystery of a census taker found hanging from a tree with the word "fed" scrawled on his chest are examining whether he manipulated the scene in order to conceal a suicide and make a life insurance claim possible for his son, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:18 am October deficit reaches $176 billionOctober was another costly month for Uncle Sam. The U.S. Treasury reported on Thursday that federal coffers racked up a deficit of $176.4 billion for the month.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:18 am Tokyo stocks drop while Shanghai, Hong Kong riseAsian share markets ended mixed Friday after a volatile session where resource-linked stocks broadly retraced some recent gains after an overnight fall in commodity prices and a pullback on Wall Street.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:17 am Media Digest 11/13/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, BloombergReuters: China’s economy may be hurt as its stimulus ends. Reuters: Warren Buffett says the financial panic is over. Reuters: Former bankers are considering buying failed banks. Reuters: The SEC is expected to go ahead with the Bear Stearns case. Reuters: British Airways and Iberia will merge in a $7 billion deal. Reuters: Disney (NYSE:DIS) revenue and profit beat Wall St. [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:03 am BA and Iberia agree mergerThe boards of the Spanish and UK flag carriers agreed the terms of a merger that would create Europe’s third-largest airline by revenue, one of the biggest deals in the global aviation industrySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:02 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 | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:01 am Big changes in the cast at DisneyIf you work at Walt Disney, you are not just an employee, you are a "castmember"-- and Thursday, the company boldly swapped the roles of two of its most senior executives.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am London stocks steady at open (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:57 am Government pledges better East Coast train servicesThe Government today promised improved services on a key London to Scotland rail route which it will take back into public ownership from midnight tonight.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:55 am Asia 'leading world out of slump'Asia is leading the world out of recession, leaders say at the start of an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:53 am Big banks in no rush to pair upThe days of big bank mergers are gone. And it may be a long time before they ever come back.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:50 am Rail passengers disrupted againThousands of rail commuters in south-east England once again face severe delays because of unofficial action by drivers.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:47 am UPDATE 1-Kudelski completes takeover of OpenTVZURICH, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Digital TV company Kudelski said on Friday it had bought about 60 percent of the shares in OpenTV Corp it had not already owned for $1.55 a share, taking its voting rights...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:29 am Asia Markets And Europe Open (11/13/2009)Markets in Asia were mixed. The Nikkei fell .4% to 9,770. Mitsubitchi UFJ (MYSE:MTU) fell. The Hang Seng was up .7% to 22,554. The Shanghai Composite rose .5% to 3,188. At the open in Europe, the FTSE was down .3% to 5,267. Rio Tinto (NYSE:RTP) fell. The Dax moved down .1% to 5,660. The CAC 40 fell .6% to [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:26 am UPDATE 1-Liberty Global to buy Unitymedia in $3 bln dealNov 13 (Reuters) - International cable operator Liberty Global agreed to buy Unitymedia GmbH [UNTMDA.UL], the second-largest German cable network company, for an equity purchase price of $3 billion (2...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:21 am Aussie stocks: Lower on weak overseas leadsIn the retail sector, outdoor wear and camping goods retailer Kathmandu Holdings made a strong market debut, closing at $1.76, six cents above its issue price.Wesfarmers, which owns Coles, ascended 21 cents to $27.90, and Woolworths...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:20 am UK sends officials to Washington to drum up IMF support for Tobin TaxGordon Brown has sent two senior Treasury officials to Washington in an effort to win the International Monetary Fund round to the controversial idea of a tax on all financial transactions.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:19 am JAL posts $1.45 billion first-half lossJapan Airlines suffers a heavy loss of about $1.45 billion for the six months ended in September and confirms it is seeking an out-of-court arrangement to restructure its large debt.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:18 am BAA to pump £500m into Heathrow refurbishmentBAA today announced plans to pump an extra £500 million into its London airports group in order to pay down debts and help to pay for refurbishments at Heathrow. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:15 am NZ stocks: Market closes lowerA new listing at a premium is what every market wants and the NZX got one today with the debut of outdoor retailer Kathmandu.Kathmandu shares started at 222 and closed at 223, which is a premium to the 213 price the shares were...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:13 am BA and Iberia agree mergerBritish Airways and Iberia on Thursday night agreed the terms of a merger to create Europe's third-largest airline by revenue, one of the biggest deals in the global aviation industry. But the two airlines...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:13 am Hornby hopes to push sales ButtonToymaker Hornby hopes the world championship success of Jenson Button will boost Christmas sales of its Scalextric racing sets.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:13 am UPDATE 1-Novera reviews interest in wind farm stakeLONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - British renewable energy company Novera Energy is reviewing interest from bidders in a minority stake in one of its operating wind farm assets.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:05 am Liberty seals €3.5bn Unitymedia buyThe international cable group chaired by John Malone seals a €3.5bn deal to acquire Unitymedia, less than a week after approaching Germany’s second-largest cable companySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:01 am Liberty seals 3.5bn Unitymedia buyLiberty Global, the international cable group chaired by John Malone, sealed a 3.5bn ($5bn) deal to acquire Unitymedia in the early hours of Friday, less than a week after approaching Germany's second-largest...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:01 am Obama to press Asia to open markets and buy more U.S. importsThe president will urge leaders to do more to 'rebalance' the global economy by increasing domestic consumption and focusing less on exporting to American consumers. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Obama to focus on job creationHe will hold a White House summit next month and says he's open to 'any demonstrably good idea.' President Obama...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Obama to focus on job creationHe will hold a White House summit next month and says he's open to 'any demonstrably good idea.'President Obama will convene a White House summit early next month to explore ways to reverse the soaring unemployment rate -- and there won't be any shortage of ideas.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing: The mind-blowing 1950s version was cooler, but . . .To compare this model to the first modern sports car is unfair. This one has a low center of gravity and explosive bolts in the doors, but that one was a minor miracle. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Filming of state milk ads is heading abroad to save moolaUnions are sour on The California Milk Advisory Board's plan to shoot "Happy Cow" commercials in New Zealand.The California Milk Advisory Board may have shot itself in the hoof.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Google launches flu shot finderThe site provides users with the locations of clinics that provide seasonal and H1N1 vaccines. Feel a fever coming...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Fed Reserve bans most bank overdraft feesATM and debit card transactions are the target of rules that take effect July 1. Automatic overdraft coverage of checks and recurring debit transactions are not covered under the new regulation.Flexing newfound muscle as consumer protector, the Federal Reserve on Thursday banned ATM and debit card overdraft fees unless customers have opted to pay to ensure that balance-busting transactions go through.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Obama to press Asia to open markets and buy more U.S. importsThe president will urge leaders to do more to 'rebalance' the global economy by increasing domestic consumption and focusing less on exporting to American consumers.On the eve of his first Pacific trip since entering the White House, President Obama signaled Thursday that he would press Asian leaders to open up their markets and boost purchases of U.S. goods instead of relentlessly focusing on exporting more and more to American consumers.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am For many ill with the flu, staying home isn't an optionWorkers without paid sick leave are often penalized for absences. Congress plans to consider legislation next week that would guarantee workers paid sick time.Glynndana Shevlin awoke Oct. 30 with a runny nose and scratchy throat, worried she might have the flu. But the full-time food and beverage concierge at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim has no paid sick days, and if her absences stack up, she faces discipline.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Disney reshuffles at top, posts 18% profit gainA high-level executive reshuffling at the Walt Disney Co. on Thursday will give Chief Executive Robert A. Iger a deeper bench from which to choose a No. 2.Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Disney reshuffles at top, posts 18% profit gainA high-level executive reshuffling at the Walt Disney Co. on Thursday will give Chief Executive Robert A. Iger a deeper bench from which to choose a No. 2.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Stocks fall as beaten-down dollar reboundsAnalysts say investors may be getting anxious to lock in gains after the markets' powerful run since July. The Dow drops 93.79 points. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Stocks fall as beaten-down dollar reboundsAnalysts say investors may be getting anxious to lock in gains after the markets' powerful run since July. The Dow drops 93.79 points.Has the "carry trade" become too tired to carry on in the short term?
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Profits up at Wal-Mart, Kohl's, NordstromThird-quarter earnings beat company expectations, but all three chains expect the holiday season to be tough. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing: The mind-blowing 1950s version was cooler, but . . .To compare this model to the first modern sports car is unfair. This one has a low center of gravity and explosive bolts in the doors, but that one was a minor miracle.It goes about a zillion miles an hour, looks tougher than jailhouse steak and has explosive bolts in the doors, but before getting to the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing, if I may, a nod to the old (1955-1957) Gullwing.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Dobbs' exit a double-edged sword for CNNAiring his opinions irked the bosses at the cable news network, but he was a strong performer. Anchorman John King will host a program in his place.Lou Dobbs' departure from CNN is a mixed blessing for the cable news channel.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Times publisher named chairman of Sirius XM RadioEddy Hartenstein has been a director of the satellite radio company since July 2008. Los Angeles Times Publisher...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am Profits up at Wal-Mart, Kohl's, NordstromThird-quarter earnings beat company expectations, but all three chains expect the holiday season to be tough.Three major retailers -- a discounter, a mid-priced department store and an upscale chain -- said their profits were up in the fiscal third quarter, showing significant improvement over last year's dismal fall season.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am BA merger faces failure over £2.6bn pensions debtThe Spanish airline Iberia could still walk away from a merger deal with British Airways to create Europe’s largest airline if the British flag carrier is unable to come to an agreement with its pension trustees over how to fund its £2.6 billion pension deficit. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:43 am Disney posts surprise rise in profits and executive jobs switchThe Walt Disney Company posted a surprise 18pc increase in fourthquarter profits and announced an executive job switch that might point to an eventual successor to Robert Iger the chief executive.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:24 am TABLE-ALGETA 3-month resultsNov 13 (Reuters) - 3 months to Sep 30 2009: Algeta ASA (Millions of Norwegian crowns unless otherwise stated)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:15 am Garna Biosciences -9-mth group results9 months ended 9 months ended Year toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:10 am Amotz Asa-El's View from Jerusalem: Shekel's strength is about Israeli fundamentalsThey say that money talks, but whether out of joy, fear, scorn or sheer amusement the Israeli shekel has been screaming.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:07 am TABLE-Mitsui Matsu -6mth group results6 months ended 6 months ended Full year to Full year endedSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:04 am Asian markets nervous after Wall Street fallsAsian markets were mostly lower on Friday amid investor uncertainty about the global outlook after Wall Street fell on weak energy demand.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:03 am Mitsui Matsu -2009/10 group forecastCONSOLIDATED EARNINGS ESTIMATES (in billions of yen unless specified)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am Korean fund ready to buy HSBC head officeSouth Korea’s £125 billion state pension fund is poised to buy HSBC’s head office building in London in an £800 million investment lunge for one of Canary Wharf’s foremost landmarks. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:56 pm NZ currency: Dollar trades in a rangeThe New Zealand dollar traded in a narrow range at lower levels today and investors kept a wary eye on Wall Street's performance.The NZ dollar was at US73.32c by 5pm from US73.26c at 8am and US74.03c at 5pm yesterday. It spent...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:48 pm Peter Brimelow: Sound Advice still sanguine, undeterredSound Advice bravely proclaimed a new bullish 'supercycle' back in the spring. It refused to be swayed when confidence crumbled in September. And today, it's still confident.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:48 pm UPDATE 1-Japan's Idemitsu to buy UK oil explorer Petro Summit* Move expands Idemitsu's stakes in North Sea oil fields (Adds details)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:44 pm TABLE-IREP -2008/09 parent resultsYear ended Year ended Year to Six months toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:32 pm TABLE-IREP -2008/09 group resultsYear ended Year ended Year to Six months toSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:32 pm Bain in $1.1 billion deal for Citi's Bellsystem: sourcesTOKYO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital is finalizing a roughly 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion) deal to buy Japanese telemarketer Bellsystem24 from Citigroup Inc , three sources familiar with the matter said.Source: Reuters: Business News | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm Former bankers look to buy failing banks: report(Reuters) - Some former bankers are planning to bid for failing banks in the Federal Insurance Deposit Corp auction process, and getting financial backing from Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Deutsche Bank AG, the Wall Street Journal reported citing sources.Source: Reuters: Business News | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:45 pm Former bankers look to buy failing banks: report (Reuters)Reuters - Some former bankers are planning to bid for failing banks in the Federal Insurance Deposit Corp auction process, and getting financial backing from Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Deutsche Bank AG (DBKGn.DE), the Wall Street Journal reported citing sources.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:41 pm Jon Friedman's Media Web: Was Springsteen born to pen a memoir?Bruce Springsteen has achieved fantastic fame and riches and enjoyed the adulation of music fans around the world. Is it time for him to write his memoirs?
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pm Taxing Domestic Help, Roth IRA Conversions, More (Ask SmartMoney)Stephanie AuWerter answers your personal-finance questions.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm Broker Talk: Can the Recovery Continue? (Broker Talk)Brokers discuss whether there's enough for the market to continue soaring.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm Blockbuster loss grows as sales dropLOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Blockbuster Inc , the largest U.S. movie rental chain, posted a larger-than-expected quarterly loss as revenue fell more than 20 percent, and its shares dropped 12 percent in after-hours trade.Source: Reuters: Business News | 12 Nov 2009 | 9:18 pm Free-trade deal with Hong Kong announcedNew Zealand has negotiated yet another free-trade agreement with an Asian economy, the latest being with Hong Kong.The deal was announced today at the summit of Asian-Pacific leaders in Singapore and follows the unveiling of similar...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 8:15 pm Sirius XM (SIRI) And CBS (CBS) Pose Greatest Financial Risk Among Media FirmsCBS (NYSE:CBS) and Sirius XM (NYSE:SIRI) pose the greatest investment risks among media companies based on a forensic measure of their transparency and the statistical reliability of their financial reporting and governance practices, according to new data from Audit Integrity. The probability for bankruptcy for Sirius is 8.5% and 4.6% for CBS. Both numbers are remarkably [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Nov 2009 | 7:23 pm Warren Buffett: The financial panic is overNEW YORK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett, perhaps the world's most admired investor, said on Thursday the financial panic that gripped the globe last year is a thing of the past, even as the U.S. economy's struggles persist.Source: Reuters: Business News | 12 Nov 2009 | 6:57 pm UK climate targets 'unachievable'UK government plans to make carbon emission cuts of 80% by 2050 are impossible to achieve, according to an analysis.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 12 Nov 2009 | 6:17 pm David Kirk: Unfinished businessIt's 8pm on a cool Sydney evening and David Kirk is trying to persuade me to drink what's left of his bottle of beer.It's not that he doesn't want it - on the contrary, it appears - but his glass is half full and he's concerned...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 6:00 pm BAIberia £4.4bn merger creates Europe's thirdlargest airlineThe airlines bet that combining will lead them back to profit.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:52 pm Amazon deforestation 'record low'The rate of deforestation in the Amazon drops by 45% to the lowest on record, Brazil's government says.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:38 pm Kathmandu lists at premium to offer priceDual-listed Kathmandu Holdings Ltd debuted on the NZX today at a premium to its offer price.Shares in the outdoor retailer opened at $2.22 compared to the $2.13 paid by New Zealand shareholders.Australian investors paid A$1.70...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:35 pm BA chief warns of further job losses as he seeks Iberia synergiesWillie Walsh the British Airways chief executive warned of further job cuts to come as he outlined plans to drive €400m £360m of synergies from the merger with Iberia.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:35 pm Billionaire auction: Madoff goods go under the hammerJewels, furs and 17 Rolex watches are just some of the trappings of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff that are up for auction on Saturday.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm Gates ‘appalled’ by Afghan leaksWashington responded to the revelation of a split between its top civilian and military officials in Afghanistan by stressing the need for an “exit strategy” for US troops stationed in the countrySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:14 pm TV networks boost Disney profitsWalt Disney surprises analysts by posting better-than-expected profits after strong sales at its television networks.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:08 pm Tesco and Apple target Chinese shoppersTesco, the supermarket group, yesterday announced plans to expand its presence in China significantly by opening three huge shopping centres, while Apple said that it would open two new stores in Shanghai. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm BA and Iberia merger cleared for take-offBritish Airways and Iberia, the Spanish flag carrier, have announced a deal to create Europe’s largest airline. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm 37 BBC staff earn more than the Prime MinisterAt least 37 BBC executives earn more than the Prime Minister, it was revealed yesterday, as the corporation disclosed the scale of its senior salaries for the first time. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm Disney cable operations spring a surpriseWalt Disney posted a surprise 18 per cent increase in fourth-quarter profits yesterday despite a poor performance from its movie studios and revenues at its theme parks hit by the recession. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm Office of Fair Trading to investigate accountants' fees for corporate insolvencyThe fees charged by Britain’s big accounting firms for winding up failed companies will come under scrutiny after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) yesterday launched a wide-ranging inquiry into corporate insolvencies. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm Former US envoy Galbraith could earn $100m from Iraqi oil field$A prominent former United Nations official was forced to defend himself yesterday against accusations that he used his influence in Iraq to enrich himself. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 12 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm Disney profit and revenue beat Street, shares riseLOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co posted a larger-than-expected rise in both quarterly profit and revenue, as strong results from its cable business helped it overcome a disappointing stretch for its film studio.Source: Reuters: Business News | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:42 pm Dollar General IPO set at $21 per share (AP)AP - Investors looking to have a hand in the future of frugal will watch shares of discount retailer Dollar General, which will begin trading Friday now that the company has priced its initial public offering.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:31 pm EU delays adoption of accounting rule changesBrussels holds back the radical overhaul covering banks and insurers which came into force across most of the rest of the world amid a split over asset valuation under the new rulesSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:31 pm Intertape Polymer to delist shares from NYSE (AP)AP - Intertape Polymer Group Inc. said Thursday it plans to voluntarily delist its shares of common stock from the New York Stock Exchange, but will continue to list its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:16 pm Write-Offs: 11.12.09$$$ Forbes 67 Most Powerful: Ben Bernanke (4), Lloyd Blankfein (18), Jamie Dimon (30). [Forbes] $$$ Fund Manager Horseman To Resign [WSJ] $$$ Buy Madoff's Boats [BI] $$$ Europe Could Impose Pay Restrictions On Hedge Funds [FA] 
 Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pm Former Nevada businessman faces fraud charges (AP)AP - A federal prosecutor says the former owner of a Nevada property firm faces conspiracy and fraud charges in a mortgage fraud scheme involving so-called "straw buyers" and false loan documents.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pm Property prices reach all-time highThe national median house price has attained its highest ever level, passing the $352,000 reached in November 2007.Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) figures published today put the national median house price in October...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm British Air And Iberia: Airlines Return To The Center Of M&A StageThe rumor that US Air (NYSE:LCC) and American (NYSE:AMR) may merge is not so far-fetched today, or that Southwest (NYSE:LUV) might take over JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU). British Air and Iberia, the flag carriers of the two nations whose fleets met at The Battle of Trafalgar, will merge, creating one of the world’s largest airlines. BA shareholders will control [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:58 pm Intel to pay AMD $1.25 billion, settle disputesSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp will pay rival chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc $1.25 billion to settle all outstanding legal disputes, in a move that can hasten the resolution of Intel's antitrust troubles.Source: Reuters: Business News | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:51 pm How the major stock indexes fared on Thursday (AP)AP - A jump in the nation's energy inventories sent stocks falling Thursday as investors worried that demand for oil and gasoline is falling because of the struggling economy.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:47 pm Drop in US energy use drags stock market lower (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pm Emerging-Market ETFs Rise on Global Low Interest Rates: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:41 pm Stocks fall on energy shares, consumer worries (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:32 pm Ritholtz on Market Data, Zaunscherb on Lithium Batteries: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:23 pm SFO to investigate Mayfair hedge fundThe Serious Fraud Office has launched a criminal investigation into a Belgraviabased hedge fund that was founded by a former academic from Imperial College London.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:17 pm IFS calls for 'honest' forecastingBritain needs an independent body to forecast the public finances to force the Government to be more honest about its fiscal plans the Institute for Fiscal Studies IFS warned.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:09 pm Shoven Says U.S. Must Address Social Security Now: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:07 pm SIRIUS Losing XM Founder (that everyone forgot) (SIRI)SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced that Gary Parsons has resigned as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The satellite radio giant has appointed Eddy Hartenstein, an independent director, to serve as non-executive chairman. An excerpt from Parsons’ farewell note was: “… we have begun to generate positive cash flow and have substantially improved our financial [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Nov 2009 | 3:01 pm Fed cracks down on overdraft feesThe Federal Reserve on Thursday released a new rule to prohibit banks from automatically enrolling customers in overdraft protection programs, which charge fees when consumers spend more than they have.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:57 pm Baghdad Has A Trade Fair?
Well, this is certainly not what the Bush administration and the companies that owned it had in mind. Who would have guessed that "American companies' reputation here for overcharging and shoddy workmanship" would hurt our image even more than an invasion and occupation?
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pm Despite Many Drops, Disney Delivers (DIS)The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is out with earnings and the report is a solid one compared to what we have seen elsewhere, yet it too saw mostly erosion in its business segments. For the quarter, the Mouse House posted $0.47 EPS compared to $0.40 in the prior-year quarter, but that figure had [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:35 pm 52-Week High Club (COMS, AMD, PLA, BID)3Com Corp (NASDAQ: COMS) rose over 30% to a yearly high of $7.52 after Hewlett-Packard, the PC maker, announced plans to buy 3Com for $2.7 billion. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD) rose over 20% to a yearly high of $6.73 after the announcement that the company would receive $1.25 billion from Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:31 pm Advanced Auto Parts, Tetra Tech are big movers (AP)AP - The following stocks were among those that moved substantially or traded heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange:Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pm High Court puts off Petricevic hearing until next yearThe Official Assignee's attempts in the High Court to unravel some of former Bridgecorp boss Rod Petricevic's affairs have been put off until next year.The former finance company chief executive was bankrupted last year owing...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pm Intel and AMD settle antitrust disputeChipmakers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have announced they have settled all outstanding legal disputesSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:18 pm TSX falls as soft commodity prices weigh (Reuters)Reuters - Toronto's main stock index fell on Thursday as soft commodity prices sent shares of EnCana Corp and other resource companies lower, while investor sentiment was bruised by a guarded earnings outlook from U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm TSX falls as soft commodity prices weigh (Reuters)Reuters - Toronto's main stock index fell on Thursday as soft commodity prices sent shares of EnCana Corp and other resource companies lower, while investor sentiment was bruised by a guarded earnings outlook from U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm Intel, AMD in $1.25B settlementIntel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices on Thursday announced an agreement to settle all legal disputes between the two chipmakers.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pm R.I.P. Payday Loans?
A new FDIC program aims to cut into the business of payday lenders. (Steve Rhodes/Planet Money Flickr pool) By Daniel Costello Payday loans, also known as payday cash advances, remain a hugely controversial and profitable business. In recent years, several states have imposed strict usury limits on the interest pay day loan companies take, some as high as 400 percent on an annual basis. People who resort to payday lending are typically low-income workers with few assets, and the loans often have the effect of depleting the assets of low-income communities. Last year, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. began offering banks incentives to offer short-term, small-dollar loans of up to $2,500 to low-income Americans to help those with low or no credit scores get access to regular banking outside of the 23,000 pay day loan outlets nationwide. According to an interim FDIC report, the pilot program appears to be a success and federal officials have announced they plan to expand the program next year. So far, 31 initial banks collectively have offered $28 million in loans up to $2,500. About 8 percent of customers were delinquent, roughly the industry average. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:03 pm Developer given tax deadlineInland Revenue is threatening to bankrupt high-flying Auckland property developer Andrew Krukziener over a $575,000 debt.A public notice in yesterday's Herald said the IRD commissioner demanded the St Heliers developer pay up...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm An Additional Message From Steve Cohen (Demo Included)
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:39 pm So What? How to Communicate What Really Matters to Your Audience: A Book Review
How do you sell something? Do you start with “I want to tell you about _____?” Do you introduce yourself by your job description, then try your best to keep eye contact as your audience’s attention wanders? If you do, stop. The people you’re addressing don’t care about you or your offerings. Until you revamp your way of thinking, planning, and communicating, they’ll continue to ignore you. In “So What,” Mark Magnacca shows you how to communicate with your audience in an efficient, effective way. The key, as the book’s title suggests, is addressing the so what? factor. According to Magnacca, a sales expert and business building coach, your audience—whether they’re prospects, existing clients, colleagues, or acquaintances–need to know how your product or service benefits them. Without knowing what’s in it for them, your audience won’t truly listen to you. You waste time and energy on sales tactics that don’t work. In his brief, useful book, Magnacca coaches readers through the process of solidifying a So What? mentality. You finish the book knowing how to make a pitch resonate, regardless of audience. The end result? Better returns, a bigger customer base, and improved communication skills. Magnacca outlines 3-4 simple lessons in each chapter. Chapter 1 tells you to adapt a new (So What?) way of thinking. Chapter 2 describes how you need to put the needs of your audience first. Subsequent chapters cover how to find out what’s most important to your audience, how to structure a presentation around that, how to properly prepare for a presentation, how to position yourself, how to present yourself, and how to keep yourself relevant. Although some lessons seem tangential—for example, “be authentic” seems like a superfluous reminder—the overall techniques in the book are helpful. The author crafts each chapter in a way that convinces you the techniques work. Each chapter starts with a story, covering movies, sports stars, companies, politicians, Magnacca’s own experience, and other scenarios. The stories illustrate why the lesson in the chapter is effective. Magnacca also infuses chapters with additional examples of how So What techniques have made real-life business communications more effective. The end of each chapter summarizes a list of key points, and how you can apply them to your situation. The book is written to teach. It’s simple and useful. You can breeze through it, but if you want to let Magnacca’s sales techniques gain traction, you need to put some time and practice into his lessons. If you need a sales boost, a new perspective, or just new ideas, grab a copy. For more on “So What?”, go here. Full disclosure: We were sent a copy of the book to review.
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:25 pm Presented By:Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:21 pm Congressmen Seek To Save The World From Financial Services Firms
"I see it as one of our potentially last chances to get control, particularly of financial institutions in their mega-forms, before they take over the world," Rep. Paul Kanjorski said of the banking regulation reforms proposed by the White House and congressional leaders. But for Kanjorski and Rep. Earl Perlmutter, both Democrats, the bill doesn't nearly go far enough. Both men, whose districts include few, if any, Fortune 500 companies, want to undo the deregulation enacted a decade ago, which demolished the barriers between commercial and investment banking, among other rules. Perlmutter's "light-touch" option would simply allow whatever will be regulating banks to require hybrid commercial-investment banks to keep certain capital reserves. Kajorski's more draconian proposal would give regulators the preemptive authority to place limits on the size, complexity or risk of any financial company that presents a systemic risk to the economy.
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:21 pm How the government can develop jobsNext month, President Obama will host an employment summit at the White House to find new ways to get Americans back to work. Steve Henn talks to experts and explores how the administration might be able to do this successfully.Source: Marketplace | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:19 pm Government looks to TARP for debt helpThe Obama administration is looking for ways to bring down record government deficits, and it's reportedly considering TARP. Not all of the bank bailout money has been spent. John Dimsdale explains how it might work.Source: Marketplace | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm Government Deficit Expands To $176 Billion In OctoberAccording the monthly Treasury report released this afternoon, the Federal Government posted a $176.4 billion deficit in the month of October. Total Government receipts came in at $135 billion. Of that $61.2 billion was attributable to personal income tax, down roughly $25 billion from the same period last year. There were net refunds to companies [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm Investors eye $800m float of revamped property groupThe biggest NZX float this year is due to be announced next week.Fund managers and professional investors are studying DNZ Property Group's prospectus document, to be issued before its float on the NZX next month.The heavily...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm Bonus Watch '09: Galleon GroupWhile it's not yet clear how investors will fare, we're told that Raj-Raj is taking care of his employees. The Galleon team will be paid bonuses based on the fund performance at the date of shutdown, plus two months severance, plus benefits. A Galleon spokesman confirmed the plan but declined to comment further.
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 12:44 pm Online drug ads struggle with fine printWhen it comes to online drug ads, the Food and Drug Administration hasn't quite figured out the rules on getting out the warnings. So drug companies, Internet companies and regulators are meeting in Washington. Jeremy Hobson reports.Source: Marketplace | 12 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pm Was Jeff Macke The Vision Behind This?Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 12:29 pm Medvedev calls for break with Soviet pastRussian president calls on country to refocus its economy away from energy and heavy industry towards information technology, telecommunications and spaceSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Nov 2009 | 12:12 pm Renters get shorted in real estate bustBefore the financial crisis, real estate investors saw potential profits everywhere. Now their properties aren't worth what they sold for, and it's turning into a problem for middle- and working-class renters. Alisa Roth reports.Source: Marketplace | 12 Nov 2009 | 12:12 pm How Wal-Mart profits from Chilean debtChile's economy has become much more consumer-centric over the past few years, and Chileans are slipping into American-like personal debt patterns. Annie Murphy explores how Wal-Mart stands to benefit from Chileans' debt cycles.Source: Marketplace | 12 Nov 2009 | 12:09 pm Vigilante China is U.S. taxpayer's heroWith national debt reaching doomsday figures, the U.S. sure could use a hero. And commentator Todd Buchholz says that hero may be a vigilante riding in from the Far East -- in the form of Chinese leaders concerned about their investments.Source: Marketplace | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:51 am A look at economic developments around the globe (AP)AP - A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Thursday:Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 11:29 am Wells Fargo's Goldman Likes Energy, Technology Stocks: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:58 am Say Goodbye to Debit Overdraft Fees
The Fed today announced that, starting next July, banks can no longer charge overdraft fees on a debit card or when a customer is using an ATM. That new law is moot if a customer has agreed to pay charges for overdrawing their account. Bloomberg has more: Financial companies will have to explain their overdraft programs and fees, as well as choices available to consumers, the Fed said in a statement today announcing a rule that takes effect next year. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd have separately introduced legislation that would restrict banks’ ability to charge overdraft fees. Both bills would permit one overdraft fee a month or six in a year. The final Fed rules will force banks to provide the same terms, including prices, for consumers who decline overdraft protection. The rules take effect July 1. Fed consumer research shows “most consumers prefer not to be enrolled in overdraft services for ATM and one-time debit- card transactions unless they affirmatively consent,” the board said in its statement. Consumers do value overdraft services to ensure payment for important bills, such as rent and utilities, the Fed said. This sounds like a consumer victory. I do, however, anticipate that banks will find a creative way to milk what few overdraft fees they still can charge.
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:49 am Warren Buffett Makes Pit-Stop At God's Workshop, Offers Pick Me Up
Good afternoon, labias and gents. Oracle of O here (oh yeah, double entendre), coming at ya live from Lloyd Blankfein's pussy palace on the 31st floor. "Long Lloyd" over here tells me that your once long, strong and down to get the friction on Johnsons have been flying at half-mast ever since Sunday. Relax your sphincters, girls, cause Uncle Warren is here to put your mind at ease.
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:47 am Band business is hard on the walletBeing in a successful rock band may be great for your personal finances, but getting there can be expensive. Kai Ryssdal talks to Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie about the music business and the band's new single on the 'Twilight' soundtrack.Source: Marketplace | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:45 am Straightforward Anchorman John King Replaces Lou Dobbs
CNN announced today that John King will be replacing Lou Dobbs on CNN. Dobbs unexpectedly resigned from CNN yesterday after roughly 30 years with the network. State of the Union anchor John King will replace Dobbs early next year. The New York Times has the scoop: In moving Mr. King to a weekday time slot, CNN will seek to improve its dismal evening ratings. According to Nielsen, CNN ranked third among cable news channels in the 7 p.m. hour in October, mirroring its other prime-time declines. The new political news hour is an affirmation of CNN’s straightforward news strategy at a time when its cable news rivals, the Fox News Channel and MSNBC, are drawing bigger audiences with opinionated programs. “John doing that show is obviously a statement about the importance of real nonpartisan news to CNN, and also the importance of political coverage to CNN,” Jonathan Klein, the president of CNN/U.S., told employees on a conference call Thursday morning. Dobbs, meanwhile, will stay in the public eye. He’s not sure what shape this will take, but he did mention in his farewell speech that he will “continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible.”
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:36 am Geithner lauds stance on exchange ratesTimothy Geithner, US Treasury secretary, welcomed a commitment by Asia-Pacific ministers to flexible exchange rates even as his Chinese counterpart praised the renminbi’s peg for helping the global recoverySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:32 am Goldman Sachs Does Fast Damage Control On Cat Story-- What Else Can We Get Them To Do?Earlier this morning, a report came out that Goldman Sachs, after promising to pay the vet bills and find homes for five kittens discovered on the site of their new headquarters this past August, had neither paid the bills nor found houses for those cats. Now, like magic, Goldman has put out a statement* that the vet has been paid off, and the cats adopted. And that got us thinking-- for a while now Goldman has been uncharacteristically trying to ingratiate itself to the public, and after this weekend's latest attempt kind of backfired, they're getting desperate. The old Goldman wouldn't have thought twice about being accused of leaving those pussies out the cold but the new Goldman, sensitive to the hate, make it its first priority to squash any indication that they are anything but saintly. They want to keep us happy and they seem to be going to great lengths to make that happen. Basically we've got them right where we want them and I'd like to see what else we can get out of them.
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am FTSE 100 rises for second day (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:28 am Ahrens Sees Fed Rates Up 50-75 Basis Points in 2010: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:18 am Brocade Downgraded by Piper Jaffray, ThinkEquity: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:16 am Reebok EasyTone Shoes Promise to Tone Your Butt. Fad Alert!
These sneakers apparently build your body 12 different ways, just like Wonderbread. Reebok claims these sneakers provide 28 percent more gluteus maximus muscle activation, and 11% more calf and hamstring activation. Reebok’s site explains that “DMX technology” and “balance pods” are the key. “Air travels between the forefoot and heel pod, creating super soft cushioning. The moving air creates a natural instability and forces your muscles to adapt to the air volume within the pods.” Okay, here’s what I think they’re saying: The reason these sneakers give you a better workout is because they throw you off-balance and make it more difficult to walk in them. (Reebok also claims that) “due to the instability of the balance pods, activities with unplanned side-to-side movement and/or any lateral-movement-sports such as tennis or basketball-should be avoided.” Okay, so they work, as long as you don’t really exercise. This sounds like yet another fad shortcut to losing weight while expending little extra effort. The idea that shoes can help tone you is in fact gaining traction among footwear manufacturers. The Wall Street Journal has more on the physiology behind “physiological footwear”: Unlike traditional athletic shoes that are built to be stable, rocker-sole shoes are deliberately unstable. The effect, companies that make the shoes say, is similar to using a wobble board or balance board in a gym. To stand or walk in these shoes, you must engage more muscles than you do using regular shoes, the companies say. Manufacturers recommend you wear them during your normal activities, starting with short periods until you get used to them. Reebok commissioned a study from the University of Delaware, which tested five women on a treadmill with electronic sensors on their muscles. Electrical activity in the butt muscles—representing muscle movement—was 28% greater for the EasyTone shoes than for a typical Reebok walking shoe used as a control. Electrical activity was 11% greater for the hamstring and calf muscles while wearing the EasyTones. The test involved only 500 steps, and Reebok acknowledges that the effect may diminish as wearers get used to the shoes. Studies done on the Masai, the first physiological shoe to hit markets, show that physical therapy patients given Masai shoes for three months recovered faster than their non-Masai-wearing counterparts. The shoes strengthened the small muscles around the ankles, and their weight helped wearers burn more calories, according to the WSJ article. Reebok’s EasyTone shoes, on the other hand, are lighter. They also have only one study supporting that they strengthen muscles. Reebok EasyTones, as well as the other physiological shoes on the market, strike me as yet another something-for-nothing fitness fad. By simply wearing the shoes, you firm up your glutes. I see this eventually going the direction of fads like the Atkins Diet and ankle weights (remember those?). Physiological footwear may have a permanent place in a niche market, but it’s not going to revolutionize female American butts. Only squats, lunges, and fewer donuts will accomplish that.
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:13 am Worst Job On Wall Street Update: Boardroom Follies
The U.S.'s largest bank continues to devour itself in its search for a successor to the apparently irreplaceable Ken Lewis. And so the firm will miss its second self-imposed deadline to name a winner of the Worst Job on Wall Street contest. There will be no new BofA CEO by Thanksgiving, leaving the bank little more than a month before Lewis' resignation takes effect. Not content to ravage the bank with his acquisition of Merrill Lynch and acceptance of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke as his liege lords, Lewis seems to have picked the worst possible time to resign. You see, at the Federal Reserve's request, the bank had just tossed half of its board and added six new directors, and this board has simply failed to "gel," according to the FT. So when Lewis surprised them with his resignation in September, they didn't know what the hell to do.
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Nov 2009 | 10:07 am McGranahan Sees `Decent Holiday’ in Retail Sales: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 9:45 am Schenker Sees Lower Heating Oil Prices Than Recent Years: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 9:19 am MF Global's Cranny Likes Oil, Technology, Retail Stocks: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 9:15 am Mousseau Likes Municipal and High-Grade Corporate Bonds: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Nov 2009 | 9:14 am $18 For A Baby AspirinBy Chana Joffe-Walt David Kestenbaum and I have a story on All Things Considered tomorrow about MRI prices. Specifically why does it cost $900 for a shoulder MRI at one hospital when you can get the same MRI down the street for half the price? (If you listened to last week's podcast, you may already know the answer.) In the process of reporting the story, we came across dozens of other health care pricing mysteries. Dr. Tara Lagu from the Baystate Medical Center has been collecting hospital charges for all sorts of items. She sent us a breakdown of charges from 421 hospitals for 81mg of aspirin, a baby aspirin: The 50th percentile (the median) of hospitals charged 65 cents for an aspirin. The 75th percentile charged $2.62 for an aspirin. The 90th percentile charged $6.50 for an aspirin. And the 99th percentile charged $11.42 for an aspirin. One hospital out of the 421 we looked at charged $18.02 for an aspirin, but it's so high we're kind of wondering if it's a mistake! Of course it doesn't cost the hospital $18.02 for an aspirin. It doesn't cost $900 to do a shoulder MRI either. These numbers have almost nothing to do with actual costs. The hospitals essentially make them up. They charge more for things like MRIs and aspirin so they can cover other costs like 24-hour Emergency Rooms and patients who can't afford to pay their bills. It's a strange business model, and one that makes it really hard to tell if a hospital is running an efficient shop. Bonus: Compare prices for laparoscopic hysterectomies, kidney stone removals and other popular procedures. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am Why Apple Could Charge More For iTunesBy Daniel Costello Yes, elementary economics shows that market prices are set when supply equals demand. But businesses know there is gold in getting individual customers to pay higher than average prices for things they cherish more than others. Think about airlines: few people on the same flight pay the same fare. Airline profits rely on the fact. New research by two economics professors at the University of Pennsylvania found that Apple's oft-praised 99 cent per song business model may not be optimizing the tech giant's profits. The professors started by asking 500 Wharton students to listen to the 50 most popular songs on iTunes that month and then asking what each student was willing to pay for a song - essentially building a demand curve for online music from scratch. According to an article on the research in the Economist: The exercises showed that even a uniform price per song that maximized revenue among the students was quite high--$2.30 in 2008 and $1.46 in 2009. Wharton students may be particularly fond of music, but it is also possible that the market would sustain a higher uniform price than 99 cents. More important, knowing the uniform price that maximized revenue also allowed the authors to evaluate other ways to price online music. One alternative is song-specific pricing, much favoured by record companies. (Apple has already moved a bit in this direction with its multi-tier system.) But the research suggested that this would increase profits by a mere 3%. Part of the problem was that people who valued one song highly also tended to place a high value on others. This implies that person-specific, rather than song-specific, pricing would be more efficient. But sellers' data are not refined enough to set different prices for different people. People may resent such pricing anyway, so it could harm sellers' brands. Crude profiling--by race or sex, say--would be illegal. In any case, the authors found that basic demographic information did not tell them much about musical tastes. Charging an "entry fee" for use of the service and then a small, fixed per-song cost for downloads turned out to benefit both the seller and the buyer. The most revenue, according to the 2009 survey data, would be generated by charging the students $21.19 for entry and 37 cents a song. This could raise the producer surplus by 30% compared with uniform pricing. Consumer surplus would also rise in this instance, because some people would buy songs they would have not have done at a higher uniform price. Spotify, a rival to iTunes, has a model somewhat like this for its premium service, where it charges a monthly fee for songs without limit. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Nov 2009 | 8:15 am Morning Report: Wal-Mart Slips; Intel and AMD Make NiceBy Daniel Costello Good Morning. Here are some highlights from the morning's economic news: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported slightly better-than-expected profits of $3.24 billion in its third quarter, a 3.2 percent increase from the $3.14 billion it earned in the same quarter last year. But the retail giant reported weakness in a crucial area -- sales at stores open at least a year, known as same-store sales, fell 0.4 percent. The retail giant also warned its important fourth-quarter holiday earnings could fall short of Wall Street's estimates. Intel on Thursday announced a comprehensive agreement with Advance Micro Devices Inc., its biggest rival in the market for computer processors, to end all outstanding legal disputes between the two chipmakers. The two companies have been suing each other over several issues going back to the 1980's. In 2005, AMD filed suit against Intel alleging that Intel abused its dominant market position to keep its tight grip on the personal-computer industry. Under terms of the new agreement, the two companies will obtain patent rights from a new five-year cross-license agreement and will give up any claims of breach from the previous license agreement. On the job front, the number of people filing initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 502,000 in the week ended Nov. 7, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That's the fewest initial claims since early January. Initial jobless claims have hovered above 500,000 for over a year as the unemployment rate has climbed to a 26-year high of 10.2 percent. Compared with a year ago, initial claims are up 6 percent, while continuing claims are up 51 percent. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Nov 2009 | 7:21 am How Not to Pose With a Tree
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
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