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Source: Business Pundit | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:38 am Oracle sees Sun deal in JanuaryOracle says it expects its purchase of Sun Microsystems to be approved by the European Union in January 2010.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:28 am UK car production rises for first time in over a yearCar production in the UK has risen for the first time in more than a year, boosting hopes that the UK will emerge from recession in the final quarter of 2009.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:23 am The Ten Most Successful Brands Of 2010Brand measurement is a popular exercise. Several major business magazines run brand value lists. The annual Brand Z and Interbrand lists always get heavy press coverage. Companies are concerned about their rankings and what they will indicate to customers, investors, and consumers about how the world sees their products and services. The Tiger Woods fiasco [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:19 am Ryanair pulls out of talks for 200 Boeing planesDUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish airline Ryanair said it had pulled out of talks to buy 200 aircraft from Boeing and would now trim investment from 2011 to cut costs and free up cash to pay to investors, lifting its shares.Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:16 am Obama and Wen hold crucial talksThe US president is meeting his Chinese counterpart for what could be the decisive encounter of the troubled United Nations climate summitSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:14 am U.K. bonus tensions grow as regulator says leaveTop regulator says it wouldn’t be all that bad if banks departed the country.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:14 am UK borrowing hits record monthly high of £20bnUK public borrowing hit an all-time high of £20.3bn for a single month in November, official figures showed.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:09 am China's kung-fu monks hit out at reports of stock market moveThe ancient Shaolin temple - famous for its fighting kung-fu monks - denies a report that it plans to list on the stock market.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:06 am Ryanair ends talks to buy 200 Boeing jetsThe Irish low-cost carrier has no plans to re-open discussions with Boeing’s rival Airbus.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:06 am Android: What Hath Google WroughtApple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has made impressive strides into the smartphone market since launching the iPhone. There has been plenty of evidence since then that it is taking a part of BlackBerry’s market. But, there was little evidence that was true when RIM (NASDAQ:RIMM) put out it impressive earnings. Rather than hurting one another, Apple and RIM [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:04 am Ryanair breaks off talks with BoeingThe prospect of the low-cost carrier paying a special dividend moved closer after it broke off negotations with the US aircraft manufacturer over the order of 200 airlinersSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:03 am UK public borrowing at new highThe UK's public sector net borrowing hit a record high of £20.3bn in November, official figures show.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:02 am Riskier assets gain as dollar eases10:00 GMT. A pause in the dollar's rally helped riskier assets to regain their poise in Europe on Friday, though Asian stocks were weak following a sharp fall on Wall Street.London's FTSE 100 rose 0.3...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:01 am Riskier assets gain as dollar easesGlobal Markets Overview: European bourses open higher with riskier assets benefiting from a pause in the dollar’s rallySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:01 am Economic Report: German, French business surveys nearly steadyTwo key business confidence surveys in Germany and France showed little movement during December as businesses look toward 2010 after emerging from the credit crunch.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 3:01 am Mortgage lending 'falls by 10%'Mortgage lending in the UK fell by 10% in November compared with the previous month, according to lenders.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:59 am IPCom says court rules Nokia, HTC breach 2 patents* IPCom says hopes to continue talks with Nokia, HTCSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:58 am Bank of Japan holds steady as expectedThe Bank of Japan emphasizes the need to pull Japan out of deflation.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:57 am Public sector borrowing soars to record £20.3bnPublic sector borrowing hit a record high last month of £20.3 billion, taking the UK’s net debt to 60 per cent of total economic output for the first time. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:55 am Scrappage lifts UK car productionUK car production rose by 15.7% in November compared with year earlier, the first increase in more than a year, figures show.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:55 am Asian markets hit by commodity sharesAsian share markets Friday finished mostly lower following a sell-off on Wall Street, with resource stocks pacing the losses on weakness in commodity prices.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:52 am Stock futures point to higher start for Wall Street (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:51 am Stock futures point to higher start for Wall Street (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:51 am Stock futures point to higher start for Wall Street(Reuters) - Stocks were expected to open higher on Friday, recovering from the previous session's sharp falls. Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite were up 0.2-0.4 percent by 0915 GMT (4:15 a.m. EST).Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:51 am London Markets: Commodity sector firms lead U.K. to mild gainsLosses for banks offset gains for U.K. stocks on Friday.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:50 am Fijitsu workers in first national IT walkoutFujitsu workers will today hold the first national strike in the IT sector in a dispute over pay, pensions and job cuts. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:47 am Lundbeck says schizophrenia drug good in phase 2COPENHAGEN, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Danish pharmaceuticals group Lundbeck said on Friday clinical phase 2 trials with its schizophrenia drug candidate zicronapine showed "strongly positive" results.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:19 am UPDATE 1-Brazil's CSN in $5.6 bln bid for Portugal's CimporLISBON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Brazil's steel maker Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN) has launched a takeover bid for Portuguese cement producer Cimpor worth about 3.86 billion euros ($5.56 billion),...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:16 am Deutsche Bank to spread bonus tax pain worldwideDeutsche Bank, the German banking group, will spread the impact of Alistair Darling’s bonus tax across its staff worldwide, making it the first leading bank to explain how it will deal with the controversial one-off levy. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:14 am Asian stock markets fall amid recovery doubts (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:14 am Europe Markets: SAP, Adidas lead Europe climb on rival reportsEuropean shares edged higher on Friday, as optimism over earnings helped offset further losses for banks on worries over potential fund raising.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:13 am British bank shares continue to fall on Basel fearsShares in Lloyds, Barclays and RBS fell for a second day in reaction to tough proposals for capital.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:08 am EU Commission approves Adecco's acquisition of MPSBRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The European Commission has approved Swiss company Adecco's acquisition of U.S. rival MPS Group , the EU executive said on Friday.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:06 am Thomas Kostigen's Ethics Monitor: Stakeholders should take controlProfits are good. Bonuses can even be good. But I fear a new set of principles that frowns on monetary success is making its way into the world.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:04 am Eisai says to launch 4 drugs in U.S. in 2010/11TOKYO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Eisai Co , Japan's fourth-largest drugmaker, said on Friday it expects to launch four drugs in the United States in the year to March 2011, including cancer drug Eribulin and...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:03 am Deutsche 'to spread bonus pain'Germany's Deutsche Bank tells the Financial Times it will spread the impact of the UK's bonus tax among staff worldwide.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 2:01 am Media Digest 12/18/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, BloombergReuters: Merger activity will grow slowly in 2010. Reuters: Bank of America’s new CEO said he would focus on execution. Reuters: Profits at RIM (NASDAQ:RIMM) topped forecasts. Reuters: Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) posed a surprise rise in sales. Reuters: Kraft (NYSE:KFT) lender Barclays (NYSE:BCS) suspended research coverage of Cadbury (NYSE:CBY) Reuters: Fedex’s (NYSE:FDX) forecast disappointed Wall St. WSJ: Regulators are fighting over control of the [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:59 am BoE's Haldane says financial institutions leaving UK 'may be a price worth paying'Andrew Haldane, a senior official at the Bank of England, has said if some financial institutions left Britain to avoid tougher regulation then it may be "a price worth paying."Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:57 am REFILE-Bond and share fees eclipse M&A as bonus rows fester* Investment banking fees fall to $69.5 bln, five-year low (For a collection of stories and factboxes on M&A activity this year and over the past decade, please click on [ID:nN17173219])Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:45 am Defensive stocks help London inch higherLondon equities bounced back on Friday, as the previous session's selling of risk assets looked overdone. But defensive stocks were also prominent on the leaderboard as investors started to square their...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:42 am ThreadbareHard up Icelanders swap jet-set for knitting crazeSource: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:40 am Oil rises above $73 as traders eye OPEC, demandOil prices rose above $73 a barrel Friday in Asia amid expectations OPEC plans to leave production levels unchanged at its meeting next week. Benchmark crude for January delivery was up...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:39 am UPDATE 1-PureCircle says Olam raises stake in co to 20 pct* Purchase price at 6.6 pct premium to Thursday's closeSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:38 am Execution buys Noble to create 'new force'Execution, the stockbroker, has bought Noble Group in a move that it said would create a "new force" in international investment banking. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:29 am Asia Markets And Europe Open (12/18/2009)Markets in Asia were lower. The Nikkei dropped .3% to 10,142. The Hang Seng fell .7% to 21,193. HSBC (NYSE:HBC) was off sharply. The Shanghai Composite was down 2.1% to 3,113. At the open in Europe, the FTSE rose .2% to 5,227. The Dax was up .3% to 5,864. SAP (NYSE:SAP) rose sharply. The CAC 40 rose .1% to [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:24 am Commodities Corner: OPEC has its wish, but it won't last for longMembers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries might already be getting an ideal oil price.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:21 am Sharp wins Dutch LCD patent ruling against SamsungTOKYO/SEOUL, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Sharp Corp said it has won an LCD patent lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in the Netherlands, the latest development in a string of suits and countersuits...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:20 am Snow: If you stay at home, will you get paid?Tens of thousands of workers will have little choice but to stay at home because of the heavy snow.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:15 am Amotz Asa-El's View from Jerusalem: The Middle East water crisis can be solvedViewed from Copenhagen these days, the major catastrophe the globe faces is an approaching flood, but viewed from the Middle East the threat is dehydration. And the problem has proved a political flashpoint in the region. But it can be solved.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:14 am REFILE-UPDATE 1-Visteon plan gives secured lenders 96% of co.(Refiles to make clear in headline that the restructuring is still in plan form)Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:08 am Ryanair pulls out of Boeing dealBudget airline Ryanair confirms it has ended talks with Boeing over the purchase of 200 new aircraft.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:07 am Blackberry profit beats forecastsThe company that makes the Blackberry smartphone reports better-than-expected profits after record sales.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:03 am UK consumer confidence falls for second monthBritish consumer confidence fell in December for a second consecutive month, the first time since July 2008 that confidence fell two months in a row, a survey by GfK NOP for the European Commission showed on Friday.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:03 am Blue Shield drops plan to shrink grace period on missed premium paymentsThe healthcare insurer says the move comes after 'a lot of feedback' from customers concerned that it was taking away a key benefit during hard times.Blue Shield of California has dropped plans to reduce the amount of time customers are given to pay their health insurance premiums before coverage is canceled. The decision came after I reported Wednesday that individual policyholders had been informed that Blue Shield was going to take away a key benefit even as millions of people grapple with the loss of jobs and homes and as lawmakers debate making the healthcare system more accessible.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Business BriefingOracle profit beats forecasts
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Equity firm to buy Knott's Berry Farm's parentApollo Global Management agrees to acquire Cedar Fair. The $2.4-billion deal total includes refinancing of Cedar Fair's debt, Apollo says.The $2.4-billion buyout of Knott's Berry Farm's parent company by a private equity firm may be a sign of confidence in the future of theme parks, analysts said Thursday.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am 'Avatar' is expected to have a huge opening weekendJames Cameron's $310-million sci-fi spectacle could gross $230 million worldwide by Sunday, sources say. One of...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Equity firm to buy Knott's Berry Farm's parentApollo Global Management agrees to acquire Cedar Fair. The $2.4-billion deal total includes refinancing of Cedar Fair's debt, Apollo says. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am 'Avatar' is expected to have a huge opening weekendJames Cameron's $310-million sci-fi spectacle could gross $230 million worldwide by Sunday, sources say.One of the most expensive movies of all time is poised for a huge box office debut this weekend, though nowhere close to breaking records.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Audi e-tron: Taking the e-trainJudging by a spectacularly cool and powerful prototype, today's gallant pioneers of the electric sports car will be left in the dustPicture this: Elon Musk and Henrik Fisker -- impresarios of the electric Tesla Roadster and the soon-to-be, sort-of-electric Fisker Karma, respectively -- are running for their lives through a cave. Rolling behind them, gathering momentum, thundering ever closer, is an enormous boulder.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Business BriefingOracle profit beats forecastsSource: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am More homes are poised to hit the marketA 'shadow' inventory of properties close to foreclosure or seized but not yet for sale has been growing.A supply of 1.7 million homes headed for sale because of foreclosure or delinquency looms over the nation's housing market, which could dampen progress toward recovery should the Obama administration fail in its efforts to aid struggling homeowners, researchers said.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Centerpiece of CityCenter complex in Las Vegas opensThe 4,000-room Aria Resort & Casino gets a Vegas-style welcome with fireworks and fanfare. It joins two other hotels and a mall in the $8.5-billion project. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Dilemma for a green Christmas: Real or plastic?Manufacturers of real and artificial firs both tout theirs as environment-friendly. One study favors live-cut trees, saying artificial ones would have to be reused 11 years to be the better choice.Artificial or fresh-cut live trees? That may be a dilemma this year for environment-minded shoppers hoping for a green Christmas.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Dilemma for a green Christmas: Real or plastic?Manufacturers of real and artificial firs both tout theirs as environment-friendly. One study favors live-cut trees, saying artificial ones would have to be reused 11 years to be the better choice. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Voice of Disneyland's Lincoln takes criticismThe animatronic president is set to debut after getting a high-tech update. But scholars say his speech, unchanged from when it appeared decades ago, is not like the real thing.It looks like Abraham Lincoln. It moves like Abraham Lincoln. And it quotes Abraham Lincoln. But historians say it still doesn't sound like Abraham Lincoln.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Facebook violating users' privacy, complaint to FTC saysA Washington-based privacy advocacy group and nine other organizations have filed a complaint against Facebook over the social network's latest privacy changes.Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am California home sales, prices improve in NovemberThe median cost in the state rises to $261,000, a 1.6% increase from the month before and up 1.2% from November 2008. Sales climb 11.5% compared with a year earlier. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am Blue Shield drops plan to shrink grace period on missed premium paymentsThe healthcare insurer says the move comes after 'a lot of feedback' from customers concerned that it was taking away a key benefit during hard times. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 18 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am EADS executives cleared in insider probeEADS, the Airbus parent, and its current and former executive have been cleared by regulators of insider trading and market abuse, ending a three-year investigation that has cast a pall over the group.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:49 am Ryanair ends $15bn plane talks with Boeing$Discussions between Ryanair and Boeing over the sale of 200 new aircraft have broken down with the airline blaming the aircraft manufacturer after weeks of negotiations. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:48 am Why shares beat propertyHow many realise that shares remain ahead of property over the past quarter century?Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:42 am Euro recovers, shares fall on earnings jitters (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:24 am Euro recovers, shares fall on earnings jittersHONG KONG (Reuters) - The euro recovered from early losses on Friday after Pakistan dismissed rumors of a coup while Asian stocks fell as investors fretted about the outlook for corporate earnings.Source: Reuters: Business News | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:24 am Fujitsu UK staff in strike actionWorkers at Fujitsu in the UK are staging the first of a series of one-day strikes in a row over pay, jobs and pensions.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:24 am Australian shares edge downThe Australian share market closed lower today, dragged back by weaker resources stocks, National Australia Bank (NAB) and telco Telstra.At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had fallen 19.8 points, or 0.42 per cent, to...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:20 am Deutsche Bank to spread UK bonus tax pain worldwideDeutsche Bank will spread the pain of Britain's tax on bankers' bonuses among its staff worldwide, becoming the first financial group to detail how it will deal with the hit, a report said on Friday.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:13 am China hires Pimco's Zhu to help run $2.3 trillion in reservesChina's currency regulator, which oversees the world's largest foreign-exchange reserves, has hired Changhong Zhu from Pimco as its chief investment officer.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 18 Dec 2009 | 12:06 am Sharemarket closes higherThe New Zealand sharemarket posted gains in thin trading today care of rises in selected leading shares, most notably Telecom and Contact Energy.The benchmark NZX-50 index closed up 31.313 points, or 1 per cent, at 3154.229 after...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:35 pm Christmas spending down this yearYour Christmas presents might not be as flash this year.The economists at Westpac have spotted a clear downward trend in consumers' expenditure on gifts.They have confirmed what many people may be thinking, that Christmas...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:30 pm U.S. FINRA launches inquiry into firms' trading tips: report (Reuters)Reuters - U.S. securities regulator FINRA has launched an inquiry into how Citigroup , J.P. Morgan Chase , Morgan Stanley and others offer stock ratings and research, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:13 pm U.S. FINRA launches inquiry into firms' trading tips: report(Reuters) - U.S. securities regulator FINRA has launched an inquiry into how Citigroup, J.P. Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and others offer stock ratings and research, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.Source: Reuters: Business News | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:13 pm Super Saturday expectations high for U.S. retailersLOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bargain-hunting shoppers are expected to flood stores on "Super Saturday" weekend -- the last before Christmas -- and deliver retailers the highest holiday weekend sales so far this season.Source: Reuters: Business News | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:11 pm Super Saturday expectations high for U.S. retailers (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:11 pm 6 Smart DVDs: Behind the Scenes (SmartMedia)From an audio book that dissects Google to covers from TV hit Glee.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Pipelines Pay 7% and Defer Taxes (By the Numbers)Oil and gas partnerships offer fat yields and valuable shields.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Luxury Mainstay Fights New Impulse to DemureCoach has adapted well to the tough retail environment.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Decade in Review: The Changing Dow (On the Street)We look at how the index of America's 30 most influential stocks has changed.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Business Tweets: Nature vs. Nurture (Twitter Beat)Tweeters tweak Jim Cramer and Goldman Sachs's upgrade of GE.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Know a Last-Minute Shopper? Expect Socks (Deal of the Day)Holiday deals are drying up, but we found a few standouts.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Shopping Psych 201: Take a Step Back (Money and Your Mind)Don't trust your mind when you're on the way to the mall for holiday shopping.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Poll of the Decade: Vote Now (Reader Views)Be heard: What do you have to say about 2000-2009? May the years RIP.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm Houses in Auckland less affordableHome loan affordability worsened in Auckland and Northland for first home buyers last month.For most of the rest of the country, there was little or no change in affordability, according to a BNZ index.The BNZ home loan affordability...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 7:30 pm Cost of chasing Madoff paper trail escalatesNEW YORK - A court-appointed trustee and a Manhattan law firm working together to unravel Bernard Madoff's massive fraud have rung up an additional US$22.1 million (NZ$50.3m) in legals fees, saying they've worked "thousands of hours"...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 7:10 pm Consumer confidence down a fraction but stays highConsumer confidence has slipped over the past three months but remains high by historical standards.The Westpac McDermott Miller survey's index declined to 117 from a four-year high of 120 in September; any number over 100 indicates...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 7:00 pm BofA's Moynihan zones in on one word: ExecuteCHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) - Brian Moynihan may be about to run the largest U.S. bank at a time of massive change in the crisis-damaged industry but he seems to be restricting his public comments about strategy to one word: Execute.Source: Reuters: Business News | 17 Dec 2009 | 6:28 pm BofA's Moynihan zones in on one word: Execute (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 6:28 pm Icahn reports 11.3 pct stake in Take TwoSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Activist investor Carl Icahn reported an 11.3 percent stake in U.S. video game publisher Take Two Interactive Software Inc , sending its shares up 3.5 percent.Source: Reuters: Business News | 17 Dec 2009 | 6:12 pm Glassons boss gets help to buy sharesHallenstein Glasson shareholders voted to provide an interest free loan of up to $500,000 to enable Glassons managing director Diane Humphries to buy shares in the company on the market.The notice for the company's annual meeting...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 6:00 pm Senate panel approves second-term nomination of BernankeWASHINGTON - A Senate panel yesterday approved the nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to run the US central bank for another four years.The Senate Banking Committee voted 16-7 to send Bernanke's nomination to...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 6:00 pm Pepsi takes a pass on Super Bowl adsPepsi will not advertise in this year's Super Bowl, the company confirmed Thursday, deciding to sit out the big game for the first time in 23 years.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:56 pm Palm shares off as Sprint customer demand tepidSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Palm Inc reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss as consumers cooled to its new smartphones in the face of fresh competition including devices based on Google Inc software.Source: Reuters: Business News | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:53 pm E&Y paying $8.5M to settle SEC charges (AP)AP - Big accounting firm Ernst & Young has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle federal regulators' charges in connection with an alleged accounting fraud at Bally Total Fitness in 2001-2003.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:46 pm Nike earnings beat St, stands by Tiger WoodsSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Nike Inc forecast a return to sales growth this quarter as it expands market share and rides stronger consumer spending, and on Thursday pledged to stand by Tiger Woods, the face of Nike's golf brand.Source: Reuters: Business News | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:06 pm Eighty MPs join in mass revolt on expensesMore than a third of MPs who were asked to repay expenses after an independent audit of their claims by Sir Thomas Legg are refusing to accept his ruling. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:01 pm Nike’s Comments on Future with Tiger Woods (NKE)Most people in America now are probably not as interested in what Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) did for earnings after the closing bell today, but the Tiger Woods story is still big news. Our guess going into today was that everyone would want to hear about whether Tiger Woods was still going to be in [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:01 pm US capital-raising debacle heaps embarrassment on CitigroupCitigroup’s $20 billion ($£12 billion) capital raising was branded a humiliation for the bank and the US Government yesterday after the Treasury was forced to abandon a planned stake sale, sending Citigroup shares down by 9 per cent. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:01 pm Rural idyll for estate agents as City buyers flock to be lords of the manorThe market for country houses has proved so buoyant that estate agents no longer expect the tax clampdown on bonuses to dent sales next year. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:01 pm Big investors call for inquiry into banks’ fees for M&A workSome of the City’s most influential shareholders are demanding a competition inquiry into the fees charged by investment banks on takeover deals, The Times has learnt. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:01 pm Companies must be bold to curb merger billsPretty much everyone, apart from the odd banker, agrees that sky-high bonuses are a problem. But pretty much everyone also acknowledges that they are merely a symptom of a deeper problem. Suppressing bonuses in some way will not cure the underlying disease which is the extraordinarily high profits made by investment banks in some of their businesses. But if you bring down those profits, the bonuses will surely follow. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:01 pm WSJ names deputy managing editor, international (AP)AP - The Wall Street Journal has named WSJ.com managing editor Rebecca Blumenstein as its new deputy managing editor overseeing international operations.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:00 pm British Airways wins court order barring strikeLONDON - Britain's High Court delivered an early Christmas present to around one million travellers on Thursday by granting British Airways an emergency injunction to stop a 12-day strike by its cabin crews.BA celebrated its success...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 5:00 pm Giacovas Discusses FINRA Arbitration Strategies (Correct)Source: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:52 pm RIM predicts rosier outlookRead full story for latest details.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:47 pm Smart Grid, Chip Makers, Oil, Shipping: Taking Stock PodcastSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:46 pm RIM profit, outlook top forecasts; shares surgeOTTAWA (Reuters) - Research In Motion posted a big jump in profit and issued an even stronger outlook on Thursday, as sturdy demand from holiday shoppers helped the BlackBerry maker fend off the competition.Source: Reuters: Business News | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:46 pm RIM profit, outlook top forecasts; shares surge (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:46 pm Citigroup ‘wanted debt-for-equity swap at EMI’The US bank’s move came before Terra Firma, the music company’s private equity owner, launched its legal attack against the bankSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:38 pm Deutsche Bank to ‘globalise’ bonus painThe German bank will spread the pain of Britain’s supertax on bankers’ bonuses among its staff worldwide, in a move that risks angering staff outside LondonSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:26 pm S&P Supports Amazon.com… Pullback an Opportunity? (AMZN)Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) may have found a new friend. Standard & Poor’s has come out late in the day with a research note with “positive” credit implications for Jeff Bezos and friends. S&P notes strong performance over the last year despite difficult economic conditions. Amazon was placed on CreditWatch for its “BBB” investment grade [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:24 pm How the major stock indexes fared on Thursday (AP)AP - A stronger dollar and disappointing corporate news muscled stocks lower Thursday over concerns that the economy will struggle to recover. The dollar climbed to a three-month high against the euro, a sign investors were seeking safety. Investor confidence was further sapped as Citigroup Inc. sold stock at a steep discount as part of a plan to repay government loans and a forecast from FedEx Corp. fell short of expectations.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:11 pm Activist targets CEO successionUS companies including Bank of America, American Express and Whole Foods are to be targeted by activist shareholders over plans to replace their chief executives, in a further sign of investors’ increasing power in corporate America.Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:05 pm Stocks fall as dollar gains, FedEx disappoints (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:56 pm Write-Offs: 12.17.09$$$ John Paulson May Be More Than a One-Hit Wonder [NYM] $$$ How the IRS sort of saved Citi [FT Alphaville] $$$ Matt Taibbi Is Just Plain Wrong, Again [The Big Picture] $$$ RBS's holiday party is tonight. It's taking place in office. A lot of attendees are shockingly expecting it to suck but there's always the chance the Queen will make a surprise appearance to drink among her bitches which should add an exciting element to the evening! 
 Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:36 pm Citi's holiday treat: No foreclosuresCitigroup will suspend foreclosures and evictions for 30 days, giving 4,000 at-risk borrowers a break during the holiday season, the company said Thursday.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:18 pm Citigroup, Rite Aid, FedEx are big movers (AP)AP - The following stocks were among those that moved substantially or traded heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market:Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:10 pm Citigroup, Rite Aid, FedEx are big movers (AP)AP - The following stocks were among those that moved substantially or traded heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market:Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:10 pm Fannie, Freddie suspend foreclosures (AP)AP - Mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are suspending foreclosures and evictions for about two weeks in a temporary break for borrowers during the holiday season.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:04 pm Fannie & Freddie Christmas Gift: No Foreclosures (FNM, FRE)It seems that Uncle Sam does not want to be the Grinch this Christmas and is giving a gift of no foreclosures during the holidays. At least its GSE mortgage lenders in government conservatorship, Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE), both announced today that they are not going to evict homeowners during [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:03 pm Oracle earnings top estimates, shares jumpRead full story for latest details.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:02 pm Opel handed ambitious profit targetThe European arm of General Motors is expected to strive for an operating profit margin of 4%-5% within four years by its new headSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:01 pm Is listing the answer to our capital woes?The Capital Markets Taskforce has reported to general acclaim and it probably did come up with some good ideas.I will get around to reading its findings at somSource: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 3:00 pm Sinking Ship Values Relationship With Tiger Woods
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:56 pm Stocks slump on global jittersStocks closed sharply lower Thursday after Greece received another credit downgrade and the dollar rose on the U.S. central bank's cautious comments.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:46 pm Tech investing will be a tougher play in 2010 (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:39 pm Palm’s Slight of Hand (PALM)Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) is one of the companies many investors have felt is an at-risk entity. Yet its reaction after the earnings call today is not signaling that. The company posted a loss of -$0.54 GAAP EPS and -$0.37 non-GAAP EPS on revenues of $302 million non-GAAP for its second quarter. Thomson Reuters had [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:38 pm 8 brands we loved ... and lost in 2009Popular auto makes, magazine publishers and retailers were among the businesses laid to rest in 2009. Here's a list of 8 familiar names now gone.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:33 pm Skidelsky Doesn't See Serious Financial Industry Reform: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:27 pm Yahoo kicked to curb by Google, BingOnce the world's online search leader, Yahoo's share has sharply declined, putting it in danger of losing its relevance in a market increasingly dominated by Google.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:18 pm RIM’s (RIMM) Quarter: No Damage From Apple (AAPL)Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) posted earnings after Street consensus was $3.78 billion in revenue and $1.04 a share. Guidance was for $3.6 billion to $3.85 billion and EPS of $1 to $1.08. As it turned out Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 was $3.92 billion, up 11% from $3.53 billion in the previous quarter and [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:17 pm Oracle Shows How It’s Done, Still Wants Sun (ORCL, SAP, JAVA)Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL) has posted its earnings at $0.29 EPS on a GAAP basis, but $0.39 EPS on a non-GAAP basis. Revenues were $5.86 billion for the quarter. Thomson Reuters had estimates pegged at $0.36 EPS (non-GAAP) and $5.69 billion in revenues. The interesting take here is that Oracle is again claiming market share [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:17 pm British Airway Strikers GroundedBy Daniel Costello British Airways has won a court injunction blocking crew members from a potentially crippling 12-day strike over Christmas. Up to 1 million passengers could have been affected by the planned strike. The union says the decision is "a disgrace for democracy" and that it will hold a fresh ballot in coming weeks. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 17 Dec 2009 | 2:00 pm Little-Known Government Agency Says Everything Is A-OK
The highly-regarded economic study board and shipping company says we're all going to be alright, because they shipped a freakin' ton of stuff on Monday. Their own numbers don't seem to bear out the optimism, but who cares about 30% drops in profit when you can offer assurances that our long international nightmare is over? Unless you're British. Your country still sucks. FedEx Sees Economy Gaining Strength [WSJ]
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 1:20 pm Spotted: Raj Rajaratnam Getting Groomed
Just saw old Raj x2 at John Allan's in midtown. He got his hair washed before me. Guess we know he hasn't skipped town yet.
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 1:18 pm Regulators clear all in EADS probeAirbus parent EADS and several current and former bosses had face accusations of insider trading and misleading markets,Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 17 Dec 2009 | 1:06 pm Walmart.com CEO aims dominate Web retailing (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 12:30 pm More Money: Strange tax lawsSource: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 12:09 pm TSX down 1 percent, commodity prices weigh (Reuters)Reuters - Toronto's main stock index was down more than 1 percent at midday on Thursday, erasing all the gains from Wednesday's session, as fresh economic concerns and a rising U.S. dollar pressured commodity prices and weighed on the resource-heavy TSX.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 17 Dec 2009 | 12:01 pm Suddenly, safe haven Treasurys get trickyThe flight-to-safety crowd could be in for a bumpy landing.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:56 am On Second Thought, We'll WaitAbu Dhabi's isn't the only government that doesn't want to take a huge bath on its Citigroup investment. But fortunately for Little Tim Geithner and the Treasury Boys, they don't have to go to court to keep that from happening. They just have to hold their breath (and their 34% stake in Citi). Seems the Treasury forgot that when a company has to flood the market with more shares in order to repay its gigantic TARP loan, the value of everyone's shares goes down. A lot. Including those of the people who made the gigantic TARP loan.
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:51 am Konstam on Treasuries, Swonk on Jobs, Feldstein on Fed: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:41 am Just Putting It Out ThereTo the 300 of you who've emailed asking how it's possible that we haven't mentioned that story yet, I'll give you two guesses BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED ONE.
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:38 am Presented By:Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:38 am Stimulus 2.0: Cash for jobsThe largest stimulus program in the nation's history is starting to move into a new phase: Out with the rescue, in with new spending to create jobs.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:37 am Business Blogging Done Right: An Interview with Chris Garrett
Chris Garrett knows blogging. He’s a professional blogger–you can find his work at ASPToday, ProBlogger, CopyBlogger, and a host of other sites. He’s an Internet marketing expert who helped found social media hub Performancing.com. He helps people and companies make the most of the Web by providing coaching, speaking, consulting, and training services. So what can this expert provide Business Pundit readers? Simple. If you’re interested in creating a successful, popular blog for your own business, Garrett’s your man. He has created Blogging for Business: 50 Steps to Building Traffic and Sales, a step-by-step ebook that tells you how to set up and run a blog for your business. The ebook holds your hand through the entire process, from brainstorming what you need to creating an editorial calendar for your content. Garrett also gives you useful marketing tips, including how to market your blog through social networking campaigns, set yourself up as an expert, grow traffic, and turn visitors into customers. If you want to build a good, popular blog for your business. Garrett has the scoop. BP caught up with him to learn more details about how to do a business blog right. BP: You mention in Chapter 2 of your ebook that as a blogger, your competitors can actually help you out. Can you go into a little more detail about how you would want to interact and network with you competitors? How you could use their data to help you build a niche? BP: Say I own a business, I want to start a blog, but I’m lazy. What are up to 5 key things I have to do in order to have a fighting chance at being a visible blog in my niche? 1. Focus on your reader BP: What, in your opinion, is the best way for a business to turn a blog into something that makes them money? (eg. ads, a store, ebooks, etc.?) CG: Use your blog as a vehicle to grow an audience, then sell products that match that audience’s needs BP: Can you name 3-4 blogs that have “gotten it right” according to your ebook’s parameters? CG: chrisg.com BP: Is there anything else you’d like to share with people interested in blogging for their businesses? CG: I can’t pass up a chance to plug my online course! It’s located here. If you need more hands-on help, or you are a solo entrepreneur/professional, this course is for you. It takes you all the way through from growing an audience of people who know, like and trust you, through to developing products and services and launching them. Read more of Chris’s work on his website and blog.
Source: Business Pundit | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:28 am Bernanke moves closer to second termBen Bernanke moved closer to a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve in the face of a revolt in Congress against his appointment by Senate RepublicansSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:16 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 | 17 Dec 2009 | 11:06 am Biz looks for signals from CopenhagenLaurent Corbier, chair of the International Chamber of Commerce and VP of sustainable development at energy firm Areva, talks with Kai Ryssdal about investment and climate-change policy.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:46 am Homeless find help at Union StationA lot of people have suffered reversals of fortune this year -- some have lost jobs and homes. Kai Ryssdal visits the Union Station Homeless Services center to see how people are coping.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:46 am Newspaper tries to find its focus onlineIn Michigan, the 174-year-old Ann Arbor News has become a mostly Web publication, but it still puts out a print edition twice a week. Jennifer Guerra reports on how the experiment is working with readers and advertisers.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:46 am Ship gifts away, it's Free Shipping Day!It's Free Shipping Day. A made-up holiday when hundreds of online retailers offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas. Sally Herships reports.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:46 am High stakes in climate deal decisionWorld leaders are gathering in Copenhagen for the final day of the UN climate summit. John Dimsdale reports on how the conference is playing in the U.S.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:46 am New SEC rules for financial advisersThe SEC has announced new rules affecting it hopes will prevent another Bernie Madoff-like scandal from happening again. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:46 am Citigroup's shares take a big hitCitigroup's stock price dropped to it lowest level in four months after investors said they weren't excited about the bank's stock and the government said it'd wait to sell holdings. So what happened? Alisa Roth reports.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:45 am Health provision gives insurers a bonusNow that the public option is off the table for the Senate health-care bill, the insurance industry will get 30 million new customers. Gregory Warner reports on another part of the bill that's going to work out well for insurers, too.Source: Marketplace | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:45 am Senate panel clears Bernanke nominationWASHINGTON -- A Senate panel today approved the nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to run the nation's central bank for another four years.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:19 am Ken Lewis Acknowledges The Fact That No One Wanted To Run Bank Of America
"Another unique characteristic about Brian is that he actually wanted the job." That's Ken Lewis introducing Brian Moynihan to the Bank of America troops. So many questions at this time: Is this the side of KL Dick Bové always told us about but that we'd never seen for ourselves 'til this point? What time did the Boone's start flowing this morning? Will Lewis address the claim that B-Moy's "not even in the same league as Vikram Pandit"? Is he going to elaborate on that first meeting with Moyns "in the corporate apartment"?
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:09 am Buik on Fed Policy, Brzeski on FOMC, Stretch on Dollar: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:07 am Unum Group Raised to `Buy' at Deutsche Bank: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:05 am Sri Lanka Exchange Plans to Release First ETF: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:02 am Free Shipping Day (Today) Offers Last-Chance Deal for Christmas Shoppers
Today is Free Shipping Day, another seasonal cyber-push to get you clicking away at purchases. 737 online merchants are participating; you can find a list of them here. Free Shipping Day especially benefits smaller retailers, according to the Christian Science Monitor: “This is something for small businesses,” says Luke Knowles of FreeShipping.org, the group organizing Free Shipping Day. “In the current state of the economy, a lot of companies could use a day like this that might equal three or four days of sales throughout the rest of the year.” As of Thursday morning, there were more than a few well-known brands among the (737) merchants offering free shipping that will arrive on shoppers’ stoops by Christmas. But it’s the profusion of small retailers that makes Free Shipping Day unique. “It’s a nice marketing opportunity when you can participate in a marketing option that doesn’t have to do with the size of your wallet but the size of your brain,” says Kim Dow, who runs Bear Hill Sports in Charlotte, Vt. Ms. Dow – who “has one employee and four kids” – says that beyond the actual sales figures generated Thursday, the exposure Bear Hill has already gotten in terms of web traffic from the Free Shipping site is a huge help. “We looked at some statistics today and it turned out that even just being listed on their website, its our fourth-largest referrer to the site. That’s great,” she says. “And we decided to extend it all the way through Christmas and we wouldn’t have thought of doing it unless we had been approached by them to participate in this.” Online shopping drops off around December 12, so Free Shipping Day gives merchants the opportunity to sell more later in the month, according to the website. Today is the last day retailers can guarantee delivery by Christmas. Any retailer can participate, as long as they offer free shipping on their website on the chosen day. If you have some shopping left before Christmas, support your favorite small businesses!
Source: Business Pundit | 17 Dec 2009 | 10:00 am Could There Really Be A Santa Claus (Rally)?By Daniel Costello Every year come this time of year analysts and investors begin talking about a 'Santa Claus rally.' That's supposedly because December tends to be a good one for the stock market. If you look at the numbers, they may have a point. Tom Henderson, Strategist of JBH Capital, went back and checked the numbers over 50 years. And guess what?
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 17 Dec 2009 | 9:51 am Employees’ Choice Awards: Is Your Company a Good Place to Work?The folks at Glassdoor.com have just released their annual list of employee-nominated best and worst places to work, called the Employees’ Choice Awards. They gather input through surveys done by employees throughout the year. Here’s some background from the press release: Glassdoor, a career and workplace community bringing greater transparency to company cultures, compensation and the interview process, today released the 2nd Annual Employees’ Choice Awards, listing the top 50 “Best Places to Work,” according to surveys collected in 2009 from U.S.-based employees at more than 38,000 companies. Unlike many workplace-related awards that require companies to self nominate, Glassdoor relies solely on the input from employees throughout the year. The ranking of the top 50 list was determined by each company’s overall rating on Glassdoor, which is the cumulative average rating from employees who elected to participate in a 20-question survey between December 1, 2008 and December 1, 2009. The survey addresses key workplace factors, including work/life balance, career opportunities, communication, compensation and benefits, employee morale, recognition and feedback, senior leadership as well as fairness and respect. Interestingly, they also offer a list of the 50 worst places to work. I found both lists interesting, so wanted to post them here for you to check out: 1. Southwest Airlines 50 Worst Places to Work 1. Gibson Guitar
Source: Business Pundit | 17 Dec 2009 | 9:44 am Charlie Gasparino: 'Time' Got It Wrong On Person Of The Year
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 9:38 am Iraqis Intercept Military Drones Using $26 SkyGrabber Software
In Iraq, insurgents have intercepted data from US Predator drones using a $25.95 Windows application called SkyGrabber. The software lets people track drones undetected. CNET has more: Meanwhile, a senior Air Force officer said Wednesday that a wave of new surveillance aircraft, both manned and unmanned, were being deployed to Afghanistan to bolster “eyes in the sky” protection for the influx of American troops ordered by President Obama. This apparent security breach, which had been known in military and intelligence circles to be possible, arose because the Predator unmanned aerial vehicles do not use encryption in the final link to their operators on the ground. This probably wasn’t exactly the market SkyGrabber had in mind. It’s advertised as an “offline satellite Internet downloader. It intercepts satellite data (movie, music, pictures) downloaded by other users and saves information in your hard disk. So, you’ll get new movie, best music and funny pictures for free.” SkySoftware, the company behind Skygrabber, also sells LanGrabber, which “intercepts network downloads started by other users and saves information on your hard disk.” The SkyGrabber domain is registered to someone in the Ukraine. Not exactly hardcore hacking…but who would have thought it can download information from drones?
Source: Business Pundit | 17 Dec 2009 | 9:33 am Senate Banking Commitee Backs Beard
Source: Dealbreaker | 17 Dec 2009 | 9:19 am Dividend and bonus rules face reformBanks will be blocked from paying bonuses or dividends to shareholders if their capital levels fall below a minimum threshold, under a new international regulatory regimeSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 17 Dec 2009 | 9:01 am New jobless benefit claims rise unexpectedlyWASHINGTON -- The number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week as the recovery of the nation's battered labor market proceeds in fits and starts.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 17 Dec 2009 | 8:51 am Morning Report: Job Losses, Greece's Woes RiseBy Daniel Costello The number of people filing for state unemployment benefits rose for a second straight week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The number of initial claims in the week ended Dec. 12 increased to 480,000, up 7,000 from the prior week. The consensus forecast of Wall Street economists was for claims to fall to 465,000. Worries over Greece's debt woes grew Thursday, after Standard & Poor's lowered the country's credit rating and warned more downgrades may lie ahead. The news roiled many European markets with banking stocks in Athens hit particularly hard. The closely watched yield spread between Greek and German 10-year government bonds widened to 262 basis points on Thursday. The unusual spread between the EU countries shows investors growing concerns about Greece, and their demand for higher interest to fund more Greek debt. This news is hitting the Euro hard because of the possibility of more downgrades of Eurozone sovereign debt; the dollar continues to rise on the news. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday said major economies including the U.S. could come up with $100 billion a year over the next decade to help developing nations fight climate change. The move is meant to help break an 11th-hour impass at the climate negotiations. Mrs. Clinton said the plan would include both public and private money but did not specify what would be the U.S share. The U.S. has said it would not committ to such a funding plan until other major economies agreed to more transparent carbon-emission reductions. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 17 Dec 2009 | 7:56 am Is This Necessary?
Source: Business Pundit | 17 Dec 2009 | 4:49 am
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