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Nigeria: Chevron pipeline attacked in Niger DeltaGunmen attacked a Chevron Corp. oil pipeline in Nigeria's restive Niger Delta, causing an unknown amount of damage, a government spokesman said Saturday. Linus Chima, a Delta State...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 3:08 am JAL lenders to cave in to bankruptcy plan-sourcesTOKYO (Reuters) - The main lenders to Japan Airlines plan to accept a restructuring package that would require the carrier to file for bankruptcy, sources said, increasing the likelihood of a state bailout this month.Source: Reuters: Business News | 9 Jan 2010 | 2:56 am eSolar strikes deal to build power plants in ChinaA U.S. solar power company said Saturday it will help build a series of solar thermal power plants in China, as the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases tries to decrease its heavy...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:13 am Qantas chief says Vietnam pair have done nothing wrongQantas Airways' chief executive on Saturday said two senior employees prevented from leaving Vietnam over fuel-hedging losses had done nothing wrong, and expressed hope for a quick...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:09 am China got Taiwan firm to sell nuke parts to Iran: reportA Taiwanese firm allegedly sold equipment that can be used to make nuclear weapons to Iran under a request from China, a Taipei-based magazine said. The firm received an online order...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:03 am Innovation doesn't always carry a big brand nameAt the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, some of the small companies offer a big dose of fun or functionality. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Steps for air safety bring health worriesThe new security measures could increase risk to passengers before boarding and in their seats. Full-body X-rays are a concern, and having to stay seated for long stretches could be risky for some. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Unemployment rate stays at 10% in December, but job losses are more than expectedThe nation's employers cut a net 85,000 jobs last month after adding to their payrolls in November. The figure dims hopes for a quick upswing in hiring. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am How Zucker's Leno quick fix got NBC into a quagmireThe NBC executive apparently had moved Jay Leno to prime time to avoid losing him to rival networks and to keep a promise to Conan O'Brien. But the focus on short-term gains proved a costly blunder. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Cleaner port air, but how?Legal tussles on trucker rules bedevil Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Not too long ago, the 10,500-acre complex...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Business BriefingVenezuelan currency is devaluedSource: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Pasadena's ESolar lands 2,000-megawatt deal in ChinaThe firm will provide technology and assistance in setting up a series of solar farms for China, in the nation's first big venture into solar thermal power production.ESolar Inc. of Pasadena signed an agreement Friday to build a series of solar thermal power plants in China with a total capacity of 2,000 megawatts, in one of the largest renewable energy deals of its kind.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Innovation doesn't always carry a big brand nameAt the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, some of the small companies offer a big dose of fun or functionality.The giants of the electronics industry made the big splashes at the Consumer Electronics Show, as usual, with towering displays, celebrity spokespeople (Taylor Swift sang for Sony, live and in 3-D) and invitation-only soirees.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am How Zucker's Leno quick fix got NBC into a quagmireThe NBC executive apparently had moved Jay Leno to prime time to avoid losing him to rival networks and to keep a promise to Conan O'Brien. But the focus on short-term gains proved a costly blunder.Jeff Zucker was a fearless news producer and fast-rising entertainment executive who was just 41 when he became head of NBC Universal. But in the last few years, the onetime whiz kid behind the "Today" show -- he turned Katie Couric into a star -- has made several costly miscalculations that have led to a spectacular fall by the country's premier television network.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Foot Locker to close 117 stores, cut 120 jobsThe specialty athletic retailer doesn't say which locations will be affected. The closures will bring its total number of shuttered locations to about 190 for fiscal 2009. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Unemployment rate stays at 10% in December, but job losses are more than expectedThe nation's employers cut a net 85,000 jobs last month after adding to their payrolls in November. The figure dims hopes for a quick upswing in hiring.The U.S. economy ended the worst year of employment losses since the Great Depression with an unexpectedly large drop of 85,000 jobs in December -- dimming hopes of a quick upswing in hiring and intensifying Washington's partisan fight over how to create more opportunities for workers.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Stocks gain as traders take jobs report in strideStocks closed higher Friday after zigzagging as investors took in stride a December employment report that was much worse than expected.Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Endless apps, eco-friendliness and a music-creation toolThe giant Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas wrapped up its second day Friday with few big-time announcements. So it became a day for the Los Angeles Times technology staff to explore and blog about...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Drama circles Leno's 10 p.m. slotSome Hollywood veterans hope his talk show's exit from prime time will make room on NBC for more scripted programs.More drama, that's what a host of Hollywood veterans are hoping will be produced as a result of the blockbuster news this week that NBC's Jay Leno experiment in prime time had failed .
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Pasadena's ESolar lands 2,000-megawatt deal in ChinaThe firm will provide technology and assistance in setting up a series of solar farms for China, in the nation's first big venture into solar thermal power production. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Business BriefingVenezuelan currency is devalued
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Steps for air safety bring health worriesThe new security measures could increase risk to passengers before boarding and in their seats. Full-body X-rays are a concern, and having to stay seated for long stretches could be risky for some.The increased security measures that followed a botched Christmas Day terrorist attack mean airline passengers will face more restrictions, searches, screenings and delays. But now some medical experts and others wonder whether the added precautions could create new health risks for fliers.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Cleaner port air, but how?Legal tussles on trucker rules bedevil Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.Not too long ago, the 10,500-acre complex at the southern tip of Los Angeles County wasn't just the home of the nation's busiest seaports, it was the graveyard where old trucks went to die.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Foot Locker to close 117 stores, cut 120 jobsThe specialty athletic retailer doesn't say which locations will be affected. The closures will bring its total number of shuttered locations to about 190 for fiscal 2009.In a move to cut costs, Foot Locker Inc. is closing 117 underperforming stores and trimming about 120 jobs this quarter, the retailer said Friday.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am Endless apps, eco-friendliness and a music-creation toolThe giant Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas wrapped up its second day Friday with few big-time announcements. So it became a day for the Los Angeles Times technology staff to explore and blog about technologies that didn't have their own press conference. Here is a sampling:
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 1:00 am JAL set to file for bankruptcy on January 19: reportsJapan Airlines (JAL) is set to file for bankruptcy on January 19, the first step in a court-led rehabilitation process for the debt-ridden Japanese carrier, news reports said Saturday. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 12:10 am JAL lenders to cave in to bankruptcy plan-sources (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 9 Jan 2010 | 12:05 am UPDATE 3-JAL lenders to cave in to bankruptcy plan-sources* State-fund plans Y600 bln credit line for bankruptcy-sourceSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 9 Jan 2010 | 12:03 am Savers' dilemma: to fix or not to fixInterest rates will go up, but the question is when. We look at the pros and cons of a fixed rate savings account.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:20 pm Police make arrest in Canada pipeline bomb probeAn anti-energy industry activist convicted of bombing oil and gas wells a decade ago was arrested in connection with the investigation into a series of pipeline bombings in northeastern...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:12 pm JAL's main banks to agree to bankruptcy plan: sourcesTOKYO (Reuters) - The main creditor banks of Japan Airlines are in the final stages of deciding to accept a plan to put the carrier through bankruptcy as part of a state-led restructuring,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:43 pm Honda to boost annual world production by 6 percent: reportTOKYO (Reuters) - Automaker Honda Motor Co plans to produce 3.59 million units in the world next financial year to start in April, up 6 percent from this financial year's outlook on risingSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:13 pm Honda to boost annual world production by 6 percent: reportTOKYO (Reuters) - Automaker Honda Motor Co plans to produce 3.59 million units in the world next financial year to start in April, up 6 percent from this financial year's outlook on rising sales, Asahi newspaper reported on Saturday.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:13 pm US solar company to build power plants in ChinaSouthern California's eSolar Inc. has signed a major agreement to build a series of solar power plants in China. Under the agreement announced Friday, the Pasadena, Calif.-based eSolar...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:10 pm Horizon Bank first U.S. bank failure of 2010WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators closed Horizon Bank of Bellingham, Washington, on Friday, kicking off what has been forecast as a peak year for small bank failures.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 8:00 pm Venezuela to devalue its currencyVenezuela will devalue its currency, the bolivar, by at least 17% against the US dollar to boost oil revenues.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 7:45 pm Ken Feinberg Discusses U.S. Bank Compensation: VideoSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 7:04 pm Weekend Investor: Ten money-making investment ideas for 2010Knowing that there can be too much of a good thing, many investors are wary about how stock and bond markets this year will follow their remarkable 2009 surge. One thing's for sure: This year won't be like the last.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 6:32 pm Senator Lugar on Obama, Terrorism, Foreign Policy: VideoSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 6:13 pm Taxing Times: Good news for taxpayers, but don't celebrate yetIt’s January, and MarketWatch is here to help you through the tax season ahead. Taxing Times goes back to its weekly schedule starting today, arriving in your inbox every Friday through tax season.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 6:07 pm UBS whistleblower in prison, court rules on filesZURICH/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The chief whistleblower in the UBS AG tax secrecy probe entered prison to serve a sentence he considered unfair, hours after a Swiss court ruled the bank should not have been forced to turn over client files to government investigators.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:54 pm Twitter hiring workers to turn Tweets into moneySAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter, the popular but money-losing microblogging service, is hiring engineers and specialists who can help turn it into a money-maker.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:44 pm California budget cuts unveiledCalifornia's Governor Schwarzenegger unveils spending cuts aimed at containing the state's $20bn budget deficit.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:44 pm Qualcomm profile rises as consumer devices connectPaul Jacobs faced a unique challenge when he delivered his keynote address at CES, in that relatively few people have even heard of his company.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:36 pm Employers slash jobs in Dec, pressuring ObamaWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers cut 85,000 jobs in December, confounding expectations the labor market was finally stabilizing and piling pressure on President Barack Obama to spur job growth.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:30 pm Lawmakers press for Geithner AIG testimony (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:20 pm Lawmakers press for Geithner AIG testimonyWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Friday pressed for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to testify on whether the New York Federal Reserve Bank improperly pressured AIG to withhold information on payments it made to banks after its government bailout.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:20 pm Britain faces ‘toughest cuts for 20 years’Alistair Darling has warned that Britain faces its toughest spending cuts for 20 years if Labour continues in office. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Argentina bank chief reinstatedA judge orders the reinstatement of Argentina's central bank governor and blocks a plan to use reserves to pay debt.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Factory gate price surge stokes inflation fearsEconomists gave warning of a pick-up in inflation yesterday after news that the price of goods leaving UK factories rose last month at their fastest rate for almost a year. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Poor employment figures dash hopes of early recovery for US economyHopes of a quick revival in the American labour market were dashed yesterday by unexpectedly bad employment figures. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm The woman set to make Virgin shine out in the grey world of bankingIt was a deal, but it was not the deal. For two years Virgin Money, founded by Sir Richard Branson as Virgin Direct in 1995, has been known to be interested in buying some or all of Northern Rock, to propel the Virgin brand into high street banking. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Belgian brewery workers take hostages over cutsWorkers at a brewery in Belgium took their managers hostage yesterday after the maker of Stella Artois and Becks announced that it would cut a tenth of its European workforce. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Turbine delays blow government renewable energy targets off courseConstruction of 6,400 giant new offshore wind turbines will take several years longer than previously thought, undermining the chances of the Government meeting its renewable energy target. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Put paid to pay consultantsIf there is one single force responsible for the regrettable soaring of boardroom pay over the past two decades, it is the insidious rise and rise of the remuneration consultant. This is a species of expert, imported from America, that simply did not exist in the UK 25 years ago. Somehow back in the corporate stone age, non-executive directors managed to set executive pay all by themselves. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Founder lets Foxtons off its £50m debtJon Hunt, the millionaire founder of Foxtons, has written off £50 million owed to him by the estate agency as part of a deal where the lenders will take control of his former business. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Google or Apple — who’s the smartphone money on?Apple and Google, once the friendliest of Silicon Valley neighbours, have set themselves on a collision course. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Ecclestone aims to make Saab a driving force in motor sportBernie Ecclestone, the Formula One tycoon, believes that Saab should become a leading motor sport brand as he prepares to bid for the ailing Swedish carmaker. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Green Business: Conscious ClothMiranda Brown's sustainable fashion collection is already available at high-end boutiques across New Zealand and Australia, as well as one store in San Francisco.But the Westmere-based clothing designer is planning to take her...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 5:00 pm Huge NYC apartment complex misses loan paymentNEW YORK (Reuters) - The joint venture led by Tishman Speyer and BlackRock Inc that owns New York City's vast Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village apartment complex on Friday said it missed making its full loan payment, moving the deal one step closer toward possible foreclosure.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:58 pm Obama awards $2.3 billion clean energy tax creditsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a $2.3 billion tax credit on Friday to boost jobs by promoting clean energy, as new data showed the country's unemployment rate remained stuck in the double digits.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:57 pm Jim Cramer’s Gold Stocks For 2010 (GLD, FCX, EGO, GDXJ)Jim Cramer continued on his theme stock picks for 2010 on CNBC’s MAD MONEY tonight. We have already heard Cramer’s theme picks for homeland security, technology, ADRs, and for energy shortages. Tonight Cramer’s picks were around gold in his “going for the gold” theme for 2010. Cramer said gold was up 24% last year and [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:50 pm Top Ten: MarketWatch's top stories of the week, Jan. 4-8U.S. stocks end the first week of the year with decent gains as investors shrug off the December payrolls report.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:50 pm Stocks stage late advanceA tech rally propelled the Nasdaq and helped the broader market erase losses Friday, as investors took in stride a surprisingly weak jobs report amid other recent signs that the economy appears to be stabilizing.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:44 pm After Hours: Target shares slip in quiet late sessionTarget tips lower in light volume after the retailer says it is buying the Smith & Hawken brand of upscale garden products.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:43 pm Main Street to Wall Street: We don't buy the rally (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:42 pm Geithner under pressure on AIG paymentsSome Democrats echoed the demands of Republicans for the Treasury secretary to explain his role in the decision to pay off the credit derivative counterparties in full and try to keep details privateSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:38 pm How the major stock indexes fared on Friday (AP)AP - A disappointing jobs report couldn't stop the stock market from having a strong start to the new year. Stocks zigzagged for much of Friday but closed higher as investors took in stride the Labor Department's news that employers cut 85,000 jobs in December, far more than the 8,000 analysts expected. The disappointing numbers were offset by a pleasant surprise: November's report was revised to show the first job gains in nearly two years.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:37 pm Halliburton Upgraded, Telefonica Downgraded: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:35 pm Consumer borrowing falls sharply in November (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:33 pm Bankers escape bonus blowCity bankers will suffer little or no impact from the bonus supertax imposed by the government last month, according to a Financial Times pollSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:30 pm Stocks gain as traders take jobs report in stride (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:27 pm Charity fuel aid plea for elderlyMore financial help is needed for elderly people struggling in the current cold snap, says charity Age Concern and Help the Aged.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:20 pm Randgold Uses Turbulence To Etch New Base (Investor's Business Daily)Investor's Business Daily - Gold-mining stocks took some hard shots after the U.S. dollar began to strengthen in early December.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:13 pm Canadian Markets: Canadian stocks rise, end higher for weekCanada's main stock index gains as metals and mining shares rally on the back of higher metals prices, overshadowing reports showing a tougher labor market in December than economists had expected.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:12 pm California in call for $6.9bnArnold Schwarzenegger published his last budget as governor of California and immediately walked into a political storm when he said the state needed $6.9bn from the federal government to help address a $19.9bn budget deficitSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:06 pm Men who ran £1 million boiler room scam jailedTwo men who ran a £1 million boiler room scam targeting victims across Britain have been sent to prison.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:01 pm Harvard's Darnton Discusses How Books Shaped History: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:59 pm Detroit Auto Show: Get turbochargedHere's an early peek at what automakers will be unveiling next week at the nation's biggest car show.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:35 pm Referendum due on IcesaveIcelandic MPs vote to hold a referendum on a controversial plan to repay foreign savers over the collapse of the Icesave bank.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:33 pm Biodiesel industry stunted as tax credit expiresThe biodiesel industry is revving up efforts to reinstate the U.S. biodiesel tax credit, warning that as many as 23,000 jobs could be at risk if lawmakers don’t revive the program.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:32 pm Washington Calendar: Washington events for Jan. 11 - 13A look at the top economic data and key events in Washington during the week.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:30 pm Podcast: John Maynard Keynes Has A Plan
The famous economist once called the gold standard "a barbarous relic." (Tim Gidal/Picture Post/Getty Images) On today's Planet Money: As great figures from history go, John Maynard Keynes should consider himself lucky, at least when it comes to his biography. His biographer, Lord Robert Skidelsky, is one of the best. His three-volume biography of Keynes is not only comprehensive (1000+ pages) -- it's also funny, insightful and frankly, a little raunchy. Skidelsky has a new book about Keynes out, called Keynes: The Return of the Master. We talk with him about how Keynes developed the ideas that (at least according to some BONUS LISTENING: Adam and Alex's profile of Keynes. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:20 pm Wall St hits new highs on recovery hopes (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:10 pm Wall St hits new highs on recovery hopes (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:10 pm Wall St hits new highs on recovery hopesNEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Friday after trading in the red most of the day as investors concluded weak December jobs data wouldn't interrupt a trend of steady economic recovery.Source: Reuters: Business News | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:10 pm NewsWatch: U.S. stocks eke out gains on late surgeA late round of buying nudges the stock market to a slight gain Friday, despite disappointing jobs data, ending a week of gains to begin 2010.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:05 pm Obama unveils $2.3 billion for clean energy jobsPresident Obama unveiled a program Friday that will provide $2.3 billion in tax credits for the clean energy manufacturing sector, a move aimed at creating 17,000 jobs.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:03 pm Kraft's cheesy mathIn the strange but true department, a recent securities filing by Kraft Foods seems to stretch the value stock investors are willing to place on the company.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:00 pm Best Buy posts sales gains for December (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:58 pm Global stocks recover after US jobs data disappointGlobal markets overview: The dollar slumped, bond yields dropped but Wall Street hit fresh15-month highs after equity investors shrugged off US jobs data.Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:52 pm UPS, Halliburton, Apollo Group are movers (AP)AP - The following stocks were among those that moved substantially or traded heavily Friday on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market:Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:51 pm Market Snapshot: U.S. stocks eke out gains on late surgeA late round of buying nudges the stock market to a slight gain Friday, despite disappointing jobs data, ending a week of gains to begin 2010.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:47 pm Presented By:Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:40 pm Write-Offs: 01.08.10$$$ SunTrust freezes top execs' pay -- except for the bank president's [OS] $$$ UBS client gets probation, fine for tax evasion [Reuters] $$$ France to Explore 'Google Tax' to Pay Creative Work [CNBC] $$$ Teen Girls Sought In Bank Robbery [USAT] 
 Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:40 pm Obama awards $2.3 billion clean energy tax credits (Reuters)Reuters - U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a $2.3 billion tax credit on Friday to boost jobs by promoting clean energy, as new data showed the country's unemployment rate remained stuck in the double digits.Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:33 pm Employers slash jobs in Dec, pressuring Obama (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:23 pm Tim Geithner, You Have Ten Months To Find A New JobSo sayeth noted prognosticator John Carney.
Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:20 pm Want a job? Try the governmentAs economists and investors reel from a surprisingly weak jobs number, there are 3,300 people that may actually be cheering December's report.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:16 pm 10 CEOs On $1 Salaries (Apart From Their $Millions in Stock Options)CEOs have taken a lot of flak recently for withdrawing fat paychecks during the worst financial crisis for decades. We decided to take a look at the growing number of executives who have joined the ‘$1 salary club’, and whether they really are as noble as they seem…10. Steve Jobs (Apple) – $1
Image by Matthew Yohe, via Wikimedia Steve Jobs has taken home a $1 salary for the last decade, earning himself a place in the Guinness Book of Records at one point as the official ‘World’s Lowest Paid Chief Financial Officer’ – he does however own 5.5 million of Apple’s shares, and 138 million shares of Walt Disney Co. stock (making him their largest stakeholder). Jobs also files for between $200,000 – $800,000 expenses a year. Unfortunately for him, the financial crisis whacked nearly half a billion of the value of his personal stock. 9. Vikram Pandit (Citigroup) – $1
Image by William Munoz Indian CEO of financial services giant, Citigroup, in the wake of the global recession Pandit testified to that he had declared to his board of directors, ‘my salary should be $1 per year with no bonus until we return to profitability.’ A nice gesture, but consider that he had received $10.82 million in 2008. He was also forced to apologize for letting the bank consider completing the purchase of a private jet plane after receiving some $45 billion in public bailout money. 8. Richard Fairbank (McLean) – $0
Public domain image, via MSN Money Not strictly on $1, but we thought we’d include him in the list – Fairbank, CEO of Virginia-based banking, McLean, and credit card company, Capital One, has taken no salary or bonus since 1997. After being awarded $17.1 million in stock in 2007, he again chose to take none in 2008. That made him the current lowest-paid CEO, with his $68,000 in compensation consisting solely of allowances for health care, transportation, home security and insurance. You won’t find him collecting welfare however, as in 2001 he Fairbank was the highest-paid financial company CEO, earning $69 million, all of it in stock awards, according to Bloomberg data. 7. Eric Schmidt (Google) – $1
Image by Charles Haynes Schmidt joined Google’s board in 2001 and became CEO later that year. He earns a base salary of $1, but along with other compensation his total annual remuneration comes to around $508,763 – although in 2008 he did not receive any cash, stock, or options . Schmidt is one of the few people who have become billionaires based on stock options received as an employee in a corporation of which neither he nor a relative was the founder. The 2006 ‘World’s Richest People’ list ranked Schmidt as the 129th richest person in the world with an estimated wealth of $6.2 billion. 6. Larry Page & Sergey Brin (Google) – $1
Image by Joi Page and Brin founded Google in their garage in 1996 and today, while much of the media sector struggles in the depths of the recession, Google powers on, dominating the online advertising market. Profits were up in the first quarter of this year, to $1.42bn on the back of revenues of $5.5bn – Google is, undoubtedly, the most powerful media brand in the world today. Page and Brin cut their salaries to only $1, and have drawn this for several years – but with personal fortunes estimated at $8.3 billion, they really can afford to. 5. Jerry Yang (Yahoo!) – $1
Image via Wikimedia Yang succeeded Terry Semel as CEO of Yahoo, who had previously received only $1. Along with David Filo at Stanford University, Yang co-founded the amusingly named ‘Jerry and Dave’s Guide to the World Wide Web’ in 1994 – what would go on to become Yahoo! yang only drew £1 in salary, but has recently been replaced by Carol Bartz whose base salary is over $1 million. 4. Edward Liddy (AIG) – $1
Image via reobama CEO of American International Group, Edward Liddy, who is handling the resurrection of the banking giant, will receive $1 in compensation this year and next. Fair enough, we say, as the head of a financial group which received nearly $150 billion in public money. Liddy will still be receiving an as-yet-undisclosed stock package as well, although with the hit AIG have taken this might not be worth an awful lot – like the rest of the $1 salary club, Liddy can, however, probably afford to live off his previous paydays for a while. 3. Richard Kinder (Kinder Morgan) – $1
Image via wikimedia This former head of Enron knew he was in the public’s bad books, so as head of Kinder Morgan in 2008 he drew only a $1 salary, without stock option or bonus. No bonus, no options, no restricted stock – how does he get by? He owns 24 million shares in Morgan Kinder, and since the company paid an annual dividend of more than $3 per share last year, Kinder himself made at least $72 million. Morningstar recently named Kinder its CEO of the year for 2005, in part because of how his compensation aligns his interests with those of shareholders. 2. Lawrence Ellison (Oracle) – $1
Image via rediff Oracle CEO Larry Ellison will receive a base salary of $1 for fiscal 2010, according to a regulatory document filed in August – that’s a decrease of $999,999 from last year. But Ellison won’t exactly be starving. He is the world’s fourth wealthiest person, according to Forbes. Ellison’s base pay of $1 million in 2009 only accounted for 1.2 percent of his total compensation anyway – 97% was in the form of stock. 1. Jen Hsun-Huang (NVIDIA) – $1
Image via Tinakasan NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang has reduced his salary this year to $1 after taxes and benefits, along with all his chief execs. With the global economy locked in a year-long recession, 2009 has been a rougher than normal year for NVIDIA, but instead of firing employees, Huang and his board nobly consented to drawing only symbolic salaries. You’d think he’d be able to though, as in 2009 Huang received $4 million in total pay, including a total salary of $401,272, plus option awards worth $3.6 million – and that was down from $6.1 million in 2008.
Source: Business Pundit | 8 Jan 2010 | 2:02 pm Tim Geithner Didn't Try To Cover Up AIG Payouts, Says Tim Geithner's Employer
"Matters of AIG securities law disclosure were not brought to the attention of the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York," Thomas Baxter, the New York Fed's general counsel, said in a statement. NY Fed: Geithner not involved in AIG disclosures [Reuters]
Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:49 pm The VIX Becomes Worthless, Again (VXX, VXZ)The CBOE Volatility Index or “The VIX” has turned worthless as a market indicator. This happens from time to time, and it is often followed by rapid change. Today the VIX hit a 52-week low of 18.70 and it sits at 19.06 late in the day. What is interesting is that this was not just [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:43 pm Property watchdog investigates 70 complaintsThe new real estate industry watchdog is investigating about 70 complaints, just two months after being launched.The Real Estate Agents Authority chairwoman Kristy McDonald said about 700 calls a week were initially received but...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:41 pm UK more at risk than ever of losing AAA rating, top investor Neil Woodford warnsTop investor, Neil Woodford, warns that Britain risks being marooned with loss of AAA rating.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:34 pm US terror suspect pleads not guiltyUmar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old Nigerian accused of trying to destroy a US airliner on Christmas Day, made his first court appearance on Friday.Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:30 pm UPS to cut 1,800 management jobsUnited Parcel Service (UPS) is to cut back its workforce as part of a reorganisation of its US small parcels division.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:25 pm Virgin Money primed for assault on UK banking market after Church House dealSir Richard Branson's Virgin Money has secured the banking licence it needs to launch a long-awaited assault on Britain's beleaguered mortgage and savings market following the acquisition of the small west country bank, Church House Trust.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:20 pm A Model HospitalBy Daniel Costello As part of his vision for health care reform in the US, President Barack Obama has singled out Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania as a model system that should be replicated across the U.S. Unlike less-efficient hospitals, Geisinger pays doctors salaries and bonuses if patients are treated well and don't have to return for unnecessary follow-up care. The hospital also has completely electronic medical records that help reduce mistakes as well as other innovations. Watch: The Financial Times visits the hospital. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:18 pm UBS client data transfer ruled illegalThe order last year compelling UBS to release the names of 255 US offshore clients by the Swiss financial regulator was illegal, according to a Swiss court rulingSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:13 pm Wood Group investigates accounting claimJohn Wood Group, the oil services company, is investigating allegations that a former chief financial officer of a US division was pressurised to inflate revenues.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:12 pm US states carp over waterways policyThe US Supreme Court was considering whether to stop a fish from swimming into a lake, in an ostensibly quirky hearing that goes to the heart of the zeitgeist debate in Washington: jobsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:12 pm BC Partners counts £100m cost of buying Foxtons at peak of house pricesBC Partners ill-timed acquisition of Foxtons has cost it close to £100m after it was forced to put in new cash to retain a stake in the estate agency business following a rescue deal after it had written off its original investment.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:09 pm Tim Geithner comes under fresh pressure over AIG revelationsTim Geithner, the US Treasury Secretary, is facing a series of Congressional investigations after it emerged the Federal Reserve Bank of New York urged American International Group to withhold vital information from shareholders and the US public.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 1:04 pm LBMA paints rosy gold pictureGold should clock up further price gains this year to just under $1,200 an ounce, according to the London Bullion Market latest annual survey of price forecasts for precious metalsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:59 pm Sir Richard Branson's move for Church allows him to preach his banking credentialsFirst thought. Bit late. Haven't we just done the Virgin and Church thing without Sir Richard Branson muscling in on a post-Christmas re-run?Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:56 pm ABI warns directors at UK's largest companies over annual pay rewardsDirectors at some of Britain's largest companies have been warned to consider their shareholders when setting pay this year amid growing scrutiny of executive remuneration.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:45 pm Bear Stearns name set for scrapheapMore than 86 years after Joseph Bear, Robert Stearns, and Harold Mayer pooled $500,000 in capital and founded an equity trading house named after the first two, the Bear Stearns name is to be consigned to the dustbin of historySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:41 pm Britain's plan for giant wind farms will need 'super-grid' to take offPower companies have warned that they will need a "super-grid" linked to Europe to make it a reality.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:36 pm Money lessons from The SimpsonsChris Turner, author of "Planet Simpson," talks with Tess Vigeland about money lessons learned from America's favorite animated family.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:29 pm Accident inspires budgeting strategyAlicia Wood talks with Tess Vigeland about how an accident taught her to think about money in a new way.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:29 pm Will Dodd act with time left in office?Although Sen. Christopher Dodd has announced he will not seek reelection, Tess Vigeland reports that as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee he still has time to push for credit card reform.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:28 pm Getting PersonalTess Vigeland and Nic Retsinas, director of Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, answer listeners' housing questions.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:28 pm How to be sharp in video job interviewsMore employers are using Skype, iChat and other video conferencing technologies to screen job applicants. Mitchell Hartman talks to experts about how to make the best of a video interview.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:28 pm 2010 money goals from our listenersThree Marketplace Money listeners share their goals for the new year: Learning their credit score, teaching the kids about family finances, and improving their budgeting.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:28 pm Escaping the mortgage battlefrontHow can homeowners stop the carnage associated with mortgage loan modifications? Harriet Brackey, a columnist for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, offers some advice.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:27 pm GFEs help clarify mortgage termsA new form released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development -- the Good Faith Estimate -- is intended to make mortgage terms a little easier to understand. Bankrate.com's Holden Lewis explains.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:27 pm IRS gets tough on tax preparersSoon "unenrolled" tax preparers will be subject to higher standards. Rico Gagliano reports on the federal guidelines rolling out in the next two to three years, which are intended to help keep taxpayers safe.Source: Marketplace Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 12:27 pm Bank of America Employees Are Depressed About Working For Bank Of America
The bank's employee "morale is exceptionally low and they've been beaten up every day for the past two years, so you can't get any worse, so any uptick is a success story," Jason Kennedy, chief executive officer of Kennedy Associates, a London-based recruiting firm, said today in a Bloomberg Television interview.
Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:55 am Dodge brings a Detonator to Detroit - seriouslyIf you're a struggling carmaker looking to make a splash and create controversy, unveiling a new vehicle called "the Detonator" at the Detroit Auto Show may sound like a good idea. If you do it two weeks after an attempted terror attack aimed at the very city where you're doing the unveiling, you may think twice.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:43 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 Friday:Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:38 am Coronado Says `Staggering' Amount of Labor Not Utilized: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:28 am Blanchflower Sees U.S. Jobless Recovery: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:26 am Holder Discusses New Initiative Against FraudBy Daniel Costello In remarks to a civic group meeting in West Palm Beach, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder discussed how a new inter-agency task force is focusing on halting fraud involving mortgages, securities, economic stimulus programs and the government's bailout programs. The Justice Department is moving forward on more than 5,000 pending financial institution fraud cases, Holder said. The FBI is investigating more than 2,800 mortgage fraud cases, he said. Holder said that financial crime had become all too common and Palm Beach "is, in many respects, ground zero for the $65 billion Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Bernard Madoff -- the largest investor fraud case in our nation's history. "Last year, Allen Stanford, Tom Petters and, most recently, Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein, who is alleged to have run a $1 billion investment scam, joined Bernie Madoff in becoming headline news and household names," Holder said. "I'm proud that these men along with more than 450 others convicted of corporate and securities fraud in 2009, have been taken out of the game." Here's a full copy of the speech. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:16 am GM winding down Saab operationsGeneral Motors begins the process to close Swedish carmaker Saab, but says it is continuing efforts to find a buyer.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:15 am FTSE 100 closes up slightly (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:08 am FTSE 100 closes up slightly (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:08 am More Latinos filling community collegesIncreasing numbers of students are starting their pursuit of higher education at community colleges. Among them are minorities, Latinos especially, who see the schools as a good first step. Emily Hanford reports.Source: Marketplace | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:01 am Liberal arts job market looks bleakKatharine Brooks, director of the University of Texas Austin's Liberal Arts Centers, talks with Kai Ryssdal about what's behind the drop in teaching positions for historians and liberal arts professors.Source: Marketplace | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:01 am This Week’s LinksDaily Speculation has 10 things we can learn about branding from Lady Gaga and Apple. (via Zero Hedge) Think BRIC is the only economically rising country cluster/acronym to watch out for this decade? Try the MAVINS, too. Small Business Trends has a good list of SEO trends for 2010. Check out What Matters Now, Seth Godin’s new free ebook. The American Prospect reports on how some bosses pad paychecks and cheat their employers to make their low-wage employees’ lives more tolerable.
Source: Business Pundit | 8 Jan 2010 | 11:00 am Did TCW Set Up Jeffrey Gundlach To Look Like A Sex-Crazed Maniac?
Now, on the one hand, maybe all of this is legit. Maybe Gundlach just loves his drugs and porn, and needed them close to him at all hours of the day. On the other hand: the sheer volume of stuff just seems really suspect, and as though perhaps someone was maybe tasked with stashing some stuff around the office to make Gundlach look bad, except that whoever was put on the job failed to exercise a little restraint, making the whole thing slightly unbelievable. Let's just say Gundlach does feel the need to jerk it at the office, and, being blocked from XTube, has no other choice but to bring in his own materials. Fine. Would he seriously need thirty-six different DVDs??? One, okay. Two, fine. Everyone needs variety. THIRTY-SIX? To say nothing of him apparently having every single issue of Honcho? And twelve different devices? So, basically, what TCW is trying to tells us, is that either a) Gundlach essentially spent every single minute of the working day looking at porn, in a sex swing, with a ball gag in his mouth or b) he was operating a online wholesale sex shop distributor and kept the inventory at his office. And not that there's anything wrong with either, but it just seems a bit suspect. And forces me to ask:
Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:57 am Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff Says Labor Gaps Getting Wider: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:51 am Weekly Wrap: The start of 2010The Big Money's Heidi Moore and Clusterstock.com's John Carney talk with Kai Ryssdal about how Sen. Dodd's retirement will impact reform, whether Treasury Secretary Geithner can hold onto his job, and the latest job report.Source: Marketplace | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:50 am Will a Leno move bring ratings, too?NBC reportedly wants to put Jay Leno back in his old late-night slot. Will he be able to bring the ratings up? Bob Moon reports.Source: Marketplace | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:50 am Why Geithner's getting so much griefA House committee is planning to put Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on the hot seat over his role in keeping certain information secret about the bailout of AIG. Jeremy Hobson reports.Source: Marketplace | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:50 am Google searches for electricity tradingGoogle has applied for approval from federal regulators to buy and sell electricity. Is the Internet giant really going to compete with brick-and-mortar utilities? Jeff Tyler reports.Source: Marketplace | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:49 am A dismal unemployment pictureThe economy lost 85,000 jobs in December, the unemployment rate held steady at 10%, and a look behind the numbers shows a jobless picture that's even worse. John Dimsdale reports.Source: Marketplace | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:49 am Revlon tycoon gets taken downRonald Perelman may not be the most disputatious tycoon on the planet, but he sure spends a lot of time in the courtroom. Something about the bullet-headed billionaire engenders conflict. The list of formerly close associates and relations with whom Perelman has engaged in knockdown, drag-out legal battles includes a former chief financial officer of his company, a former vice chairman, and all four ex-wives. Perelman, evidently, has issues with exes.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:48 am Cantor’s Parpart Says Net Worth to Accelerate in 2010: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:47 am Canwest to sell newspaper groupCanadian media giant Canwest Global puts its entire newspaper division under bankruptcy protection as it seeks a buyer.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:47 am JPMorgan’s Glassman Comments on U.S. Employment Report: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:46 am Moody’s Cochrane Comments on December Employment Report: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:45 am Job growth returns - then fadesEmployers once again slashed a substantial number jobs off their payrolls in December, according to the latest labor report from the government Friday. But there was a small glimmer of hope in the report.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:29 am The great job fake-outSo much for, to paraphrase President Gerald Ford, our long national economic nightmare being over.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:27 am Financial regulators issue new guidelines to tighten oversight (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:21 am A holiday job leaves a lasting giftIn the season of returns and exchanges, there's one holiday gift that Steve Brannigan will be holding on to: his new job. What began as a temporary survival strategy has turned into a 40-hour work week for the former auto worker.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:17 am Rig Counts Look OK, Sans-US (BHI, OIH, USO)Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI) announced its weekly rig count data, but what is interesting is that the latest data shows a 2009-end with comparisons to a 2008-end. If you saw the declines in the start of 2009, you might be relieved that the rig counts at the end of 2009 in some cases are [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:14 am Attention RBC: Duke Student Would Like A Job, Please
Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 10:00 am World stocks recover from US jobs disappointment (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:51 am Physical Platinum & Palladium ETFs Launch (PPLT, PALL, GLD, SGOL, SIVR, SWC, PAL, PTM, PGM)Your wait for the platinum and palladium ETF products is over. Today marked the launch of the ETFS Physical Platinum Shares (NYSE: PPLT) and ETFS Physical Palladium Shares (NYSE: PALL). These ETFs are similar to the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD) in that they are backed by physical assets in plate and ingot form in [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:50 am Poor Customer Support: The Hidden Cost of “Free” SoftwareThis is a guest post by Elmer Thomas from ThinkingSerious.com. It has probably happened to you before, but now it is getting worse. If you have ever made an impulse buy of a no-name “productivity tool” from the end-rack at the checkout lane at your local office superstore or some random website on the Internet, you know what I am talking about. After investing your time installing and then trying to use the program, you realize the product doesn’t work as advertised–or worse, you encounter unexpected error messages or other technical problems. You find no support number to call and the Support FAQs are of no help if they even exist at all. But then, what did you expect? How many support call minutes does $10 bucks buy you? You could take the package back, but chances are you agree it’s too much trouble and there is no guarantee that you will get your money back, let alone your pride. So you write it off. Now, with the advent of the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, the cheap software ditch has gotten steeper with tons of free software now available. Many free software products work really well, and as advertised. For example, Google yields search results, often finding just exactly what you were looking for in zero seconds. But just try to get some customer support when things go wrong or if you can’t figure out how to get something to work the way you’d think it would. Facebook doesn’t offer a way to talk directly to a customer service person. And features and functionality change over time with no warning or guarantees that any investment you made in understanding or using the software will pay off in the future. Many free SaaS offerings (such as RememberTheMilk.com, but there are hundreds of other examples) have a fee-based upgraded service level which offers priority support. The free service level is offered as an effort to get you hooked, but always with the view toward selling the service, not just giving it away. Since satisfying customer support needs beyond an FAQ generally costs money, you can pretty much count on getting what you pay for. Downloading a free game is low risk–what have you really lost if the game doesn’t work? But for office productivity software/services, online data storage or mobile connectivity services, “free” services may not be the most cost effective in the long run, as errors, learning curve breakdowns, service interruptions or data loss can be costly. As a result, assessing the cost of a software package must include, not only the purchase or license fee, but also the learning cost in time and frustration in order to obtain maximum benefit from the product. Which products and services require great customer support? How do you feel about community based support? Have you been a victim of extremely poor customer service personally? Share your story and ideas with us. We appreciate your contributions.
Source: Business Pundit | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:48 am Greece increases taxes on alcoholThe Greek government announces increases in taxes on alcohol and tobacco as it seeks to counter the country's debt crisis.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:43 am Steve Schwarzman Will Cut A Bitch Who Gets In Between Him And His Rom-Coms
Steve Schwarzman won't let anything get in the way of a good time at the multiplex. To see "It's Complicated" over the holidays in West Palm Beach, the Blackstone billionaire had an aide hold two seats in the middle of the theater for him and his wife, Christine. "The assistant was shooing people away until Christine and Steve got there," says a spy, "at which point she gave the seats to them and left."
Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:30 am Art and antiques shun recession as investors seek safe havensArt and antiques have shunned the recession with prices rising as investors look for "safe" places to put their funds, a survey says.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:30 am TSX little changed after jobs data, energy drags (Reuters)Reuters - Toronto's main stock index was little changed on Friday as weak Canadian and U.S. employment reports and a lower oil price weighed on sentiment, even as consumer stocks rebounded.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:18 am Bonus Watch '10: Bank Of AmericaHey business owners, you know what would be a great way to get employees to stop quitting your company? I've thought about this long and hard and I think I've got it. Are you ready? Are you ready for this one? Here's comes the money shot: you could pay them. I know Bank of America agrees with me because they're expected to pay out bonuses close to 2007 levels. Employees previously threatening to walk out that door and never come back seem to like this new plan. Bank of America's willingness to pay bonuses near 2007 levels is calming tensions among former Merrill executives and tamping down talk of more defections. "Nobody is talking about leaving," said one person familiar with the matter. BAC, of course, would like to keep this on the DL, pretending to have no idea what any of this is about, lest anyone-- perhaps a former employee who didn't get paid last year-- get upset:
Source: Dealbreaker | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:10 am Fran O'Sullivan: Date with Hillary will strengthen tiesHillary Rodham Clinton - the most powerful United States public diplomat to visit New Zealand in 25 years - will be on remarkably solid ground when she comes to Auckland next week for what's been billed as a "two- day working visit".Foreign...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am South Canterbury set for a shake-upAllan Hubbard's troubled South Canterbury Finance may announce measures to strengthen its capital structure next week, says corporate troubleshooter Sandy Maier, who was appointed chief executive last month.Maier, who has spent...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am TelstraClear poised for push into AucklandSteve Jackson is readying himself for an assault on Auckland.TelstraClear's head of consumer - the division responsible for providing telco services to residential users - admits the Australian-owned phone company has struggled...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Boom times ahead, says retail tycoonSYDNEY: Australia is heading for its next big boom, says Gerry Harvey, billionaire chairman of the nation's largest electronics seller, after a report showing retail sales surged by the most in eight months.Households, buoyed...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Brett O'Riley : Information highway leads to the futureThe debate about broadband infrastructure is now moving on from one of whether it will be constructed to what services broadband will enable, and what it could achieve for New Zealanders.Broadband is a core platform for an economy...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Leading questions : Economist Gareth MorganHow was the recession for you? A long overdue sobering up for New Zealanders addicted to a debt-spiked cocktail of property and fringe investing, so we found it refreshing to be able to have so many conversations with people who...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Geithner under fire for secrecyWASHINGTON: Republicans in both Houses of Congress called yesterday for hearings into revelations that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, led at the time by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, pushed for greater secrecy on controversial...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am 'Fonz' thanked for bringing Clinton to NZWhen Hillary Clinton "comes to town" next week, an influential band of Americans - let's call them "the Fonz" - will be cheering from the sidelines.It is not widely commented on outside of business circles, but the deepening bilateral...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 8 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Oil Companies Push Back On EthanolBy Daniel Costello Refiners and oil companies joined vehicle manufacturers and recreational boat users in requesting the federal government does more research before allowing higher concentrations of ethanol in gasoline. The concerns were expressed in a letter to administration officials, including the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, which is weighing whether to raise the current 10 percent cap on the amount of ethanol that can be blended into gasoline. The American Petroleum Institute, the Petroleum Marketers Association of America, the Society of Independent Gasoline Markets of America, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and other groups warned EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and White House energy adviser Carol Browner about proceeding "on limited or inadequate data." "We urge EPA to base its decision on a complete and sound scientific record," the groups wrote. They urged the Energy Department to exhaust a $15 million fund for research on ethanol blends before the EPA makes its decision. On Nov. 30, the agency pushed off a final decision on whether to waive the current limits to allow for additional testing, despite encouraging studies on the ability of newer automobiles to process a 15 percent ethanol blend known as E15. At the time, EPA Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy told the biofuels booster seeking the change that the agency wanted "to make sure we have all necessary science to make the right decision." Here's one view on how why the federal government is spending too much on ethanol. In 2008 the U.S. government spent about $4 billion on subsidies for the biofuel industry, namely ethanol, to replace roughly 2 percent of the country's gasoline supply. Those substituted barrels of oil cost roughly $82 a barrel, or $1.95 per gallon, and it just doesn't seem to be worth it concludes a new policy paper by the folks at Rice University's Baker Institute. And one in support.
Lastly, here's a copy of the letter:
January 6, 2010
Subject: EPA's Pending Decision on the Use of E15, and DOE's Ethanol Research Program As a diverse group of stakeholders who want biofuels to succeed in the U.S. and who remain Jack Gerard, President and CEO Lisa Mullings, CEO Michael J. Stanton, President and CEO Thomas J. Dammrich, President Nancy Michelman, President Charlie Drevna, President Jed R. Mandel, President Kris Kiser, Executive Vice-President Ed Klim, President Dan Gilligan, President Tim Buche, President Kenneth Doyle, Executive Vice-President, Attachment: Summary of the Research Coordination Group's recommended research program Cc: The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary of USDA Summary of Required Mid-Level Ethanol Tests Light Duty Vehicle Tests These tests were developed based on stakeholder global experience with ethanol. They look at the
Tailpipe Emissions for SULEV and Cold Ambient Operation
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 8:47 am This Week’s Weird Jobs
Ever smelled a rat? If so, somebody really wants you to find it. And remove it. From inside their wall: 1. WI: Dead rat finder and remover Had a rat problems and solved it by using the rat poison. The rats died somewhere in my bedroom wall and I can’t find it but I can smell it it is not too good. I need some body who has experience finding where in wall the dead rats is and then taking them out it without breaking the walls. Maybe some guy who is poor they are more likely to have experience with the rats. Im not really able to pay too much for this would treat you to McDonald’s it is close to my home. Besides, this is good experience for you if you are in the business. I would be willing to tell all your other customers what a great job you did with my rat. You could give them my cell number and as soon as my phone gets turned back on it would be like you have free advertising. I dispertly need some guys help right away cause my girlfriend won’t sleep over anymore till I get rid of the smell and cleanup other things around my home and get a job soon. She used to go out with my brother and Im scared she will go back with him cause he don’t have rats in his house. Dont worry if I dont answer you right away cause Im using my friends computer I dont have one. Give me your number and ill call you back and tell you where the house is. Thanks. Classic. 2. AK: Moms….do you love to clean? 3. AK: Needed: volunteers for weight loss study We’re performing a big paid dieting weight loss research study and we need men and women who want to lose weight. We are expecting people to lose some extra weight by the final stage of the 14 day paid research study. We only want to have participants who need to lose a minimum of 15 lbs during our 14 day study. Please send us an email for more details. Wanted immediately! “Key” Baker to manage wholesale bakery. Must be knowledgeable in operating equipment, developing recipes and related cost. Looking for a Team Player energetic Multi Taker. Will be supervised by Key Manager and Key President. Will manage Non-Key Bakers, Locked Maintenance Staff, and other unkeyed personnel. 5. CA: Plastic Surgery Office needs Receptionist This position is for someone who enjoys interaction with people and is skilled at multitasking administrative duties. The right candidate is … ➢ One that has exceptional customer service skills – Prior customer service experience required Attractive appearance helps, though we will nip/tuck the right candidate. Happy Friday!
Source: Business Pundit | 8 Jan 2010 | 8:35 am Morning Report: Disappointing Jobs Report; France Eyes 'Google-Tax'By Daniel Costello Employers once again slashed a substantial number jobs off their payrolls in December. The government reported on Friday that the economy lost another 85,000 jobs last month, but that the unemployment rate held steady at 10 percent. Many economist and policymakers were hoping for a net gain in new jobs last month so the extent of job losses is surprising. Politically, President Obama and Congressional leaders may use the news to push for a more aggressive government spending program aimed at spurring hiring, particularly with congressional mid-term elections looming. Construction and manufacturing, two sectors of the economy particularly hard hit during the recession, again suffered large job losses in December. Construction lost 53,000 jobs while employment in manufacturing fell by 27,000 jobs. Retail employment fell by 10,000 jobs on a seasonally-adjusted basis, even with the holiday shopping season in full swing. The leisure and hospitality industries cut 25,000 workers. One small bit of good news: the payroll number for November was revised to a net gain of 4,000 jobs. That's the first increase in jobs in nearly two years. The government had previously indicated that 11,000 jobs were lost in November France is considering a so-called Google tax to fund subsidies for musicians and newspapers struggling in the digital era. "The world of culture is not only turned upside-down but profoundly threatened by the development of the Internet, and we hope that our action doesn't intervene too late," music producer Patrick Zelnik told the French daily Liberation on Thursday. A government-commissioned report, published this week, outlines programs to encourage buying books, music and films online rather than viewing them for free. The levy could raise up to 50 million euros (70 million dollars) this year, according to the plan. And here's a warning to Apple lovers. The Los Angeles Times has a story about thieves who target people just as they are leaving Apple stores. Thieves have been taking a big bite out of Apple Store customers by snatching computers in more than 100 "follow-away" burglaries across the region, authorities said. Last month, the Orange County district attorney's office charged three Los Angeles residents -- Garzon Diaz, Louis Lopez and John Rodriguez -- with burglary and grand theft in connection with 28 cases of thieves breaking into vehicles and stealing computers from customers who had visited Apple. Manhattan Beach Police Sgt. Brian Brown said Tuesday that detectives were continuing their investigation into 15 similar cases since September. The laptop and desktop computers were stolen from the vehicles of customers who had visited the Apple Store on Sepulveda Boulevard. The suspects stake out an Apple store and choose a customer as their target, according to police. They follow the victim as he or she drives away from the store. If the consumer stops and leaves the vehicle without taking the computer, the thieves strike. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 8 Jan 2010 | 7:38 am Today’s Best Market Rumors (1/8/2010) (BAC)(AMR)Updated throughout the day. GM got last minute bids for Saab NBC wants to move Jay Leno back to his late-night part of the TV schedule. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) bonuses will return to 2007 levels. American (NYSE:AMR) lifted its offer for an interest in JAL to $1.4 billion. Douglas A. McIntyre Posted in Rumors Tagged: AMR, BAC [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 7:04 am Non-Farm Payrolls Doesn’t Make The GradeThe Labor Department has just released what is so far the most important jobs data in 2010. The December unemployment rate came out at 10.0% and the change in non-Farm payrolls was -85,000. Bloomberg had a consensus reading of 10.1% for December versus 10.% initially reported for November. It also had a consensus of 10,000 [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 6:38 am Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (MS, GS, JPM, NLY, BCS, BKC, CLNE, KO, CL, DB, PCS, TJX, WBSN)These are this Friday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from early Wall Street research calls. There were several banking and broker-on-broker cuts: Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) have all seen their earnings estimates cut at Citigroup. Annaly Mortgage (NYSE: NLY) Cut to Underweight [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 6:25 am Sopt at the Line
Source: Business Pundit | 8 Jan 2010 | 4:24 am Ford’s New Onboard Software: A Prelude To Rising AccidentsFord’s (NYSE:F) slogan used to be ”Have You Driven A Ford Lately?” Those who have not will find that the firm’s new cars come with access to Twitter, online maps, internet radio, and many other things that work over the web. Ford’s Sync software array has helped the company sell cars. The firm claims that those vehicles [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:56 am The Worst May Not Be Over In Europe: Unemployment Hits 10%The worst of the economic downturn may be over in the US, China, India, and other economies in Asia. It is another matter in Europe. Spain has a double-digit jobless rate and the figure is close to 40% for those under 25 years old. The entire Eurozone has suffered more than most regions economically. Today, the EU [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:41 am The Return Of Massive Bonuses At Bank Of AmericaBank of America (NYSE:BAC) CEO Ken Lewis is gone now, but the culture of big pay packages established on his watch is not. The bank will pay large bonuses for 2009 to many of its top traders and investment bankers. Many of them are people who came to B of A with the buyout of Merrill Lynch. According [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 8 Jan 2010 | 3:09 am
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