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Earnings Watch: Updates, advisories and surprisesA roundup of the latest corporate earnings reports and what companies are saying about future quarters.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:31 am Toyota plans to give details on pedal fix in US (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:29 am Oil steady around $73 on outlook for demand (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:28 am UK factory activity 'gains pace'UK manufacturing activity grew at its fastest pace in 15 years during January, a survey suggests.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:23 am The White House Discovers The Budget DeficitMost economists have warned that the budget deficit could cause a need for ongoing huge borrowing by the Treasury and the need for higher taxes to stanch the red ink. Neither alternative is particularly attractive, but the Administration has largely ignored them up until the last few weeks. In his radio address over the weekend, President [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:22 am Stock futures signal gains on Wall Street (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:22 am Obama to unveil $3.8T budget with massive deficits (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:18 am Higher costs hit Gazprom profitsGazprom sees a 34% drop in profit as it continues to be affected by the higher cost of buying gas.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:16 am Asia markets mixed: Shanghai down, Hong Kong upLosses on Wall Street and worries about monetary tightening in the region weigh on sentiment in Asia.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:15 am Nokia (NOK) Stays Ahead Of Apple (AAPL) And RIM (RIMM) In Smartphone MarketIt might appear that the only two companies in the race for first place in the global smart phone industry are Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and RIM (NASDAQ:RIMM). That is not even close to being the case. The world’s largest handset company, Nokia (NYSE:NOK) holds a commanding lead in worldwide market shares. It dominance is substantial enough [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:08 am Manufacturing rises at fatest rate for 15 yearsBritish manufacturing activity expanded at its fastest pace for 15 years in January, according to a key survey, raising hopes that the country's sluggish recovery is gaining momentum. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:06 am Asian markets down on fears of China tighteningMost Asian markets fell Monday on concerns China will act to rein in credit and slow growth after a survey showed manufacturing activity expanded at a record pace in January. In Tokyo,...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:05 am Demand for credit on the increaseNew borrowing on credit cards, loans and overdrafts outstrips repayments by UK consumers for the first time since June.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:02 am Mortgage approvals fall first time in a yearThe number of loans made to homebuyers unexpectedly fell in December, recording the first drop in more than a year, according to Bank of England figures released today. However, there was a surprise increase in unsecured consumer lending, which rose for the first time in six months. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 1 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am Peugeot Citroen recalls 97,000 cars (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:50 am America's Biggest Rip-offs: The 6,500% markup...Are you infuriated every time you open your cell phone bill? Livid when you buy a snack at the movies? These are nine of the rawest deals around.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:49 am Water shares up on takeover talkShares in Northumbrian Water jump 12% after reports it could receive a £1.7bn takeover offer from a Canadian pension fund.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:48 am Good financial advice on a budgetAfter a tough 2009, you may be looking for some help in getting 2010 off to the right start financially. Unfortunately, finding objective, affordable, individualized advice from a live person can be a challenge.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:39 am Alinda raises $4 bln in tough climateBy Greg Roumeliotis, European Infrastructure CorrespondentSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:35 am Currencies: Dollar rises vs. yen, slips vs. euro in Asia tradeThe dollar is mixed against major rivals in Asian trading Monday, getting a lift against the Japanese yen but losing ground to the euro.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:34 am Global shares slide on Greece and China (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:33 am Global shares slide on Greece and ChinaLONDON (Reuters) - World shares sank to a three-month low on Monday as concerns about Greece's debts and a reminder of the challenges China faces to curb inflation stung risk demand, helping push the dollar to a six-month high versus a currency basket.Source: Reuters: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:33 am LSE launches bond exchange aimed at private investorsUK retail investors will today be able to buy government and company bonds in manageable sizes for the first time, as the London Stock Exchange launches a new market.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:23 am Dealmaking hopes boost London utilitiesHopes for bid activity in the utility sector stirred up interest in utility stocks in London on Monday, after weekend reports of a possible offer for Northumbrian Water. Shares in the group rose...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:22 am Nigeria militants deny Shell pipeline attack (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:19 am Nigeria militants deny Shell pipeline attackThe main militant group in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta says they were not involved in the rupture of an important Royal Dutch Shell PLC pipeline. The Movement for the Emancipation of...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:19 am UPDATE 1-Travelport sets price range on $1.78 bln IPO* Mid-point of price range higher than GIC's entry levelSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:19 am London Markets: Utility shares climb in steady U.K. stock marketLondon-listed utility firms outperform the broader market, after bid speculation helps boost Northumbrian Water.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:19 am Premier Foods chairman confirms plans to quitThe chairman of Premier Foods said today he would quit as soon as a replacement could be found, after six years at the helm of Britain’s biggest food producer. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:18 am Stocks: New month, same worriesThe worst month on Wall Street in nearly a year has left market pros and retail investors wondering if the long-in-the-works correction is finally here.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:15 am Bearish mood prevails among investorsGlobal Markets Overview: Asian equities drop to three-month lows and European bourses record further declines as traders ready themselves for a slew of economic and policy newsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:12 am Bearish mood prevails among investors09:10 GMT. New month, same concerns. Asian equities dropped to their lowest in three months and European bourses recorded further declines, as investors continued to see strong Chinese data as a reason...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:12 am UPDATE 2-Cosmo to cut refining capacity as demand wilts* Sakai refinery to see slight production capacity boostSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:11 am Global markets extend slump after US growth data (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:10 am Global markets extend slump after US growth dataMost global stock markets extended their slump Monday as last year's rally showed more signs of petering out. A number of Asian markets were lower amid widespread selling and European...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:10 am Global markets extend slump after US growth data (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:10 am 24/7 Wall St.’s Corporate Power Rankings (Week 4)The 24/7 Wall Street Corporate Power Rankings of the thirty-two most important companies in America are determined be earnings, analyst rankings, important corporate news, trends in each firm’s industry, product introductions, management strength and changes, and credible rumors. The Corporate Power Rankings are released at midnight on each Sunday based on performance during the previous week. Berkshire Hathaway [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:04 am Toyota to unveil fix for gas pedals todayToyota is set to provide details about its plan to fix recalled gas pedals in the United States early Monday morning.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:01 am A New Force in Armoured Systems Announced; Marshall Land Systems and Plasan Form Joint VentureSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 2:00 am Toyota to announce pedal fix plan in U.S. on MondayTOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp will announce on Monday details of its plan to fix accelerator pedals that have led to the recall of 2.4 million cars in the United States as it scrambles to put its worst public relations crisis behind it.Source: Reuters: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:58 am Media Digest 2/1/2010 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, BloombergReuters: Obama is looking for ways to cut the deficit. Reuters: Citigroup (NYSE:C) may sell its private equity group. Reuters: Toyota (NYSE:TM) will announce the fix for its gas pedals. Reuters: China and India factories have returned to robust output. WSJ: The US deficit will hit $1.6 trillion. WSJ: Companies that got the stimulus say they used the money to [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:56 am Pearson, Nokia form English teaching JV in ChinaLONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Publishing group Pearson and phone maker Nokia have formed a joint venture to deliver English-language learning materials to mobile phone users in China, the two companies said...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:54 am UBS stock hit by Swiss minister comments on U.S. rowZURICH (Reuters) - Shares in UBS fell on Monday after the Swiss justice minister said the economy would suffer if the Swiss bank collapsed as a result of its unresolved U.S. tax dispute.Source: Reuters: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:53 am UBS stock hit by Swiss minister comments on U.S. rowZURICH (Reuters) - Shares in UBS fell on Monday after the Swiss justice minister said the economy would suffer if the Swiss bank collapsed as a result of its unresolved U.S. tax dispute.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:53 am Obama to unveil 2011 budgetPresident Barack Obama is to unveil his 2011 budget of $3.8tn, aiming to tackle the record US deficit.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:53 am Secret Swiss bank data comes from HSBC bank: reportA disk said to contain the names of some 1,300 Germans evading the taxman by parking funds in Switzerland comes from British bank HSBC, the Financial Times Deutschland reported Monday. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:53 am Secret Swiss bank data comes from HSBC bank: report (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:52 am Peugeot Citroën joins Toyota and Honda in recallPeugeot Citroen is recalling 97,000 Peugeot 107s and Citroën C1s across Europe, including 6,700 in the UK, which used the same potentially faulty accelerator pedals as the Toyota models at the centre of a worldwide recall. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:49 am Toyota set to announce accelerator pedal fixToyota will announce details of how it plans to fix defective accelerator pedals on eight models involved in a far-reaching recall, according to the Japanese carmaker’s US subsidiarySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:47 am Europe Markets: European shares start new month with lossesEuropean stocks extend year-to-date declines, with losses from Vivendi and Peugeot adding pressure.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:46 am Ryanair shares rise as airline lifts outlookShares in Ryanair rise more than 6% after the Irish low-cost airline reports a narrower fiscal third-quarter loss.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:44 am Gazprom profit down one-third in Jan-Sept period (AP)AP - Russia's natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom said Monday its profit for the first nine months of last year fell more than one-third compared with a year earlier.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:36 am Oil steady around $73 amid worries over demandPERTH (Reuters) - Oil was little changed on Monday, trading close to six-week lows amid concerns about global growth and sluggish oil demand.Source: Reuters: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:34 am Cheaper fuel cuts Ryanair lossesBudget airline Ryanair reports a third-quarter loss, but raises its profit forecast for the full-year.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:30 am Asia Markets: Toyota's woes could help S. Korea's Hyundai, KiaShares of Japanese auto makers slip, while those of South Korean rivals get a lift on hopes the recent woes of Toyota and Honda will be a market-share boon for them.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:29 am JAL says still neutral on Delta or American tie-upTOKYO (Reuters) - The new president of Japan Airlines Corp said the bankrupt carrier has not yet decided whether to stick with partner American Airlines or defect to Delta Air Lines and its SkyTeam group.Source: Reuters: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:19 am Asia Markets And Europe Open (2/1/2010)Markets in Asia were mixed. The Nikkei rose .1% to 10,205. Toyota (NYSE:TM) and Honda (HYSE:HMC) fell on recall news. The Hang Seng rose .4% to 20,193. The Shanghai Composite dropped 1.6% to 2,941. At the open in Europe, the FTSE dropped .4% to 5,160. The Dax fell .6% to 5,573. The CAC 40 was down 1% to 3,702. Data from [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:18 am FTSE 100 falls at open (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:15 am Citi plans sale of private equity unit: reportNEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc plans to sell or spin-off its $10 billion Citi Private Equity unit in order to cut its debt, Bloomberg reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.Source: Reuters: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:13 am China faces price pressures as economy shows strengthBEIJING (Reuters) - China's economy made a strong start to the year, according to a pair of business surveys released on Monday that also underlined the mounting challenge policymakers face to curb inflation.Source: Reuters: Business News | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:06 am The week ahead at a glanceAt a glance TODAY Commerce Department releases data for December on personal income and spending, and construction spending.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Toyota works to save faceAmid expanding recalls, the carmaker begins a PR campaign. An announcement on repairs is due today. Toyota Motor...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Tesla Motors plans $100-million IPOShares in the electric car maker are expected to draw strong interest from investors. The stock price and timing of the initial public offering are unknown.California electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. plans to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am CalPERS sets open-door policy for pitchesThe pension fund aims to help firms vie for its business without them having to pay what can be millions of dollars in fees to intermediaries.So what does it take to get your foot in the door at California's giant public pension fund with its $203 billion in stocks, bonds, real estate and commodities?
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am The week ahead at a glanceAt a glance TODAY Commerce Department releases data for December on personal income and spending, and construction spending.Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Mel Gibson's return poses no threat to 'Avatar's' box-office reign'Edge of Darkness,' which marked Gibson's first lead role since 2002, opens to a fine but not fantastic $17.1 million.Mel Gibson still has his fans, but after a long and controversial absence from the big screen, his overall appeal seems to have faded.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Business is far from usual at Toyota dealershipRecalls and sales freeze turn loyal customers into royal pains at a Pasadena showroom. Still, there are eager buyers for unaffected models.For nearly two decades, John Symes has been a Toyota salesman.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Mel Gibson's return poses no threat to 'Avatar's' box-office reign'Edge of Darkness,' which marked Gibson's first lead role since 2002, opens to a fine but not fantastic $17.1 million. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Owners are skeptical of Obama planThey and lenders hope that more federal money will work its way to the thousands of small firms that dot the Southland and into the economy. But they also see roadblocks.In Southern California, where a once-thriving small-business economy has been hard-hit by the economic meltdown, hope and skepticism greeted President Obama's proposals last week to help small firms by jump-starting lending and rewarding firms that add jobs.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am UC signs $147-million deal to rent a Santa Monica medical facilityThe planned facility is to be built across the street from the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital.In a rare nine-figure real estate deal, the Regents of the University of California have agreed to pay $147 million over 30 years to rent a medical facility planned in Santa Monica.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Tesla Motors plans $100-million IPOShares in the electric car maker are expected to draw strong interest from investors. The stock price and timing of the initial public offering are unknown. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am A focus on numbers, especially the U.S. debtDozens of companies last month posted blowout earnings but instead of being thankful, investors stamped their feet and sold. The result: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 3.5% in January, the worst...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Firm is on a mission to cut diesel emissionsPhillip Roberts' disgust for soot inspired him to start a business that aims to make older engines run cleaner. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Owners are skeptical of Obama planThey and lenders hope that more federal money will work its way to the thousands of small firms that dot the Southland and into the economy. But they also see roadblocks. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Better oversight could cure doubts of stem cell projectProposition 71 gave the leadership of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine almost unassailable control of its $3 billion in funding. It's time for that to change. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Firm is on a mission to cut diesel emissionsPhillip Roberts' disgust for soot inspired him to start a business that aims to make older engines run cleaner.For product presentations, Phillip Roberts sometimes carries along a petri dish filled with black grit, just in case people don't believe the story about his Long Beach condominium balcony and the catalyst for the creation of his small business. ¶ The grit is a daily gift of air pollution that comes with his otherwise spectacular view of the Port of Long Beach, on the horizon just beyond the Queen Mary. Once Roberts realized that cleaning the sooty material from his balcony tabletop was going to be a daily task, the former asthma sufferer did two things: ¶ "I bought hospital-grade air filters for every room in the condo," Roberts said, "and I thought that maybe I ought to try to do something about it."
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Toyota works to save faceAmid expanding recalls, the carmaker begins a PR campaign. An announcement on repairs is due today.Toyota Motor Corp. launched a public relations blitz Sunday intended to rebuild its public image amid massive recalls and reports that several models of its cars and trucks could accelerate uncontrollably.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Better oversight could cure doubts of stem cell projectProposition 71 gave the leadership of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine almost unassailable control of its $3 billion in funding. It's time for that to change.It's never pretty to see people get blown up by their own bombs. But it sure can be educational.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 1 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am Ryanair raises forecasts as losses narrowRyanair, Europe’s biggest low-cost airline, made a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss after cutting back on unprofitable routes and as fares fell less than forecast. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 1 Feb 2010 | 12:56 am The year Davos meant businessAfter a year of crisis, the World Economic Forum gets down to what it's really meant for: doing business.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 12:46 am Ryanair raises full-year profit forecastLow-cost carrier Ryanair today lifted its annual profit forecast despite recording a loss in the third quarter of the year.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 1 Feb 2010 | 12:35 am Small firms 'see rise in exports'Export orders for small and medium-sized manufacturers are stabilising after seven quarters of decline, a survey says.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 1 Feb 2010 | 12:24 am James Cann: youth unemployment is a big problem that won't go away fastParents dismay as graduates struggle to find work.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 1 Feb 2010 | 12:14 am Economic Report: China manufacturing extends rebound, but prices upChina’s manufacturing activity expands in January, sustaining the momentum of its near year-long rebound in spite of power outages and weather-related disruptions, although inflationary pressures suggest there are mounting risks to the outlook.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:43 pm Obama seeks to tame runaway U.S. deficitsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will seek on Monday to strike a balance between taming skyrocketing U.S. budget deficits and giving the economy a boost to ease the pain of double-digit unemployment.Source: Reuters: Business News | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:09 pm Reforming banks: a roundup of current proposals on how to make them smallerHow to reshape the world's banks will dominate this year. Here Banking editor Philip Aldrick looks at current proposals on taxing banks and splitting them up.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:09 pm Oil drops in Asia as stock markets extend slide (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:08 pm Reforming banks: a roundup of current proposals on capital and liquidityHow to reshape the world's banks will dominate this year. Here Banking editor Philip Aldrick looks at what's currently on the table as far as banks' capital and liquidity.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:02 pm Marsh on Monday: European Union prepares for a bailoutThe shenanigans over Greek debt have shone the spotlight on to the mechanism under which the European Union could help Greece out of its fiscal mess, writes David Marsh.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Jan 2010 | 10:01 pm Finding the uptrendIn the markets, as in life, it is sometimes easy to get caught up in the short term at the expense of the bigger picture, writes Kevin Marder.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Jan 2010 | 10:01 pm The Same Index, Higher FeesMore consumers are paying top dollar for plain-vanilla index funds.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pm 10 Things Tutoring Services Won't Tell You (10 Things)Sky-high prices and unnecessary tests are common in this field.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pm Valentine's Day War of the RosesBeat florists at their own game. Order lilies, tulips or carnations.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pm Say Goodbye to Fannie and Freddie? Not QuiteThese entities are playing an ever-bigger role in the government's plans.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pm White House to paint grim fiscal pictureThe US will predict a record $1,600bn budget deficit in fiscal 2010, adding to the challenges facing Barack Obama as he attempts to balance long-term deficit reduction and economic stimulusSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 8:47 pm '10% of Britons' fall for scamsThe Office of Fair Trading has revealed the full extent of scams in Britain as it launches its Scam Awareness Month.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 31 Jan 2010 | 8:28 pm Stimulus pays for 600,000 jobsThe White House's massive stimulus plan funded 599,108 jobs in the fourth quarter, administration officials said Saturday.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 7:52 pm UK 'tops internet shopping chart'UK shoppers spent more online than shoppers from any other country in Europe last year, research suggests.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 31 Jan 2010 | 7:38 pm 24/7 Wall St. 2010 Best And Worst Managed University Endowments: Harvard, Yale, And Duke WorstThe National Association of College and University Business Officers released its analysis of the financial performances of the endowments at 842 institutions which have a combined $306 billion in assets. The report compared figures for the fiscal ending mid-2009 to those for the mid-2008 period. The average endowment lost 18.7% of its value, net of [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 31 Jan 2010 | 6:56 pm Six banks fail, in Florida, Georgia and CaliforniaRegulators shuttered six banks Friday night, notching up 15 failed banks in the first month of in 2010.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:50 pm Israel report counters Gaza backlashIsrael has issued a report to the UN defending the country’s actions during last year’s Gaza war, in a move to counter the diplomatic backlash created by the conflictSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:36 pm BA edges closer to global allianceCompetition officials have begun consulting with rivals about concessions the three carriers have offered to address potential anti-competitive implicationsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Paulson repeats claim that Britain 'screwed' US over Lehman rescueHenry "Hank" Paulson repeats his accusation that Britain “screwed” the US over the rescue of Lehman Brothers, in the former Treasury Secretary’s keenly awaited book, released today. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Cash-for-crash car insurance fraud ring ordered to pay damagesAn organised ring of “cash for crash” insurance fraudsters has been ordered to pay its victims almost £400,000 after a landmark case in the High Court. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm How could a cow help to heat your home?Families will heat their homes using gas brewed from animal manure, food waste and sewage sludge, under plans to be unveiled by the Government today. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Labour prepares to tear up 12 years of energy policyThe Government is drawing up plans for a wholesale reform of Britain’s energy markets that could wind back the clock on 12 years of deregulation. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs 'expecting $100 million bonus'$Goldman Sachs, the world’s richest investment bank, could be about to pay its chief executive a bumper bonus of up to $100 million in defiance of moves by President Obama to take action against such payouts.$ Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Jan 2010 | 5:01 pm M Stanley to recruit hundreds of tradersThe investment bank plans to boost its underperforming securities business by hiring several hundred traders over the next few years in an effort to close the gap with Wall Street rivalsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 3:37 pm US banks face insider trading probeNeil Barofsky, the special inspector-general overseeing the US government’s financial rescue efforts, is to probe allegations of insider trading among bank executives and their associatesSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 3:34 pm 7 Of The Most Expensive Flops In Television HistoryMovie bombs get all the publicity and airtime due to the gaudy amounts of money sometimes lost, but as the recent Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien fiasco proved TV is also pretty good at pissing away money. Entertainment Weekly put out a list of TV’s 50 biggest bombs in this week’s issue, but they are focused more on bad decisions. We’re more about the dollars and cents here, so we’ve put together a list of 7 of the worst flops in TV history, based purely on amount of money spent. Rankings here are somewhat subjective as it’s not always easy to tell exactly how much a TV show cost (or lost, plus you have to factor in inflation, etc. for older shows), but we think it’s a pretty good list. 7. Manimal
Manimal was pretty high concept for a show made in 1983. Although everything was kind of high concept back then admittedly. Anyway, Manimal was concerned with the character of Dr Jonathan Chase, a man who could turn into literally any animal. Naturally he used this ability to fight crime. Unfortunately the tech in 1983 really wasn’t ready for such powers, and so Chase mostly just turned into either a hawk or black panther, and his transformation took place with the same backdrop each and every time, presumably for budgetary reasons. Sometimes he’d change into other animals, but only off screen. There’s a lot of bitching about CGI today, but it’s easy to forget just how cheesy anything at all fantastical looked back in the day. Sure there’s still goofy CGI on TV today (Lost submarine I’m looking at you), but at least we don’t have to sit through a guy turning into a panther every week against the same backdrop. Despite the budgetary precautions Manimal still clocked in as the most expensive show on television at the time, and only made it through eight episodes. Here’s Chase famously turning into a panther: Picture this happening every week and you generally get the idea. 6. Cop Rock
A police procedural musical would be one of the weirder ideas in television history, but if ABC hadn’t marketed the show and spent so heavily on the production I imagine Cop Rock would be looked at as just another weird flop, one of the probably hundreds in television history. Instead ABC seemed really, truly convinced that a musical cop show was going to work. It’s hard to imagine just how weird this show was today, but read this quote from an Entertainment Weekly article at the time:
What. Just in case you’re having a hard time picturing this: The show actually made it 11 episodes, which is still 11 more than I would have expected. I mean really, just for emphasis, this was a musical drama about our nation’s legal system, and it cost $2 million per episode in 1990 dollars. 5. The Fugitive Remake
Networks have shown a willingness to remake anything and everything, presumably assuming that if something was popular once it can be popular again. The problem with this is that most old tv was godawful, and if anyone remembers it fondly it’s more out of nostalgia than good taste. CBS ignored this, deciding to not only remake The Fugitive in 2000, but to spend quite a bit of money on the concept. I think anyone with common sense would have had a hard time seeing The Fugitive catching fire and becoming a big hit, but even more so when you realize CBS cast Tim Daly, a guy known mostly for the mediocre show Wings, as their lead. The pilot cost the network a whopping $6 million, but the show only made it through one season’s run of 22 episodes before getting the axe. 4. Kings
Kings had a lot going for it. Ian McShane is briiliant, as anyone who has seen Deadwood would attest, and the show had a compelling concept. Critics liked the show, but after four episodes saw bad ratings NBC gave up on the property, sending it to the ghetto of Saturday night for one episode, and then pulling the show off the air entirely for a few months, finally burning off the last seven episodes over the summer. Again during Saturday nights. Complex shows often have slow builds, but NBC has shown repeatedly that they aren’t going to wait around for a show to find an audience, especially if it’s as expensive as Kings was to produce (reportedly running $4 million an episode). There were also bizarre marketing decisions with Kings, such as a refusal to mention the show’s religious themes, despite the Christian community being a natural target for a show loosely centered around a modern day King David. 3. Jay Leno Show / Conan O’Brien
Gallons of ink have been spilled writing about the Jay Leno / Conan O’Brien drama, but the biggest takeaway from the entire thing is just how easy it was to foresee what was to come. For instance here’s Artie Lange basically predicting exactly what would happen to Conan once he took over the Tonight Show. Anyone who was paying attention knew Leno would be a disaster at 10, and it ended up costing NBC gobs of money to buy out Conan O’Brien as well as a great deal of credibility with the creative community from their misguided decision to basically give up on the 10:00 hour of programming. They also managed to piss off all of their affiliates at the same time. NBC at this point seems to be a step or two away from being a CW doppelganger. 2. Father of the Pride
For awhile there it seemed like CGI programming might be a trend, but Father of the Pride quickly killed that notion. An episode of Father of the Pride cost $1.6 million and took nine months to create. For a show about Siegfried and Roy and some talking animals. Is it any surprise that this show was on NBC? The network wasted tons of prime promotional spots during the 2004 Summer Olympics on the doomed from conception show, and then compounded the mistake by packing the first episodes full of cross promotional materials for other NBC and Dreamworks properties, making the show look more like advertising than content. It eventually got a little better, but it wasn’t enough and the show was canceled after just 14 episodes. 1. Supertrain
The next time you feel like complaining there’s nothing on TV think back to the late 70’s and what TV was like back then. Networks thought so lowly of their audience that they were willing to toss anything against the wall, assuming there’d probably be someone dumb enough to watch. Even if that something was basically “Love Boat” set on a train. A Super train. Meaning this was a standard (boring) drama, with a setting guaranteed to draw in 10 year old boys and autistic adults who would care mostly about the nuclear powered bullet train (that had a shopping mall and swimming pools on board, and could make the trip from NY to LA in 36 hours), and not at all about the boring standard tv fair being served up. The series was the most expensive ever made at the time, only ran for nine episodes, and nearly bankrupted NBC, proving that costly bad decision making is nothing new for the network. Behold, the awful (awesome?) that was Supertrain:
Source: Business Pundit | 31 Jan 2010 | 2:58 pm Treasury says banks need to do moreThe Treasury has urged shareholders to scrutinise bonus packages handed out by banks after admitting its own measures have failed to change the remuneration culture.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Jan 2010 | 2:33 pm Interest rates set to stay at 0.5pcThe Bank of England is expected to keep its efforts to boost the money supply on hold this week despite recent feeble economic growth.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Jan 2010 | 2:14 pm Are stocks set for a down year?NEW YORK (Reuters) - The adage "as January goes, so goes the year" bodes ill for equity investors after the S&P 500 closed out its worst month in almost a year. This week, they will have to contend with fears of sovereign defaults and potential unpleasantness in the U.S. labor market as well.Source: Reuters: Business News | 31 Jan 2010 | 2:11 pm Are stocks set for a down year? (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 31 Jan 2010 | 2:11 pm Four million people are victims of scams, warns the OFTConsumers are being asked to hand in letters they have received as part of money-making scams.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Jan 2010 | 2:09 pm Global co-operation on financial reforms needed: IMF (Reuters)Reuters - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Sunday urged the United States, Britain and other countries to cooperate on new policies and regulations in the wake of the financial crisis.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Jan 2010 | 1:50 pm Global co-operation on financial reforms needed: IMFHERZILIYA, Israel (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Sunday urged the United States, Britain and other countries to cooperate on new policies and regulations in the wake of the financial crisis.Source: Reuters: Business News | 31 Jan 2010 | 1:50 pm Crossrail's Terry Morgan in optimistic moodTerry Morgan, Crossrail chairman, tells Jonathan Sibun that Europe's biggest construction project is vital for Britain's prosperitySource: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Jan 2010 | 1:21 pm Aerospace sector fears China sanctionsAerospace executives and the US government react with concern to a Chinese threat to impose sanctions on American groups involved in a $6.4bn arms deal with TaiwanSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 12:39 pm Government opts for City fund over new 3iThe Government has ditched plans to create a network of venture capital centres across the country to back small business in favour of channelling £1bn through City fund managers.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Jan 2010 | 12:23 pm Selling on good news means trouble is brewing. (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 31 Jan 2010 | 12:21 pm US military responsibilities to expandThe US will take on a broader range of military responsibilities, including defending space and cyberspace, in spite of growing pressure on budgets, a long-awaited administration report is set to concludeSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:47 am Inspector General Calls Much Of TARP A Failure, Warns Of New Housing Price InflationThe Office of The Special Inspector General for The Troubled Asset Relief Program said in a quarterly report that the program may have saved the banking system but that it has so far failed to reach all of its other goals. Key highlights of the report: ‘Many of TARP’s stated goals, however, have simply not been met. Despite [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:37 am China watchdog criticises IPOsA Chinese regulator’s criticisms of the “irresponsible” pricing of initial public offerings has fuelled speculation that Beijing could temporarily halt the new issue market in order to introduce fresh pricing rulesSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Jan 2010 | 11:36 am Espionage honeytrapsBritain's MI5 has accused China of bugging British business executives using memory sticks that provide access to users' computers, the Sunday Times reported. MI5 also believes China is setting up "honeytraps" to blackmail compromised...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 10:10 am Cell phone dead? Buy a chargePaul King was headed to the airport in Pittsburgh in 2006 when he suffered an ill-timed communications blackout. His cell phone died -- and the Carnegie Mellon student realized he still had his roommate's house key in his pocket.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:39 am The largest charity donation ever madeBill and Melinda Gates said Friday that their foundation it will spend $10 billion over 10 years to develop and deliver vaccines for the world's poorest nations in the largest donation ever to a single cause.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:34 am Own a Toyota? What do you do now?With the recall of millions of their Toyotas, some customers are swearing off the brand, others are being lured by rivals and many are still driving their vehicles but are becoming very confused.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:24 am Bailout cop: TARP's not workingThe watchdog charged with monitoring the government's $700 billion bailout unleashed one of his harshest criticisms of the program to date, questioning its overall effectiveness.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:08 am Darkest before dawn for retailersThe recession's over - isn't it? Reading retail sector headlines so far this year you would be hard pressed to see the dark clouds of economic adversity lifting.New Zealand has now officially had two successive quarters of modest...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Forget China: 'Indiana' tips BrazilMark Mobius - the man described as the Indiana Jones of the investment world - says Brazil not China is his top pick of places to invest in this year because the South American nation is self-sustainable.Mobius who manages the...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am We're a lively lot, Treasury boss saysTreasury Secretary John Whitehead rejects the suggestion that he employs a bunch of bookish, chin-stroking, policy eggheads who sit around dreaming up economic miseries."I'm sure some of you have heard that view expressed in somewhat...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Seven deadly financial sins to avoid this yearCommitting the seven deadly financial sins made life hell for many businesses during last year's recession.Discipline will be needed to avoid an eighth transgression: assuming that this year will revert to "normal".Every business's...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 9:00 am Sean D'Souza: Sometimes all it takes is a bullet to make a pointStep into a bookstore; step into the business section and pull out a book. Then flip the book to the back cover. And here's what you're sure to find on almost every business book. Yup, you guessed it: you find bullets.And there's...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 8:55 am Deborah Hill Cone: Your way? It's the only wayOh hullo! There you are. It's been so long. You don't ring, you don't write, you don't call. So much to catch up on. Course, there are the actual business events of the past month or so: Wall St jitters, land tax, Sir Doug Myers finally...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 8:55 am Anthony Doesburg: Project points way to accessible informationWith the clock ticking on the setting up of computer systems for the Auckland Super City, there are signs of nervousness about meeting the November 1 deadline.Lack of consultation and urgency are among the complaints being heard...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 8:55 am Gill South: Linking up online - now it's about business, not just pleasureWhen you returned to your desk in the New Year, your email probably included a few invitations to accept new "connections" to the business social networking site, LinkedIn.So far, LinkedIn may be something you have done the bare...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 8:55 am Bright lights back on at Canary WharfOne of the abiding images of the financial meltdown of 2008 will be that of the banker carrying a cardboard box full of his belongings out of the offices of US investment bank Lehman Brothers in Canary Wharf in London's East End.That...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Jan 2010 | 8:55 am Jobs Say Google “Don’t Be Evil” Stance Is “Bullshit”Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) used to serve on the Apple board of directors. He left, presumably, because of a growth in competition between the two companies. That competition has gotten more intense since Schmidt stepped down. Google’s Android mobile OS and its Nexus One handset are obviously competing against the iPhone. Each company has bought a mobile ad sales [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 31 Jan 2010 | 6:18 am
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