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Mapping British Business: ConstructionFew people are dreading the general election quite as much as the battle-hardened bosses of Britain’s construction companies. They know that whoever wins, there will be a severe squeeze on public sector spending. And that can only mean another severe squeeze on the battered construction industry. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 11:36 am Enterprise Inns attacks Government aid packageGovernment help for distressed publicans is just a drop in the slops tray, according to Enterprise Inns, one of the country's largest landlords. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 5:03 am Topps Tiles eyes Easter as recovery recedesTopps Tiles today joined Carpetright in warning that a pre-Christmas sales recovery had receded during the first three months of this year. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 4:54 am Jarvis 'set to cut 800 rail jobs'About 800 job cuts are to be cut at Jarvis by the administrators now running the rail maintenance firm, a union official says.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 31 Mar 2010 | 4:18 am Sky told to cut wholesale pricesUK media regulator Ofcom proposes a cap on the amount Sky charges rivals to show premium sport channels.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 31 Mar 2010 | 4:11 am Biotechs Crushed Now, Crushed Later By Legal Ruling.It is hard to imagine a greater blow to the biotech industry. Federal District Judge Robert W. Sweet ruled that sections of patents held by Myriad Genetics which cover two breast cancer genes. The New York Times reported that “the invalidation of genetic patents could hit diagnostics companies, agricultural biotechnology companies and perhaps even traditional [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 31 Mar 2010 | 4:08 am The coming inflation waveWhether the American economy is in an inflationary or deflationary environment sounds like it should be a fundamental and settled question. But due to the unprecedented financial crisis, the answer is actually subject to intense debate among economists.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Mar 2010 | 4:07 am J.P. Morgan: Bulls vs. bearsIf there was one bank that managed to emerge from the financial crisis unscathed, it was J.P. Morgan Chase. Led by CEO Jamie Dimon, the massive financial services company never posted a quarterly loss during the downturn.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Mar 2010 | 4:03 am London shares lower at the open (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 31 Mar 2010 | 4:02 am Google service disruption bodes ill for Chinese (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:59 am Obama to allow oil drilling off Virginia coast (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:58 am Investors cautious as US labour data loomsA first quarter that started brightly looked to be finishing with a whimper as sovereign debt fears and trepidation before an US labour report saw traders pare risky betsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:54 am Indications: U.S. stock futures edge back before ADP reportU.S. stock futures point to a quiet end to a solid first quarter ahead of the release of ADP’s estimate of private-sector employment.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:54 am Bank of Ireland makes 9-month loss of $2 billion (AP)AP - Bank of Ireland on Wednesday reported a loss of euro1.47 billion ($2 billion) for the final nine months of 2009 as it booked impairment charges of just over euro4 billion on bad loans.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:52 am EU calls for overhaul of Anglo Irish Bank (AP)AP - European Union regulators say they are investigating Irish government help for property lender Anglo Irish Bank, warning that the bank has to draw up a new business plan and "restructure profoundly."Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:46 am Eurozone inflation spikes to 1.5 percent in March (AP)AP - Inflation in the 16 countries that use the euro spiked to its highest level in 15 months during March, official figures showed Wednesday.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:41 am 7 steps to get your finances back on trackFinally, the Great Recession seems to be fading into the distance. The economy grew at a robust 5.9% in the last quarter of 2009. The stock market, while no longer on a tear, is still up about 70% over the past year. And the Fed recently raised its short-term lending rate to banks, a signal that Ben Bernanke & Co. think the financial system is on the mend.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:35 am Futures Movers: Crude futures rise for third session in a rowOil futures rise for a third session on Wednesday, trading just below $83 a barrel, as a smaller-than-expected build in crude inventories and the U.S. dollar’s drop against other currencies buoy sentiment.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:31 am German jobless rate down to 8.5 percent (AP)AP - The unemployment rate in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, declined to 8.5 percent in March as a traditional seasonal upturn boosted a resilient labor market, official data showed Wednesday.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:30 am Economic Report: German unemployment sees surprise dropThe total number of German jobless falls by a seasonally-adjusted 31,000 in March, defying expectations for a rise.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:25 am City Diaries"The Budget has had zero impact on bank world"Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:24 am Obama To Let Offshore Oil Wells Multiply Like LocustsThe Green movement will despise President Obama’s decision to open portions of the Gulf and offshore regions from Delaware to the Carolinas to drilling. The oil industry will love it. “To set America on a path to energy independence, the president believes we must leverage our diverse domestic resources by pursuing a comprehensive energy strategy,” said [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:22 am U.S. rebound on good footing: Fed's FisherTUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) - The U.S. economic recovery is gathering speed as business activity picks up pace, despite lingering weakness in employment, Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Richard Fisher said on Tuesday.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:17 am China stock futures to garner gradual interestThe pending launch of stock-index futures in China next month will enable mainland investors to make bigger bets on the direction of the equity market, though the uptake is expected to be slow in the early stages.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:16 am Bank of Ireland looks beyond "bad bank," recessionDUBLIN (Reuters) - Bank of Ireland is to raise capital privately, potentially becoming the only participant of Ireland's "bad bank" scheme to escape a fresh bailout, with loan losses set to fall as Ireland exits recession this year.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:15 am Sceptics are unmoved despite stronger exit from recessionBritain emerged from recession more strongly than previously estimated, but economists remain sceptical about the prospects for growth this year. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:13 am The 24/7 Wall St. Twenty Best Financial BlogsIt has been more than a year since we published our feature, “The Twenty-Five Best Financial Blogs.” A great deal has changed since then. Some of the blogs on the list are gone or no longer have regular posts. Others have grown and become better. This is a list of independent blogs. Several major media outlets have excellent blog sections, [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:03 am Australia approves in principle 2nd stock exchange (AP)AP - Australia is ending its stock exchange's monopoly and has given approval in principle to a unit of Japanese brokerage Nomura to open a second exchange in a move to spur development of the industry, the financial services minister said Wednesday.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:01 am London Markets: BSkyB shares climb in mildly higher FTSE 100Satellite broadcasting firm British Sky Broadcasting led the top British share index higher on Wednesday, helping the broader market to gain on the last day of the first quarter.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 3:01 am Asia stocks lower ahead of jobs data; Europe gains (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:52 am Asia stocks lower ahead of jobs data; Europe gainsMost Asian stock markets fell Wednesday as investors pared bets ahead of a key U.S. jobs report on Friday and the Easter long weekend. European shares rose in early trading. The...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:50 am Find out what your buyers are thinkingIt's business owner's worst nightmare: Customers walk in the door and walk right back out.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:49 am Quinn Insurance forced into administrationQuinn Insurance, one of Ireland's largest financial institutions, has been forced into administration after the Irish Financial Regulator admitted it was concerned about how the company was being run.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:48 am Cities look to debt collectors for helpIn the northeastern Pennsylvania town of Pittston, the seemingly manageable issue of garbage became a much bigger problem than anyone could have ever anticipated.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:47 am Emerging Markets Report: Turkey stocks, currency gain after strong GDP dataTurkey’s stocks and currency rose on Wednesday, as data showed that the economy grew a greater-than-expected 6% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, signaling a strong rebound.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:44 am Bank of Ireland in talks to raise funds after offloading bad loansBank of Ireland is in talks with investment banks to raise capital after selling property loans to Ireland's "bad bank".Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:40 am Nissan's electric car will cost $25,000Nissan announced Tuesday that its Leaf electric car will come with a sticker price of $32,780. But after a federal tax credit of $7,500, the car will only set you back about $25,280.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:39 am Germany's BayernLB loses $3.5 billion in 2009 (AP)AP - German public-sector bank BayernLB says it lost nearly euro2.62 billion ($3.5 billion) last year — a performance blamed largely on losses and expenses related to former Austrian unit Hypo Group Alpe Adria.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:38 am Germany's BayernLB loses $3.5 billion in 2009German public-sector bank BayernLB says it lost nearly euro2.62 billion ($3.5 billion) last year _ a performance blamed largely on losses and expenses related to former Austrian unit Hypo...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:38 am Stocks set to pull backU.S. stocks were poised to take a small step back Wednesday, the final day of a first quarter bolstered by a strong month of March.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:38 am Enterprise Inns attacks Government aid packageGovernment help for distressed publicans is just a drop in the slops tray, according to Enterprise Inns, one of the country's largest landlords. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:37 am Macarthur rejects A$3.3bn Peabody bidAustralian group’s shares rose 20% after it rejected an offer from the US coal miner, saying the proposed deal did not fully value the company and its growth prospectsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:32 am Irish banks rebound from heavy lossesShares in the Irish banking sector rebound after the government lays out new capital requirements and says how much it will pay for risky loans.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:32 am Bank of Ireland plunges €3 billion into the redThe Bank of Ireland laid bare the depth of its crisis today as it reported a fall of nearly €3 billion (£2.6 billion) into the red in the first nine months of its financial year, had written down the value of loans to customers by more than €4 billion and said it would need to raise €2.7 billion to shore up its balance sheet. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:28 am Macarthur Coal rejects Peabody $3 billion bidMELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's Macarthur Coal rejected a $3 billion bid from U.S. miner Peabody Energy, saying it undervalued the growth prospects of a company which controls a third of the world's supply of a cleaner coal coveted by steelmakers.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:19 am World stocks steady, set for 4th quarterly riseLONDON (Reuters) - World equities ticked down on Wednesday though they were headed for their fourth consecutive quarterly rise, while the dollar hit a three-month high against the yen and the Australian dollar fell.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:09 am World stocks steady, set for 4th quarterly rise (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:09 am Media Digest 3/21/2010 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, BloombergReuters: Peabody Energy made a bid for Australia’s Macarthur Coal. Reuters: Some Yahoo! (YHOO )email accounts were hacked in China and Taiwan. Reuters: Japan export orders hit a six-year high. Reuters: OPEC is undecided on what it will do if oil moves from $70 to $80. Reuters: Exxon Mobil (XOM) says that XTO will not help its earnings for [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:04 am German jobless rate down to 8.5 percentOfficial data show the unemployment rate in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, declined to 8.5 percent in March. The unadjusted jobless rate is down from 8.7 percent in February. FederalSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:04 am Obama to permit oil exploration off Virginia coastThe US president is to announce a plan to permit exploration for oil and natural gas off the coast of Virginia as a way to create jobs and reduce US dependence on foreign oilSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:03 am UK consumer confidence slips, fears grow over personal financesUK consumer confidence slipped in March as Britons grew more worried about the economic outlook and the state of their finances, a survey showed on Wednesday.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:02 am Icy weather costs FirstGroup £16mRail and bus operator FirstGroup says the snowy weather during winter hit its operating profits by £16m.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 31 Mar 2010 | 2:01 am Price control comes at a huge costOfcom has imposed price controls on BSkyB, forcing it to wholesale its sports and movies to rivals at a regulated price. As we know from history, economies that resort to a culture of price controls deter investment generally. That's a huge price to pay for the possibility of making life cheaper for couch potatoes.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:54 am UK regulator: Sky must share sports channelsThe U.K. broadcasting regulator said Wednesday that British Sky Broadcasting PLC must make its two main sports channels available to other retailers, a preliminary ruling Sky said it would...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:54 am Europe Markets: European shares edge higher on last day of quarterBank of Ireland is a notable advancer as European stocks rise to see out the quarter.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:53 am BSkyB ordered to cut prices for sports channelsOfcom, the media regulator, today ruled that BSkyB must cut the price it sells Sky Sports 1 and 2 channels to rivals such as Virgin Media by more than 23 per cent to increase competition in Britain's pay-TV market. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:48 am Health care perks, penalties for small businessesPENALTIES _ Companies aren't required to offer insurance but face an annual $2,000-per-employee fee if the government ends up subsidizing workers' coverage. Companies with fewer than 50...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:47 am Small businesses fret over details of health lawBusiness owners across the country are looking to Massachusetts for hints of what the new health care law will bring. Massachusetts has a state law that offered a blueprint for the...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:45 am Flooding expected to worsen in drenched NortheastThe second record storm that socked the Northeast this month was reduced to drizzle as it began to wind down early Wednesday but the worst of widespread flooding is yet to come, forecastersSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:41 am China, Taiwan Yahoo users report hackingSeveral scholars, rights activists and journalists working on issues in the countries have reported intrusions to their e-mail accountsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:37 am ANALYSIS - Reliance to tighten grip on world fuel markets (Reuters)Reuters - Top privately run refiner Reliance is expected to raise crude oil imports by about 22 percent this year as it ramps up production at its giant complex, further stamping its mark on world markets.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:37 am Australian stocks: Resources dropThe Australian share market closed lower as resources stocks fell on profit-taking and investors reacted to disappointing data on building approvals and retail sales.The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index lost 41.3 points, or 0.84 per...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:31 am Peabody bids $3bn for coal firmAustralia's Macarthur Coal has rejected a $3bn (A$3.3bn, £2bn) takeover offer from US coal miner Peabody Energy.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:23 am Business Bullet: Australia, Miners, Irish banks, BSkyBThe latest news on: Australia, Miners, Irish banks, BSkyBSource: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:22 am Ericsson gets $1.3B network deal in IndiaSwedish wireless equipment maker L.M. Ericsson AB says it has received a deal worth $1.3 billion from India's largest telecommunications operator, Bharti Airtel Ltd., to expand and upgrade...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:09 am Second stock exchange for AustraliaAustralia is ending its stock exchange's monopoly and has given approval in principle to a unit of Japanese brokerage Nomura to open a second exchange in a move to spur development of the industry, the financial services minister...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:08 am Currencies: Yen slips on last day of Japan fiscal yearThe yen sinks in Tokyo as investors liquidate long positions on the last day of the Japanese fiscal year, with an earlier Japanese stock-market rally also greasing the low-yielding Japanese unit’s slide.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:08 am Washington wine industry tops 650 wineriesWith more than 650 wineries in Washington state and a new license bonded every 10 days, it's getting harder to get noticed in a place still known more for its Red Delicious apples than its...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:04 am NZ stocks: Contact, Mainfreight leadThe New Zealand sharemarket rose today with Contact Energy and Mainfreight the standout performers.Shares in healthcare investor and operator Abano fell 10c to 530 after the company said it was expecting second half earnings to...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:01 am Earnings Watch: Updates, advisories and surprisesA roundup of the latest corporate earnings reports and what companies are saying about future quarters.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:01 am Stocks close up after upbeat economic dataNEW YORK -- The stock market moved closer to closing out another strong quarter with a modest advance Tuesday.Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Activision Blizzard quietly hits reset buttonThe Santa Monica video game giant shuffles its senior management team, divides itself into four units and lays off about 15 workers. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am CalPERS board member may face $3,000 fine for failing to file financial statementPriya Mathur did not file the legally required Statement of Economic Interests listing all sources of income, investment holdings and gifts received in 2007 or 2008. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Home prices in California show strong, unexpected gains in JanuaryL.A. leads the S & P/Case-Shiller index of 20 cities with a 1.8% increase from December. The index rises 0.3% overall, its eighth monthly increase in a row. Some see recovery; others, a mixed picture...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Justices give mutual fund investors a crack at suing over exorbitant feesIn one of its most closely watched business cases this term, the Supreme Court still made it hard to win such claims and warned against judicial 'second-guessing' of independent boards' fee decisions.Mutual funds that charge exorbitant fees can be sued for violating their duty of trust to investors, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, rejecting the view that the free market can be counted on to ensure fair fees.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Stocks close up after upbeat economic dataNEW YORK -- The stock market moved closer to closing out another strong quarter with a modest advance Tuesday.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Google blames Chinese censors for outageThe temporary interruption causes a fierce outcry from users who fear Beijing will permanently block the search engine as retaliation for its recent defiance.Tensions ran high again Tuesday when Google Inc. blamed Chinese government censors for a temporary outage of its search engine in mainland China.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Justices give mutual fund investors a crack at suing over exorbitant feesIn one of its most closely watched business cases this term, the Supreme Court still made it hard to win such claims and warned against judicial 'second-guessing' of independent boards' fee decisions...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Home prices in California show strong, unexpected gains in JanuaryL.A. leads the S & P/Case-Shiller index of 20 cities with a 1.8% increase from December. The index rises 0.3% overall, its eighth monthly increase in a row. Some see recovery; others, a mixed picture.A national index of home prices rose unexpectedly in January, with California cities posting strong gains, but some experts warned that the nation's struggling housing market could be headed for another fall.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Aircraft-leasing giant ILFC's future is up in the airInternational Lease Finance, a unit of AIG, has lost two key executives and faces other obstacles that threaten its dominance. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Filming in L.A. jumps 25% in first quarterA robust TV pilot season, a substantially improved climate for shooting commercials and the state's new film incentive helped deliver a modicum of good news to Los Angeles' beleaguered production economy...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Apparel stores for short men are getting harder to findTwo of the few stores that remain are in Southern California, where owners credit shorter immigrants, certain ethnic groups, jockeys and diminutive Hollywood types for keeping them in business. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Second man is sentenced in tomato corruption probeA former Safeway employees is ordered to spend seven months in home detention for committing wire fraud and accepting bribes. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Aircraft-leasing giant ILFC's future is up in the airInternational Lease Finance, a unit of AIG, has lost two key executives and faces other obstacles that threaten its dominance.It is a little-known behemoth in the commercial aviation industry, leasing aircraft to nearly every major airline in the world and owning more large passenger jets -- about 1,000 worth around $40 billion -- than anyone else.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Filming in L.A. jumps 25% in first quarterA robust TV pilot season, a substantially improved climate for shooting commercials and the state's new film incentive helped deliver a modicum of good news to Los Angeles' beleaguered production economy in the first quarter.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Google blames Chinese censors for outageThe temporary interruption causes a fierce outcry from users who fear Beijing will permanently block the search engine as retaliation for its recent defiance. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am Apparel stores for short men are getting harder to findTwo of the few stores that remain are in Southern California, where owners credit shorter immigrants, certain ethnic groups, jockeys and diminutive Hollywood types for keeping them in business.The marketplace for short men's clothing is, well, shrinking.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 1:00 am S and P downgrades Kuwait's KIPCO twice in a weekStandard and Poor's has lowered the rating of Kuwait's biggest private holding firm Kuwait Projects Co. for a second time in a week, but with a stable outlook, a statement said Wednesday.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 31 Mar 2010 | 12:58 am NZ dollar gains against weak AussieThe New Zealand dollar gained against the Australian dollar today after weaker than expected Australian retail sales data.It traded in a relatively narrow range against the greenback ahead of non-farm payrolls data on Friday,...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 31 Mar 2010 | 12:58 am Sky forced to cut price of Sports channelsSky should face a cap on the amount it can charge rival broadcasters to show its premium sports channels, the media regulator said in a ruling that could herald a significant shake-up of the pay-TV market.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 31 Mar 2010 | 12:45 am Australians vote British Airways least favourite carrier to the UKIn a further blow to the beleaguered British Airways, the airline has been voted the least favourite carrier for flights to the UK by Australian consumers. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 31 Mar 2010 | 12:35 am Ford extends UK Transit productionProduction of Ford's Transit panel vans in the UK is to be extended into 2012, the vehicle maker tells the BBC.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:47 pm Redwood Trust mulls sale of mortgage-backed securities: report(Reuters) - Redwood Trust Inc is looking to float at least $200 million worth of securities backed by home mortgage loans, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:37 pm Redwood Trust mulls sale of mortgage-backed securities: report (Reuters)Reuters - Redwood Trust Inc is looking to float at least $200 million worth of securities backed by home mortgage loans, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:37 pm Breaches of procedure herald the end of the Gartmore carouselLife couldn't get much better for Jeff Meyer, chief executive of Gartmore. It was the night of January 21. The previous month he'd successfully piloted the fund manager to its second stock market float, in a remarkably varied ownership history, and now his star fund managers were being fêted at the Grosvenor House Hotel at the EuroHedge Awards - a black-tie dinner where anybody who's anybody in hedge funds wants to be seen.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:21 pm Scrappage scheme a road well travelledLord Mandelson's car scrappage scheme has run out road but it was a trip worth making.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:20 pm Shareholders rub out whiteboard maker Promethean WorldThe stock market debut of Promethean World, the whiteboard maker, brought to the market by Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Cazenove, has proved to be something of a disappointment for investors.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:14 pm Will the Takeover Panel meet its own deadline?Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:14 pm Lincoln to join luxury hybrid market (AP)AP - Ford Motor Co. will become a player in the small market for luxury hybrids this fall when it launches its first Lincoln hybrid, a gas-electric version of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:14 pm High Hopes for Some Low-P/E StocksBarron's found 19 non-insurance stocks selling for under 10 times earnings.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm 3 Stocks With Record Revenues (Screens)Hough: Despite the recession, these firms seem more prosperous than ever.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm Fate of Bridgecorp five waits till MayThe fate of the five men at the centre of claims they lied to Bridgecorp investors will not be known for another month.Former directors of the failed finance company Bruce Davidson, Rod Petricevic and Rob Roest, together with...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm Tax Tips: Mutual Fund Tax Breaks (Tax Tips)Invest in international fund shares? Don't pay the IRS any more than necessary.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm Are Birthday Bargains Worth Celebrating? (Deal of the Day)Retailers are offering presents -- with a few strings attached.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm This Is Your Brain on Ads (Tough Customer)Kadet: With neuromarketing, firms can now peek into your cranium to test their messages.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:00 pm Business confidence slips in MarchBusiness confidence slipped in March after rising to a decade high in February, according to the National Bank business outlook report.Overall, a net 42.5 per cent of respondents expect an improvement in business conditions in...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 9:30 pm NZX boss Mark Weldon paid $1.39 millionNZX chief executive Mark Weldon was paid $1.39 million last year, up from $895,566 the previous year.The remuneration was disclosed in the company's 2009 annual report.Chairman Andrew Harmos told NZPA the year had been extraordinary...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 9:00 pm Ecoya bets on fragrant global brand after vodka successEcoya's initial public offering to fund its global expansion in the home fragrance and body and bath products markets is partly a bet on the crew that successfully brought the 42 Below vodka brand to market, says executive chairman...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:30 pm AIG lawsuit alleging missed "red flags" dismissedNEW YORK (Reuters) - A Manhattan federal judge dismissed a shareholder lawsuit accusing current and former American International Group Inc executives and directors of ignoring "red flags," leading to the insurer's near collapse and about $180 billion of federal bailouts.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 7:16 pm Jail terms sign to tread carefully in ChinaUnexpectedly harsh jail sentences of seven to 14 years for four Rio Tinto employees charged with taking bribes and stealing commercial secrets could augur tougher times for foreign companies and errant executives in China's unruly...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 7:00 pm Ireland And Banks: The Road Less TraveledIreland decided to create the national “bad bank” after the credit crisis, a move the US government considered but rejected. The fate of that decision has come to haunt the small nation, but the haunting may not go on for long. The major banks in Ireland face a 32 billion euro shortfall as the “bad bank” begins [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:43 pm Queen's finances in a parlous stateWe all know of cases of people putting up the rellies in a spare room, rent free.Now, it seems even the Royal Family does it.The mounting financial crisis facing the Queen has been disclosed after ministers agreed to hand...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:30 pm Google And China: The Fog Of WarGoogle (GOOG) and perhaps China cannot figure out whether the search company’s results which are displayed on the mainland are being blocked by the government or due to defects with Google’s servers. One of the world’s most powerful nations and one of the world’s most prominent tech firms are confused, or so they say. Sometime [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:22 pm Lender wants Sex.com bankruptcy case thrown outNEW YORK (Reuters) - A lender which claims it is owed millions by the Sex.com domain name operator is asking a U.S. bankruptcy court to dismiss an involuntary bankruptcy case against the company, so it can resume a foreclosure auction, according to new court documents.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:13 pm Second man is sentenced in tomato corruption probeA former Safeway employee is ordered to spend seven months in home detention for committing wire fraud and accepting bribes.A former Safeway Inc. employee was sentenced Tuesday to spend seven months in home detention in connection with the federal investigation of defunct California tomato processor SK Foods.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:05 pm Punch Taverns chief Giles Thorley quitsGiles Thorley said last night that his decision to step down as chief executive of Punch Taverns was “totally my choice”. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:01 pm Isa savers ‘cheated of billions’ by banksA tax break created by Gordon Brown to encourage millions of people to save has degenerated into a £3 billion a year rip-off that enriches the banks, according to a damning verdict from the statutory consumer watchdog. Source: Latest Business News from Times Online | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:01 pm Nissan Leaf's promise: An affordable electricWith incentives, Californians may pay as little as $20,280 for the new zero-emissions vehicle, due in December.The all-electric Nissan Leaf hatchback will cost $32,780 when it hits showrooms in December, the Japanese automaker said Tuesday.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 5:32 pm You owe the IRS 99 days of hard workThis year, it's going to take the average American 99 days to earn enough money to pay the IRS. That's one day longer than last year.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 5:15 pm Kraft chief secures 41% pay riseIrene Rosenfeld, Kraft Foods chief executive, was given a 41 per cent pay rise last year to $26.3m for services that included ‘exceptional”’leadership in the takeover of CadburySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 30 Mar 2010 | 5:12 pm Call to clean up cash Isa marketA watchdog wants an investigation into the use of temporary headline interest rates to attract savers to cash Isas.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 30 Mar 2010 | 5:07 pm Scrappage scheme comes to an endAt least 330,000 cars were sold under the UK government's car scrappage scheme, which has come to an end.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 30 Mar 2010 | 5:06 pm Obama warns of Iran threat to world economyThe US president and Nicolas Sarkozy, French president, step up their push for sanctions on Tehran at a meeting in WashingtonSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:57 pm Cephalon, LDK Solar, Benihana are big movers (AP)AP - Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market:Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:54 pm Emotional tripUK van-maker visits the Turkish factory that got his jobSource: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:52 pm Consumer confidence rebounds, home prices riseNEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer confidence rebounded in March, while home prices rose in January for the eighth straight month according to a closely watched housing index, bolstering hopes for a sustainable economic recovery.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:49 pm Write-Offs: 03.30.10$$$ Insider-Trading Case to Test SEC Reach [WSJ] $$$ Hedge-Fund Returns Are Being Dragged Down by `Hidden Bias’: Chart of Day [Bloomberg] $$$ Donald Trump Calls His Kids On Christmas [DI] $$$ Is There a Chocolate “Conspiracy“? [TBM via Heidi Moore] 
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:35 pm BlackBerry won't get crushed by a Verizon iPhoneBlackberry maker Research in Motion continues to command the largest smartphone market share, and it's likely to hold a leading position even if the rumor that Apple is developing an iPhone to run on the Verizon Wireless network proves true.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:31 pm Stocks waver after upbeat economic data (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:22 pm Summary Box: Stocks climb ahead of quarter end (AP)AP - INCHING TO THE FINISH: Stocks posted modest gains Tuesday following improved reports on consumers and housing. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 12 points. It is up 4.6 percent for the quarter, which ends Wednesday.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:48 pm Primerica spin-off set to bolster CitigroupCitigroup will close a chapter in its troubled history with the spin-off of Primerica, its door-to-door insurance unit, in a move that will raise about $250m and should enable the US bank to move more than $2bn in assets off its balance sheetSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:45 pm How the major stock indexes fared on Tuesday (AP)AP - The stock market moved closer to closing out another strong quarter with a modest advance Tuesday. Major stock indexes rose following a gain in technology stocks. The mood in the market was upbeat after a report that consumer confidence grew more than expected in March. A separate report showed home prices inched higher for the eighth consecutive month.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:41 pm Internet, Mobile, Broadband, Airlines: Taking StockSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:40 pm Last 30 days to get $8,000 tax creditAttention shoppers: You have barely a month left before the homebuyer tax credit expires. But depending on where you live, you might not want to rush out to buy.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:34 pm Podcast: A Private-Equity Boss In Four-Inch Stilettos
That's Lynn Tilton up there. She runs a $7 billion private equity firm called Patriarch Partners that specializes in scooping up companies teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. On today's podcast, we visit with Tilton. And we go inside Spiegel, the catalog company Patriarch bought last year. Download the podcast, or subscribe. Music: Lily Allen's "Take What You Take." Find us: Twitter/ Facebook/ Flickr. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:28 pm Wall Street rises on Apple; Honeywell raises view late (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:27 pm Why Do Haitian Bus Owners Spend So Much On Paint Jobs?The latest Planet Money/Frontline joint venture solves a small economic mystery: Why are most of the buses in Haiti covered with murals that cost twice the annual salary of the average Haitian? Watch the video above, and listen to the radio story airing today on All Things Considered. (If the embedded video isn't working in your browser, you can watch it on Frontline's site.) For more, watch the piece we did with Frontline last week on the pedicure economy of a Haitian tent city. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:15 pm Lenny Dykstra Drops Case Against JPMorgan
Okay sure BUT WHY? Did LD drop some acid and hallucinate a giant Twizzler telling him to pick and choose his battles? Did the legal team at Nails Investments urge him to drop the case? Did Jamie Dimon, who recently started making house calls (or car calls, as it were) beat some sense into him? These things don’t just come about organically. What happened here?
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:14 pm McDonald’s Has Yum! Envy in China (MCD, YUM)McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) may be the world’s largest fast food chain. In fact, we have even noted how it is effectively worth more than all public US restaurant companies combined. The company is living up to its public company goals and that is where the large must become even larger. Today brought on talk [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:00 pm When Buying A Vacation Home……don’t forget the two most important rules- to make sure it’s in a place your jet or chopper can access, and that you hate your family. Advice On Buying A Summer Home [WSJ]
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 3:00 pm Canadian dollar up for 2nd day, bonds fall; eyes on GDP (Reuters)Reuters - The Canadian dollar hit a one-week high against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, helped by a positive tone in oil and stock markets, but stayed rigidly within recent ranges ahead of monthly economic growth data.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 30 Mar 2010 | 2:57 pm Apple, Verizon shares rise on iPhone deal prospectSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Apple Inc and Verizon Communications Inc rose on Tuesday on signs the iPhone may finally be headed to Verizon Wireless.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 2:50 pm Kapow! Superman helps reclaim record price for a comic bookSuperman soars back into the record books, reclaiming the title of the highest price paid for a comic from Batman.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 30 Mar 2010 | 2:44 pm M&A surges in Asia while US and Europe sufferThe value of global mergers and acquisitions has risen 6% to $442bn in the first quarter of 2010, boosted by the significant increase in deals in AsiaSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 30 Mar 2010 | 2:37 pm What’s In Charlie Gasparino’s Fanny Pack?
Obviously we can rule out that guess, since we know Gasparino wears Addidas Sport at the gym (Old Spice on the job, and Drakkar Noir for special occasions). All other rampant speculation welcome at this time.
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 2:35 pm The 5 Most Famous Militias in US HistoryThe recent arrest of the Hutaree militia have brought a classic US tradition back into the limelight. Militias, which helped us win independence during the Revolutionary War, are as American as apple pie. Militias have tripled in number since 2008, making them especially relevant today. To acknowledge the American militia in its multiple forms, we’ve gathered a list of the most famous (and notorious) ones. Revolutionary War Militias
Lacking a central command, the US army during the Revolutionary War was actually comprised of colonial militias. Most mlitiamen at the time were ill-equipped, poorly trained, and badly organized. Perhaps the most famous militia leader was George Washington, the Virginia militia general who went on to lead the newly formed Continental Army and eventually the entire country. The Minutemen, of which Paul Revere was a member, are another famous Revolutionary War militia. Wonder what those elite fighters would think of today’s Minutemen? Minutemen
The Minuteman Project calls itself an activist organization, but its members have enough guns and violent tendencies to earn it a spot on this list. The Minutemen, who are vehemently against immigration, have a weekend warrior tendency of setting up camp at US-Mexican border areas, where they serve as a self-styled vigilante border patrol. Armed with binoculars and rifles–and often sitting in lawn chairs–the Minutemen task themselves with catching illegal immigrants and turning them over to the US border patrol. While the Minutemen haven’t managed to stop immigration, they have cultivated quite a reputation in both the US and Mexico. Ku Klux Klan
You’re a disgruntled, racist Confederate army veteran with a heart full of hatred and too much time at night. What to do? Round up 100 of your best buddies and go on a vigilante mission to restore white supremacy in the South, of course. In 1865, that’s just what a group of Tennessee vets did, resulting in the Klan we know today. Klansmen murdered and assaulted people of color right up to 2006. They remain active throughout the South today. Symbionese Liberation Army
In the early 1970s, prison escapee Donald DeFreeze and radical feminist Patricia Soltysik formed the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), the left-wing extremist group best known for kidnapping Patty Hearst. During its 2-year lifetime, the SLA was responsible for two murders, one kidnapping (Hearst), and two bank robberies. Ironically, the mildest of the SLA offences—a botched shoplifting incident—led to a shootout that killed the group’s leaders and heralded its ultimate decline. The Hutaree Militia
These rural Michiganders earned their place in history by plotting to attack police officers, then getting nabbed by the FBI. Their logic went something like this: The Antichrist is coming. We’ll defend ourselves by undergoing paramilitary training and gathering arms. Our “defense” protocol will also include triggering a larger uprising against the US government. We will start by attacking cops. But the Hutarees’ creative integration of anti-government and Antichrist never took off. Now that they’re being charged with trying to start a war with the US, they might need a new anti-lawyer strategy.
Source: Business Pundit | 30 Mar 2010 | 2:24 pm Supreme Court hands victory to mutual fund industryWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court handed a victory to the $11 trillion mutual fund industry by endorsing a 1982 legal standard to decide the fairness of fund fees, a ruling that gives companies considerable freedom to set investment adviser charges.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 30 Mar 2010 | 1:58 pm Fashion Meets Finance Is Back
If you’re into that shit, do take a few moments now to sign up. Alternatively, mark it down on your calendar as the night you need to remember to walk by the Empire Hotel and throw a grenade in the place. Also, as has been the case with this thing in the past, there appears to be some foul play afoot with the RSVP list.
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 1:30 pm Justices give mutual fund investors a crack at suing over exorbitant feesIn one of its most closely watched business cases this term, the Supreme Court still made it hard to win such claims and warned against judicial 'second-guessing' of independent boards' fee decisions.The Supreme Court opened the door Tuesday for investors in the $11-trillion mutual fund industry to sue if they learn their fund's stock advisors have charged them exorbitant fees.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 30 Mar 2010 | 12:34 pm Westlake Chemical Raised to `Overweight' at JPMorgan: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 12:32 pm Big Stocks, Big ‘Fair Value’ Upside (LOW, SONC, DFS, UNH, KLAC, AMAT, GE, DVN, APOL, NRG)Many analysts have been updating their price targets on various key stocks, and it is always interesting to see what the truly independent research analysts have for price targets on major stocks. Morningstar has covered many key stocks in many key sectors this week and we wanted to take a look at each sector to [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 30 Mar 2010 | 12:07 pm Charlie Gasparino On His Jon Corzine Encounter: “Corzine Isn’t Afraid Of Gregg’s Muscles, He’s Afraid Of Me”Watch the latest business video at video.foxbusiness.com
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 12:07 pm Presented By:Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 12:07 pm Mutual Funds, SandRidge, Apache, Ship Finance: Taking StockSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:51 am How Did Kendrick Wilson III “Soothe” Stephen Schwarzman’s “Bruised Feelings”?
But how? Billionaires a fickle bunch, and what’s Schwarzman gonna do? Suddenly feel okay about the whole thing because this guy Wilson strokes his hair and makes him some chamomile tea? SAS is a shrewd businessman and he’s not just going to roll over and take it because someone speaks to him in a soft voice and tells him everyone appreciates all the work he does. You’re going to have to do a lot better than that and you’re going to have to do it by plying him with a few of his favorite things. So. Was it: a) The promise of the best crab meat money could buy b) Dinner and a viewing of Baby Boom with director Nancy Meyers. c) You tell us.
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:50 am A self-sustaining economic expansionConsumer confidence is up, and the upcoming jobs report is expected to be the most positive in many months. But the housing picture is still mixed, so are we on the recovery expressway? Jeremy Hobson reports.Source: Marketplace | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:48 am A history lesson in health care reformPresident Obama signed legislation to put the finishing touches on overhauling U.S. health care. The health reform effort is almost exactly 100 years old. Gregory Warner takes a look back.Source: Marketplace | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:48 am Letters: Offices, doctors, Juarez, adsKai Ryssdal reviews what listeners had to say about stories involving virtual offices, a doctor shortage, the challenges facing Juarez, Mexico, and advertising to single women.Source: Marketplace | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:48 am Unlikely duo teams up for kosher, halalAs the second night of Passover approaches, Ari Daniel Shapiro reports on two meat distributors -- one Jewish, the other Muslim -- who have struck up a unique friendship to provide products to their customers that seek to redefine kosher and halal.Source: Marketplace | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:48 am Gov't gridlock leads to biz paralysisCongress just had a bruising fight over health care reform and plenty of other legislation is moving slowly or not at all. Commentator Carl Yankowski says that's making it hard for business.Source: Marketplace | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:48 am Insurer vote hits climate activism hardIn a surprising vote, a majority of the country's insurance commissioners decided to let insurers keep private their reporting on how climate change might affect them. Sarah Gardner reports.Source: Marketplace | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:47 am A good sign in excess shipping cargoShipping lines from South Korea's largest port can't keep up with the amount of cargo places like the U.S. and Europe are demanding. But there may be more to the story. Alisa Roth reports.Source: Marketplace | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:47 am Iron ore swaps could grow to $200bnAs the 40-year-old pricing system is replaced with short-term deals linked to the spot market, analysts forecast that the iron ore swaps market will grow to $200bn by 2020 from $300m todaySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:09 am Who Actually Ruined Jon Corzine’s Dinner–Charlie Gasparino, Or His Bodybuilding Childhood Friend?
At least that’s the explanation given for why JSC “shook hands awkwardly” with Gaspo and “left without saying a word.” Obviously it had nothing to do with the fact that one of Gasparino’s dining companions that night, in addition to the extremely intimidating Mary Thompson, was CG’s childhood friend, bodybuilder Gregg Valentino (pictured). The reason I know this, is that JSC is a huge fan of GV, and was one of the first in line to buy a copy of his memoir, Death, Drugs and Muscle. So the awkwardness definitely nothing to do with Valentino. It was all CG. People fear him.
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 11:00 am BioHealth Business Daily (AEN, ENCO, GNVC, GENZ, MYGN, NVAX, NYMX, OPXA, OSIP, SQNM)We are seeing many moves today in the world of biotech and medical products, but oddly many moves are not on any big news. Today’s edition of the BioHealth Business Daily covers moves in Adeona Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: AEN), Encorium Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENCO), GenVec Inc. (NASDAQ: GNVC), Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ), Myriad Genetics Inc. [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:36 am House Prices In Your Home TownBy Jacob Goldstein More wishy-washy housing numbers today, courtesy of the Case-Shiller index. Nationwide, home prices in January were a little bit lower than they were a year earlier. But they were a little bit higher than they were in December. The year-over-year data show some pretty big disparities, even among cities that had big run-ups during the bubble. There were significant gains in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego and big declines in Las Vegas, Tampa and Florida. Here are the month-over-month and year-over-year numbers for 20 metro areas, and a composite number for the nation as a whole:
Bonus Home: Here's a post from last week on the Obama Administration's revised plan to prevent foreclosures. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:30 am Brian Moynihan Wins Over Harshest Critic
She couldn’t talk to Ken about it, obviously, as it would just upset him, so after he passed out one night, she sneaked into the other room where he couldn’t hear her and called every single member of the board, begging them to not make this mistake. She pulled out all the stops, and even offered HJ’s to anyone who would help, but nobody would budge. That’s when she really freaked out. She momentarily considered driving over to their homes in the middle of the night to make a scene on their front lawns, where she would park her Chevelle. “Let them call the cops!” she said to herself, biting pieces of her hair, which she does when she’s really in a tizzy. But even in her rage she realized that was not the wisest course of action, if history is any guide (the last time she pulled that stunt it did not end well). Oh, but she was not going to let those “fucking pigs” get away with this. So took a deep breathe, splashed some cold water on her face and sat down to give everyone one a piece of her mind, in a report entitled, “Bank of America Should Beg Ken Lewis To Stay.” The thing got a little traction, in that anyone even vaguely interested in taking over for KL suddenly backed out, out of fear that this crazy lady was going to make good on her threats to “make the life of Ken’s replacement a living hell,” though tragically, as you know, they finally found someone to take the job. While in theory Bové accepted that Brian Moynihan was the new CEO, she made no bones about the fact that she didn’t like it. On his first day on the job, she keyed the words ‘You suck’ into his car, and she worked diligently to uncover any dirt she could on the guy that could potentially get him fired. She would send him 3AM emails from anonymous addresses that weren’t fooling anyone, telling BriMoy “You’ll do it like Ken did. Never!” Eventually though, something strange occurred, and the analyst started to change her tune on the guy. No one really knows when it happened, or why (theories include her resentment over Ken refusing to get a new job, and only leaving the couch to grab another beer, the realization of common interests, and so on and so forth) but somewhere along the line…Dick started to like what she saw. And now? This:
Now Ken’s home watching the clock and Bové is out scrambling to find the perfect dress for BAC’s next earnings call, one that shows off her tits but doesn’t make her intentions look too obvious. FYI, this is how it starts.
Source: Dealbreaker | 30 Mar 2010 | 10:15 am Wellesley’s Case: Surveillance with Prewitt and KeeneSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:57 am Shannon Cross: Bloomberg On the Economy With Tom KeeneSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:52 am Elliott Wave’s Prechter: Surveillance With Prewitt and KeeneSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:49 am GM’s Lutz: Surveillance With Prewitt and KeeneSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:48 am Heath Terry: Bloomberg On the Economy With Tom KeeneSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:47 am Value Shock: Apple Larger Than Wal-Mart; Microsoft Next Target (AAPL, WMT, XOM, MSFT, GE)Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is all over the news. It has the much anticipated iPad launch and now it has a new iPhone coming that will run on the CDMA network sold through Verizon. And Apple keeps putting in new 52-week highs and new all-time highs each day. Apple has only had one down day [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:36 am Who Else Used Repo 105?By Jacob Goldstein The SEC wants to know what other big financial firms may have used Repo 105, the accounting gimmick that Lehman Brothers recently made famous. Investment banks and other financial firms use the repo market to borrow money. But Repo 105 allowed Lehman to pretend like it would never have to pay back some of the money it borrowed on the repo market, according to a report that came out a couple weeks ago. (Here's a post that explains Repo 105 and the repo market in general.) Now, the SEC is sending letters to "two dozen large financial institutions and insurance companies" to ask about their use of the repo market. The companies haven't been named. There are lots of questions aimed at figuring out how companies are accounting for their use of the repo market, and whether it's clear to investors that the funds the companies get from the repo market are borrowed money. Here's a copy of the letter. » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:31 am BlackRock's Tucker Likes Municipal Bond ETFs: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 8:29 am UBS's Yu on Currencies, BGC's Wheeldon on Stocks: First WordSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 30 Mar 2010 | 7:08 am Geely Buys Volvo for $1.8 billion
Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Corp. has purchase Volvo from Ford for $1.8 billion. Geely, one of China’s biggest automakers, has plans to invest $900 million more into Volvo to make the brand profitable. Reuters has more: “Profit will only emerge if we expand the business scale, thus making costs per vehicle lower,” Li told reporters in Beijing…Shifu…added the two brands would remain separate, with Volvo and Geely each continuing to produce their own cars. “Volvo comes from Northern Europe and is rooted in Sweden. Volvo will not be Volvo any more if taken out of the soil,” Li said. “Relations between Geely and Volvo in the future will be like brothers, not father and son.”
Source: Business Pundit | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:56 am iPhone Coming to Verizon?
Rumor has it that an iPhone is coming to Verizon this summer or fall. PCWorld sums up the report, which first appeared in the Wall Street Journal: According to the paper’s unnamed sources, Apple is developing two new iPhones–one that will debut this summer (presumably on AT&T), and one that features CDMA capability; the technology used by Verizon. Different companies are said to be developing the new iPhones. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the company that produced the previous iPhones, is reportedly manufacturing the one that will debut this summer, while Pegatron is believed to be responsible for the iPhone with CDMA capability. Most U.S. mobile phones use one of two cellular network standards: CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) or GSM (Global System for Mobile communications). Verizon and Sprint both use CDMA, while AT&T and T-Mobile operate on GSM. GSM is the global standard for cellular networks. According to the Wall Street Journal, a person “familiar with the situation” said that Pegatron is scheduled to start mass-producing the CDMA-equipped iPhones in September, though it’s unclear when they’ll be made available. The Wall Street Journal didn’t name its sources, but has full “I told you so” rights if a Verizon iPhone actually does come out this summer. Verizon and Apple, of course, won’t confirm the rumors.
Source: Business Pundit | 30 Mar 2010 | 6:30 am China invited to join IEA as oil demand shiftsThe head of the International Energy Agency, the developed world’s energy watchdog, calls for China to join the agency and warn that the institution risks losing relevance as energy demand shifts eastward away from its current membersSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 30 Mar 2010 | 5:59 am Psychic FAIL
Source: Business Pundit | 30 Mar 2010 | 4:39 am
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