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Modern Life?
Source: Business Pundit | 13 Jul 2010 | 4:17 am Indications: U.S. stock futures climb after Alcoa earningsU.S. stock futures climbed Tuesday as results from Alcoa helped boost sentiment toward second-quarter earnings.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 4:09 am Greece raises euro1.25 billion in T-bill auction (AP)AP - Greece has raised euro1.25 billion ($1.6 billion) in its first debt auction since receiving international bailout loans.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 4:05 am Solid start to US earnings season trumps China worriesGlobal Markets Overview: S&P 500 futures contract bounces back as worries about China’s property market can’t derail earnings optimism.Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 13 Jul 2010 | 4:05 am EU finance ministers pressed to fix oversight (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 4:02 am Diary of a Recession Baby: Consumers scale back their savings plansConsumers are cutting back on their savings goals for the year, as some grapple with higher-than-expected bills and others just can’t control their inner shopper, according to data released Tuesday.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 4:00 am Budd in defence of OBR's recordThe head of the new Office for Budget Responsibility rejects criticism it is not independent from government.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:59 am Shorts Flee Strongest StocksStocks with strong balance sheets that are likely to post good earnings have lost their interest for short sellers. Base on data as of June 30, short sellers abandoned the shares of Citigroup NYSE: C), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), Ford (NYSE: F), and AT&T (NYSE: T). The short interest in AT&T fell 18% to 50.3 [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:58 am Surveyors expect house price fallSurveyors are expecting house prices to fall in the coming months owing to more home sales and economic uncertainty.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:58 am Moody's downgrades Portugal debt rating (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:53 am Borrowers face new mortgage rulesThe Financial Services Authority proposes new 'back to basics' mortgage rules including affordability tests.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:50 am China reiterates policy-tightening biasChinese government ministries signal late Monday there would be no backtracking from the course of policy tightening in the near future, according to reports, dashing hopes that some of the measures rolled out in April to cool the housing sector would be relaxed.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:49 am Futures point to higher open on Wall StreetLONDON (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for Wall Street on Tuesday as the corporate earnings season gathers pace, with S&P 500 futures up 0.4 percent, Nasdaq futures 0.6 percent higher, and futures for the Dow Jones industrial average up 0.3 percent by 4:56 a.m. EDT.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:48 am Futures point to higher open on Wall Street (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:48 am UK inflation slows again in JuneUK inflation rates slows again in June, to 3.2% from 3.4% in May, but remains well above the Bank of England's 2% target.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:47 am Burberry sales climb 27% on outerwear growthBurberry Group on Tuesday reported 27% sales growth in its fiscal first quarter as the luxury goods retailer said it would be opening 20 to 30 new stores this financial year.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:43 am BP installs new cap on oil wellBP places an improved cap on a ruptured Gulf of Mexico well, raising hopes that all leaking oil could soon be captured.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:42 am GlaxoSmithKline: Another Drug Company Runs Afoul Of The TruthGlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK), like a number of pharmaceutical companies before it, has run up against the truth about one of its drugs. According to The New York Times, “In the fall of 1999, the drug giant SmithKline Beecham secretly began a study to find out if its diabetes medicine, Avandia, was safer for the heart [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:40 am Alcoa lifts markets despite Portugal downgrade (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:35 am Alcoa lifts markets despite Portugal downgrade (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:35 am Economic Report: German ZEW expectations gauge fallsA closely-watched gauge of sentiment among German investment professionals released Tuesday showed a marked improvement in the current economic picture but increasing gloom over the future.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:33 am Europe Markets: European shares advance for sixth straight dayEuropean shares rose on Tuesday, after Alcoa got the U.S. second-quarter earnings season off to a good start, BMW hiked its earnings outlook and a report suggested that new bank capital rules will be less difficult than originally estimated.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:32 am Economic Report: U.K. consumer inflation slows less than expectedFalling prices for fuel and clothing put the brakes on British annual consumer price inflation in June, government data showed Tuesday, but the pace slowed less than expected.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:28 am Texas beats California...in a recessionBack in 1965, The Mamas & the Papas reached the top of the charts with "California Dreamin," a song pining for a return to the warm safety of their home state. But these days they'd be better off dreaming about Texas.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:27 am Moody's cuts Portugal's ratings by two notchesMoody’s Investors Service on Tuesday downgrades Portugal’s government bond ratings by two notches, citing the likelihood of further deterioration in the nation’s finances and weak economic growth prospects.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:26 am Moody's downgrades PortugalRatings agency Moody's downgrades Portugal's sovereign debt citing its public finances and weak growth prospects.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:20 am RMT union calls off Tube strikeWednesday's planned 48-hour strike on the Tube is called off as the RMT union agrees a 4.2% pay deal.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:18 am World Cup final wins 20m viewersMore than 20 million British viewers tuned in to the World Cup final, with the BBC drawing in more viewers than ITV.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:17 am AIG board meet may set ball rolling on AIA IPO: sourcesHONG KONG/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The board of American International Group is set to meet this week to consider the future of its AIA unit, with a public float seen as the most likely outcome, sources said on Tuesday.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:16 am Stocks set for early gainsU.S. stocks were poised for a higher open Tuesday, as an earnings surprise from Alcoa helped boost confidence.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:15 am India's Infosys quarterly profit disappoints (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:12 am Global oil demand seen rising slightly in 2011 (AP)AP - The International Energy Agency said Tuesday that world oil demand will rise next year fueled by economic growth in developing countries, despite a drop in rich countries' appetite for oil.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:09 am Goldman may seek extension in SEC case: report(Reuters) - U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc is likely to ask for more time to respond to the fraud lawsuit filed on April 16 by the U.S. Securities regulator, the New York Post reported, citing sources.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:06 am Goldman may seek extension in SEC case: report (Reuters)Reuters - U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc is likely to ask for more time to respond to the fraud lawsuit filed on April 16 by the U.S. Securities regulator, the New York Post reported, citing sources.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:06 am Florida banks seek reprieve from new capital rules: report(Reuters) - Banks in Florida are requesting that U.S. federal regulators exempt them from mandatory higher capital requirements because they are struggling to cope with the BP oil spill, the Wall Street Journal said.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:03 am Businesses 'profit from nature'Companies as well as governments will reap dividends from paying for nature, a UN-sponsored report concludes.Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:02 am 8 Ways to Maximize Gas Mileage (Deal of the Day)Improve your car's fuel efficiency before your next road trip.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:01 am Wal-Mart: Too Cheap to Pass UpThe retail giant is making smart moves on the web and in big cities.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:01 am 6 Tips for Investing GloballySome do's and don'ts from financial advisers for investors venturing overseas with their portfolios.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 3:01 am Moody's cuts Portugal ratingLISBON (Reuters) - Moody's Investor Service cut Portugal's debt rating by two notches to A1 on Tuesday citing rising debt and weak growth prospects, and said the country may need to come up with more austerity measures in its 2011 budget.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:59 am London Markets: U.K. stocks see broadly rally; BP extends recoveryU.K. stocks saw a broad rally Tuesday, with advancers overwhelmingly ahead of decliners on optimism for earnings from the metals sector and as BP makes progress at plugging the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:59 am Contagion Redux: Moody’s Downgrades Portugal Too LateMoody’s downgraded Portugal’s government bond ratings two notches to A1 from Aa2. The outlook for the debt was listed as stable. Oddly enough, the stock indexes in the region did not react to the news at all, a sign that the capital markets believe that the situation in Europe has stabilized and that the ratings [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:57 am IMF chief sees little risk of double-dip recessionDAEJEON, South Korea (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund's chief reiterated on Tuesday that strong growth in Asia and Latin America made it unlikely that the global economy would suffer a double-dip recession.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:56 am BP divestment talks on several assets "going well" (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:53 am BP divestment talks on several assets "going well"LONDON (Reuters) - BP , which unveiled plans last month for about $10 billion in asset sales to help pay for costs from the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, said talks on the divestments were making progress.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:53 am BP prepares to test new cap installed on oil leak (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:39 am Alcoa swings to profit, raises demand outlookAlcoa said Monday it swung to a profit in the latest quarter and raised its forecast for aluminum demand for the rest of the year.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:35 am Hello pension, bye-bye saving? Think againQuestion: I'm retired on a pension and will soon start receiving Social Security. So I'm wondering, once you're retired do you still need an emergency fund of three to six months' worth of living expenses as you did when you were working? --Jim, West Farmington, OhioSource: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:35 am Cash cowBehind the scenes at Boeing and its lucrative 737Source: BBC News | Business | World Edition | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:34 am Euro dips on Portugal downgradeLONDON (Reuters) - The euro fell on Tuesday after a two-notch downgrade of Portugal's sovereign debt rating and ahead of Greece's return to capital markets for the first time since late April.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:34 am Euro dips on Portugal downgrade (Reuters)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:34 am The 24/7 Wall St. Fifty Least Trustworthy Companies in America, A Look Back24/7 Wall St. reviewed the performance of the 50 companies on our “Least Transparent” list for the month of June, and as might be expected, the returns were dreadful. In addition, three of the companies had high levels of “Insider Trading” during the month. The data for the original list and revisions come from Audit [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:26 am JetBlue founder's biggest gamble yetStriding through his office complex in Brazil, David Neeleman recounts the various lessons he's learned in 18 years of starting businesses. When he was 23, he started a travel agency. He chose as his main supplier a startup airline that hurtled into bankruptcy, and he lost everything. From that ordeal Neeleman learned a hard lesson: Always bolster your business with plenty of capital.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:26 am Financial bill: Democrats have the votesTwo key Republican senators announced their support for the Wall Street reform bill Monday, placing Senate Democrats days away from winning the final vote to passing the most sweeping set of changes to the financial system in decades.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:14 am Wall Street reform and the price of milkCongress is expected to finish work this week on the biggest changes to the financial regulatory system since the 1930s - giving regulators a green light to start working on hundreds of new rules that the bill orders up.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:11 am U.S. meeting nears on risks of Glaxo diabetes drugWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A heated three-year safety debate about a GlaxoSmithKline Plc diabetes pill reaches a climax this week as opponents and backers face off at a U.S. meeting that will help decide the drug's fate.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 2:04 am Media Digest 7/13/2010 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, BloombergMarketWatch: Moody’s downgraded Portugal two notches to A1 Reuters: BP plc (NYSE: BP) will test a new oil cap in place. Reuters: The Wall St. reform bill is nearing a final vote Reuters: Most Americans lack faith in Obama. Reuters: American International Group’s (NYSE: AIG) board will meet to determine plans for AIA.Reuters: Microsoft Corporation [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:53 am China to fight price manipulation with heavy finesBEIJING (Reuters) - China will fine companies up to 2 million yuan ($295,400) for sending misleading or fake information about price increases, according to a new draft regulation by...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:52 am America's Best Places to LiveThese terrific small cities -- even now -- boast plenty of jobs, great schools, safe streets, lots to do, and more.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:49 am Euro falls on Portugal downgradeLONDON (Reuters) - The euro fell while Bund futures jumped on Tuesday as ratings firm Moody's cut Portugal's rating to A1 with a stable outlook.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:47 am BP oil spill: how the new cap worksLive underwater footage has shown a new cap being placed onto the leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico, offering hope of containing the oil for the first time since the rig exploded in April.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:36 am Spill costs to cut BP tax bill by $10bnBP is forecast to pay about $10bn (£6.7bn) less tax over the next four years as it meets the costs of its huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, hitting the revenues of Britain and the USSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:33 am NZ dollar falls short on investor cautionThe New Zealand dollar yielded much of today's small gain against the greenback and euro as markets waited for more companies in the United States to start reporting second-quarter earnings results.By 5pm, the kiwi was buying...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:26 am Asia Markets: Infosys shares drop as wage costs drag on profitShares of Infosys Technologies Ltd. drop after the Indian market bellwether reports a surprise drop in fiscal first-quarter net profit because of a sharp increase in wage costs.
Source: MarketWatch.com - Top Stories | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:13 am Gov't hopes new drilling moratorium can survive (AP)AP - Rebuffed twice by the courts, the Obama administration is taking another crack at a moratorium on deep-water drilling, stressing new evidence of safety concerns and no longer basing the moratorium on water depth. But those who challenge the latest ban question whether it complies with a judge's ruling tossing out the first one.Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:08 am Hubbard investors won't get money back any time soonAllan Hubbard's statutory manager Grant Thornton has released its first report showing investors in his Aorangi Securities shouldn't expect any money back any time soon and warns it is concerned about a lack of paper work.It also...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Struggling mall owner unloads third-party management businessGeneral Growth Properties, which owns several Southland centers but is in Chapter 11, hands over its unit that runs 18 malls from California to New York to real estate services giant Jones Lang LaSalle...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Struggling mall owner unloads third-party management businessGeneral Growth Properties, which owns several Southland centers but is in Chapter 11, hands over its unit that runs 18 malls from California to New York to real estate services giant Jones Lang LaSalle.General Growth Properties Inc., owner of the Glendale Galleria and other large Southland shopping centers, said Monday that it agreed to immediately hand over its third-party management business to real estate services giant Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Lancaster hopes to outshine all othersThe Antelope Valley city has its sights set on becoming the alternative energy capital of the world. A big step is a deal with a firm to promote the use of solar panels by residents and businesses.In the Antelope Valley, Lancaster is known for its aerospace connections, its annual poppy festival and its arid desert atmosphere.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Hefner's move to take Playboy Enterprises private could put it in playFounder of the struggling adult publishing empire, in an effort to reassert control, proposes to buy all outstanding shares he doesn't own. But rival Penthouse's owner is preparing a competing bid. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Products made in China often cost more there than in the WestThe premium prices frustrate shoppers as well as those who see getting Chinese consumers to open their wallets as crucial to balancing the global economy. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Warner gambles on an unproven commodityThe studio and its partner have invested $160 million in 'Inception,' a film that is not a sequel, adapted from a comic book or inspired by a toy. They're hoping it follows the path of 'Matrix.'The plot is difficult to explain in a 30-second TV spot (something about dreams within dreams). The star has a choppy box-office track record (most do these days). The director is not a household name (yet).
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Smaller cable TV packages would be good for consumers, but a la carte pricing would be betterThe industry may finally be responding to the threat of cut-rate online alternatives. Looks like the cable industry...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Warner gambles on an unproven commodityThe studio and its partner have invested $160 million in 'Inception,' a film that is not a sequel, adapted from a comic book or inspired by a toy. They're hoping it follows the path of 'Matrix.' ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Smaller cable TV packages would be good for consumers, but a la carte pricing would be betterThe industry may finally be responding to the threat of cut-rate online alternatives.Looks like the cable industry is finally responding to the threat of cut-rate online alternatives such as YouTube and Hulu.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Consumer Reports gives iPhone 4 cool receptionThe publication says it can't recommend the Apple device because of a flaw in the antenna's design. It also questions the company's explanation for some phones showing weak signal strength. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am GOP senators' support assures passage of financial reform billSens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Olympia Snowe of Maine, who had balked at revisions made by a joint House-Senate committee, give Democrats the 60 votes needed. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Small-business lending drops sharply in June after federal program runs out of moneyThe reduction comes as officials are scrambling to stimulate the sector to aid the economic recovery. Government-backed loans to the nation's...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Small-business lending drops sharply in June after federal program runs out of moneyThe reduction comes as officials are scrambling to stimulate the sector to aid the economic recovery.Government-backed loans to the nation's small businesses dropped sharply last month after a key federal program ran out of money.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Great Commercial Location in Abilene, Texas Up for Auction by Assiter AuctioneersSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Hefner's move to take Playboy Enterprises private could put it in playFounder of the struggling adult publishing empire, in an effort to reassert control, proposes to buy all outstanding shares he doesn't own. But rival Penthouse's owner is preparing a competing bid.Hugh Hefner is 84, but he isn't about to go quietly into the night.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Lancaster hopes to outshine all othersThe Antelope Valley city has its sights set on becoming the alternative energy capital of the world. A big step is a deal with a firm to promote the use of solar panels by residents and businesses. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Products made in China often cost more there than in the WestThe premium prices frustrate shoppers as well as those who see getting Chinese consumers to open their wallets as crucial to balancing the global economy.The laptop computer Luo Guangli carried out of the Apple flagship store in Beijing was no different from the models sold in the United States. It had the same high-resolution screen, an identical processor and the same printed label on the back: "Assembled in China."
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am GOP senators' support assures passage of financial reform billSens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Olympia Snowe of Maine, who had balked at revisions made by a joint House-Senate committee, give Democrats the 60 votes needed.Two key senators' support Monday for the sweeping overhaul of financial regulations gave Democratic leaders the votes they need for final approval this week, paving the way for President Obama to sign the landmark legislation into law.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Consumer Reports gives iPhone 4 cool receptionThe publication says it can't recommend the Apple device because of a flaw in the antenna's design. It also questions the company's explanation for some phones showing weak signal strength.Apple Inc.'s new iPhone is getting a lot of buzz these days, just not the kind the company is used to.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 1:00 am Business Bullet: China, House prices, BA, BurberryThe latest news on: China, House prices, BA, BurberrySource: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Jul 2010 | 12:58 am NZ market turns back on solid runThe New Zealand sharemarket closed a touch weaker after a quiet session, with all eyes on Wall Street after the company reporting season kicked off in the United States with a positive surprise.The market turned its back on seven...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 13 Jul 2010 | 12:58 am China property curbs weigh on Asian stocksAsian stock market fell after China said it would maintain lending curbs to halt a surge in property prices.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 13 Jul 2010 | 12:52 am Nissan may halt US, Mexico production (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Business News | 13 Jul 2010 | 12:49 am SaxoTrader Named Best Re-Labelling Platform by Business Magazine Profit & LossSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:59 pm Sarah Russell Appointed CEO of AEGON's Global Asset Management BusinessSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:59 pm Toyota to study quality panel's recommendationsToyota will start studying an assessment of the company's quality control conducted by four outside experts to help beef up quality controls at the recall-battered automaker under a programSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:19 pm Hotel workers' union protests at DisneylandMickey Mouse mask-wearing protesters were among about 325 union members and supporters who demonstrated against Disneyland over a hotel employee contract dispute. Protesters on Monday...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:18 pm Nissan takes lead with Thai-made March in JapanNissan took the wraps off its new March subcompact Tuesday, which is being manufactured in Thailand for sale in Japan, underlining a trend for Japanese automakers to shift more production...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:03 pm Playboy bidding war loomsNEW YORK (Reuters) - A bidding war for the bunny may be about to break out.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:47 pm Infosys Q1 disappoints and Europe woes dampen outlookBANGALORE (Reuters) - Infosys Technologies edged up its forecast on a revival in outsourcing demand from its mainstay financial clients, but its shares fell as markets worried a weak...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:46 pm Fidel Castro makes rare TV appearanceThe former Cuban president, who has retreated from regular public view since ceding power to his brother Raúl four years ago, appears on state television to warn that war between the US and Iran is imminentSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Jul 2010 | 9:34 pm Alcoa beats Wall Street viewNEW YORK (Reuters) - Alcoa Inc , the largest U.S. aluminum producer, posted a stronger-than-expected second-quarter profit on Monday and raised its estimate for global aluminum consumption, sending its shares up 3 percent.
Source: Reuters: Business News | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:49 pm BP stock jumps on plan to sell assetsShares are up 8%, in part because of new hopes for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and because of reports that the company may be turning to Apache to raise $10 million.Shares of beleaguered BP jumped 8% Monday on hopes for the latest attempt to stop the gulf oil leak and reports that BP may be turning to Apache Corp., a Houston-based exploration and production company, for a $10-billion asset sale.
Source: L.A. Times - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:43 pm BP stock jumps on plan to sell assetsShares are up 8%, in part because of new hopes for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and because of reports that the company may be turning to Apache to raise $10 million. ...Source: RSS feed - channel BNPaperBusiness | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:43 pm Ten Worst Real Estate Markets In AmericaMore than 26% of the homes for sale nationwide cut their asking prices in June. The average price cut was 6.25%. The highest median price cut was 11.55%, in Flint, MI, which has been decimated by the implosion of the car industry. The most immediate cause for the discount: as of April 30th of this [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:38 pm Landcorp misses out on Crafar farmsReceivers for the Crafar dairy farm empire have announced that state-owned farmer Landcorp has been unsuccessful in its attempt to buy the properties, though cannot yet say who has won the race to buy them.The following announcement...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:15 pm Food prices fall 2pc - biggest annual decline in 50 yearsFood prices took a record tumble in the year to June, driven by a decrease in the cost of fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry and fish.Statistics New Zealand said the 2 per cent fall was the largest annual decrease in food prices...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:00 pm Hef vies for Playboy control, Penthouse prepares to pounceHugh Hefner, the famous lothario and founder of Playboy magazine, was last night fighting to keep control of the business empire he created more than five decades ago.Hours after the iconic impresario offered to take Playboy Enterprises...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 6:30 pm Wall St reform proposal wins key supportUS financial reform has enough votes to pass the Senate after three Republicans – Scott Brown, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe – said they had decided to back the legislationSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Jul 2010 | 6:00 pm Alcoa’s earnings set bullish toneAlcoa provides a healthy start to the corporate earnings season by raising its outlook for growth in global aluminium consumption after stronger-than-expected demandSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:37 pm Beyond Petroleum? BP's great gimmick exposedNEW YORK - Milton Friedman once said companies can't be socially responsible because they only exist to make as much money as possible.The late Nobel laureate economist would appreciate what's going on now: A historic environmental...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:30 pm US Issues New Drilling BanSecretary of the Interior Ken Salazar directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement to issue new suspensions of deepwater drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf , saying a pause is needed to ensure that oil and gas companies first implement adequate safety measures to reduce the risks associated with deepwater drilling operations [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:21 pm Bankers warned of further tax on profits and payBankers are facing a further tax on their profits and pay, ministers said last night, just weeks after the Budget had appeared to save them from draconian new levies.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:19 pm Mandelson unlikely to be a bestsellerPolitical memoirs could have a record year this year. But getting to the top of the greasy pole does not guarantee sales, according to the Bookseller.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:09 pm Kent Reliance should learn from mutual lessonsMutual ownership of the sort favoured by building societies has never mixed terribly well with the idea of equity ownership- at least not public equity ownership.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:07 pm Bankers' lack of humility has ushered in a new era of interventionRestraint. The meaning of the word is well understood by you and me. It's understood by private sector workers and, increasingly, public sector workers. But not, it seems, in the City.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:03 pm Nolan Ryan sues over Texas Rangers bidA group of investors led by baseball great Nolan Ryan and sports mogul Chuck Greenberg is suing the Texas Rangers for breeching an agreement to sell the team, court documents showed Monday.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:03 pm NZ sharemarket flat earlyThe New Zealand sharemarket was flat in early trading, following caution on Wall Street ahead of earnings reports from companies in the United States.After wobbling either side of yesterday's close in the first 15 minutes of trading...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:02 pm 2degrees cites rapid growth in retail pushNew mobile telecommunications provider 2degrees is challenging established rivals by planning a national retail network.The third cellphone player - a minnow next to Telecom and Vodafone - is negotiating leases for CBD shops in...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:00 pm Does advertising treat men as sex objects?Mark Irving, advertising company director on men being treated as sex objects in advertising and how we need to move away from these stereotypes. There's a common belief in society that there are too many sexualised images used...Source: nzherald.co.nz - Business | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:00 pm Is Kent Reliance looking for new payday?Member need to look hard at JC Flowers offer, writes Harry Wilson.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:48 pm Microsoft Boosts Tech Stocks (Market Update)Stocks extended their winning streak to a fifth day after eking out a slight gain to open...
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:42 pm Kent Reliance bosses mulled money-spinning deal three years agoThe management of Kent Reliance Building Society (KRBS) has been plotting a takeover of the mutual for over three years according to documents seen by The Daily Telegraph.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:39 pm RBS kicks off £5bn insurance saleTaxpayer-backed Royal Bank of Scotland has kicked off a £5bn restructuring of its insurance arm - home to brands such as Direct Line and Churchill.Source: Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:37 pm Star fund manager ups stake in AIGSo-called "fund manager of the decade" Bruce Berkowitz has upped his stake in AIG, to the point that his $14 billion stock fund owns nearly a quarter of the troubled insurance company.Source: Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:33 pm How Bruce Berkowitz Accidentally Helped Ambac (MBI, AIG, ABK)If you look through activist investor hedge fund filings, one of the top fund managers and funds to watch is Bruce Berkowitz of Fairholme Capital Management, L.L.C. It is of little surprise that his new financial guaranty holding via MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) and an increased AIG holding in American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:33 pm Song Playlist: Playboy and credit scoresListen to the songs featured on today's episode of Marketplace. Director Caitlan Carroll shares her picks for the musical bridges with some background about the music.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:17 pm Write-Offs: 07.12.10
$$$ Mr. Smith, who charges a retainer of $25,000 to $200,000 for clients who are professional athletes, said it’s not unusual for him to get calls from athletes at midnight, often about basic financial concepts: taxes, car leases, even questions about child support payments. “It’s constant re-educating,” Mr. Smith said. “I have to re-educate them multiple times on the same issue. It just takes a lot more time.” [Investment News] $$$ Rich are Defaulting on Loans at Higher Rate? Not So Fast… [CNBC] $$$ In hard times, the business of selling sex continues to struggle, part 2 [T/S] $$$ George Soros On The Crisis & The Euro [The New York Review Of Books]
 Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:15 pm Presented By:Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:15 pm Stocks close mixed ahead of upbeat Alcoa report (AP)AP - WAITING GAME: Investors made few moves while they waited for Alcoa Inc. to start second-quarter earnings season. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 18 points. More stocks fell than rose on the New York Stock Exchange.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:03 pm Summary Box: Higher stock market boosts rates (AP)AP - RATES CLIMB: A slightly higher stock market lessened demand for safe-haven assets, sending Treasury prices lower and interest rates higher.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:53 pm Stocks in narrow range ahead of earnings season (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:45 pm Roy Rogers Jr. on Auction of Family Museum: Taking StockSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:26 pm A look at global economic developments (AP)AP - A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Monday:Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:03 pm Big profits revive buy-out interest in ChinaSeries of highly profitable deals after previous poor record for private equity firms in the countrySource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:03 pm Jim Simons Might Have $150 Mill To Offer SUNY Stoney Brook Or He Might Not
SUNY Donor Links Bigger Gift To Tuition Flexibility [NYT]
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:01 pm How the major stock indexes fared on Monday (AP)AP - Stocks closed mixed Monday as investors grew more cautious ahead of the start of second-quarter earnings reports. They got some good news after trading ended when Alcoa reported better-than-expected results. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 18 points and the other big indexes also had slight gains. Almost two stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange, a sign that investors were wary.Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:54 pm Yamada Gives Market Technical Analysis: Taking StockSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:44 pm Put Down The Hamster And Slowly Back Awayby Ashley Lau 
Karl Barrett/iStockphoto.com
It may soon be illegal to sell dogs and cats in San Francisco. Also, hamsters. The city could become the first in the country to ban the sale of all pets (except fish), the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The ban would include mice, rats, chinchillas, guinea pigs, birds, snakes, lizards and every other creature that the commission deems a "companion animal." In a packed meeting room last Thursday, the city's animal control and welfare commission heard testimony on the issue. The ban, it turns out, is largely about hamsters and other tiny pets. The Chronicle writes:
Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:43 pm Banks Write Down Debt Valuation to Post Profit (JPM, C, BAC, MS, GS, WFC)Later this week the nation’s six largest banks will start trotting out second quarter earnings that are expected to be significantly lower than earnings in the first quarter. A portion of those earnings could come from an accounting rule that permits banks to book as profit the funds created when a bank’s bonds fall below [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:42 pm China offers Spain €1bn confidence voteDeal buoyed the broader markets, helping last week’s global equity rally and marking a potential turning point for the eurozoneSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:32 pm Alcoa Clears A Very Low Bar (AA, ACH, CENX, KALU)Alcoa, Inc. (NYSE: AA) managed to beat earnings estimates from continuing operations, if you can imagine. The aluminum giant, and first of the DJIA 30 components to report earnings, reported earnings of $0.13 EPS vs. $0.12 EPS expected from Thomson Reuters; revenues were $5.2 billion vs. $5.05 billion expected. Free cash flow in the second [...][[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Source: 24/7 Wall St. | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:28 pm Mark Zandi Discusses Small Business GrowthSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:26 pm Gushee Discusses MSCI Upgrade of Israeli Stocks: Taking StockSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:11 pm Here’s Something You Should Think About Doing
Here’s a little preview at the good time you/we could be in for:
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:11 pm Southwest's Grant Discusses Outlook for EU: Taking StockSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:03 pm Bonus Watch ‘10: Citi
“Bonus paid date at Citi delayed until the 15th of August for all analyst programs in order to do more intelligence on competitors and remain competitive.”
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 2:00 pm Securities sector seeks to fend off SEC driveProposals to narrow the pool of investors allowed in the US to buy complex asset-backed securities in private markets are being drawn up by the securitisation industry to fend off a ban by regulatorsSource: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Jul 2010 | 1:44 pm Soho-Resident Prince Josef von Habsburg-Lothringen of Austria Not The Guy With Thought He Was
 Listen, guy, I will blow your fucking brains/hair out. Here’s a little hope for anyone needing it on a particularly slow Monday while you possibly fantasize about a life that doesn’t so closely resemble hell: you could be a family abandoning, child-support dodging, drug-dealing resident of an insane asylum named Joe Meyers who spends his days asking his roommate, “WHO YOU CALLIN’ PSYCHO?” and/or unappreciated cog in the wheel and one day get the people of New York to think you’re a Prince/CEO of an unnamed bank. How? I’m glad you asked. It’s all about acting as-if. Prince Josef ne Joe, whose run ended earlier this summer when the FBI arrested him and threw him in a Michigan jail cell, went about it like this: * Clothes: “He would walk around SoHo in banker-style suits. It was always very preppy with expensive, intellectual-looking spectacles,” said a source close to the family. “He dressed up all of the time, even the hottest days. His shirts were all very special. Everything he had was custom-made,” said David Sun, who owns Soho Dry Cleaning, where the family took their washing. * Attitude: Claimed to own a bank and “once boasted that losing $100,000 a day meant nothing to him,” like a pro would. * Accoutrement: “The alleged con man’s new digs behind bars are a far cry from his extravagantly appointed loft on Broome Street where Meyers and his second wife, half-French, half-Vietnamese beauty Michel Trico…He would walk around SoHo in banker-style suits. It was always very preppy with expensive, intellectual-looking spectacles,” said a source close to the family. “Sometimes he would even wear a cordless hair dryer on his belt like it was a gun,” the source said.
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 1:36 pm In Investing, Do the Hard Thing (Tradecraft)Hoenig: Buying what others dislike often can be the best move.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 1:26 pm A Suggestion For Anyone Looking To Recognize Vikram Pandit For Doing Okay To Fairly Decent Job With Citi
 Money talks, bull shit walks. Running Citi for the last two and half years has been, let’s just call it, something of a thankless job for Vikram Pandit. He’s been cut down by fellow CEO’s, on several occasions one analyst in particular has left him bound and gagged on the floor of his office, and the board shit all over his horticulture ideas. Plus, there’s been the matter of the US government coming in and thinking it’s running the place. All in all, Uncle V’s tenure has been no picnic, especially considering the fact that 1) this was not the gig he signed up for (that one being $1 billion to sit around and tell Zoe Cruz jokes) and 2) no one’s even thought to maybe pat him on the back for the place not going out of business, which it almost shockingly did not. So it was nice to see Euromoney name him Banker of The Year, an award they bestowed upon him for doing “a pretty good job” with Citi. You know what would’ve been even nicer? Two little words: cash prize. That’s right, anyone considering looking to stand out by, instead of laying it on thick with Jamie Dimon or Llloyd Blankfein, taking a bold stance that it’s Vickles who deserves the praise. As I suspect this is going to become a new trend and Vik will have to pick and choose which award shows he attends, and at this point still only dreams of collecting a paycheck, showing Vickles the money will go a long way in getting him to collect your hardware, your plaques and your trophies that proclaim him “first in class” or “participant” or “finisher”? Give it to him in any form you like– huge Publisher’s Clearing House check, gift card, a slipped fifty on his way to the men’s room, whatever- just make it worth his while.
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 12:45 pm Obama attacked over business regulationAntagonism between the Obama administration and the US Chamber of Commerce, America’s largest business lobby, appears set to ratchet up further this week with the group’s plan to host a “jobs summit” highlighting where it thinks Washington is going wrong.Source: Financial Times - US homepage | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:56 am Google’s App Inventor: A Smart Market Share MoveGoogle released App Inventor today, a program that makes creating Android apps easy enough that a non-programmer can do it. InformationWeek, where I read about this, points out that Google is lowering the barrier to app dev entry at the same time that Apple is making its rules “increasingly restrictive.” It’s a good point. From InfoWeek: Some of these services aren’t for technophobes — TinyWebDB, which stores data on the Web using Google App Engine, requires some software installation and Python text file editing. But App Inventor really does allow programming novices to create functional Android apps. Coding in App Inventor involves moving blocks about on screen and editing their properties where appropriate. App Inventor is based on MIT’s Open Blocks Java library. Google says the tool builds upon the work of Seymour Papert and the MIT Logo Group. Apple last year made much of the fact that there were far more iPhone apps available than there were apps on other mobile platforms. It still has the lead with about 200,000 apps, but the marketing value of boasting about app count has been declining as the Android app count has risen. For more information on App Inventor, check out this Google page. App Inventor is a brilliant market-share move by Google. Lowering the barriers to entry for app development will spur peoples’ interest in Android development–and, by extension, Android-based smartphones. App Inventor also has the benefit of luring kids and teens into app development, making early and hopefully lifelong Android fans out of them. Google is also making app development accessible at an ideal time. Smartphones are hot, apps are sexy, and knowledge around developing an app is in high demand right now (check out your local app developer’s hourly rates if you want to know what I’m talking about). People are hungry to get their hands on this particular ability. Google just filled a very ripe niche. I doubt Apple, which seems to have become rigid to customer needs, will respond in kind. But on some level, Apple’s gotta be feeling this.
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:46 am Leslie Controls, Chemtura: Bloomberg Law Bankruptcy ReviewSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:23 am Presented By:Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:17 am Astounding Research Reveals Highly Compensated Bosses May Not Give Rat’s Ass About Their Organization’s Peons
What the groundbreaking study doesn’t offer is specifics. Such as, at what pay bumps do you get a boss who’ll can an underling just because he didn’t like the guy’s face? At what take-home can you can said employee by sweeping everything off his desk and having security escort him out the building Jazzy Jeff style? (Also, what’s meaner? An approach like that or a two word IM: “get out”?) And at what pay-grade does one get to treat their underlings’ mouths like a urinal? These are the things we need answers to. (I’m being serious– let’s get some hard data here so people on either side can know what to expect.)
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:17 am Media, Entertainment Stocks; Corporate Earnings Preview: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:12 am Payday Loan Crackdown: 3 Consequencesby Jacob Goldstein A big payday loan chain is closing dozens of shops in Arizona because the state capped annual interest rates at 36 percent, the Arizona Republic reports. That's a high rate compared to what you'd pay on, say, a mortgage. But it's low for the payday loan world, where the rates on two-week loans are often the equivalent of 300 percent per year. "They can't stay in business for 36 percent," Robert DeYoung, a professor of finance at the University of Kansas told me this morning — at least, not without making some fundamental changes to their business. That's largely because so many people default on payday loans that a 36 percent interest rate isn't enough for stores to turn a profit, DeYoung said. The issue is important beyond Arizona, because Congress's big finance-overhaul bill gives federal regulators new powers over payday lenders. So we may see similar caps imposed nationwide in the coming years. Payday loan shops that do stay open in Arizona will likely make three main changes, DeYoung said: 1. They'll charge an "origination fee" as a way to get some money upfront. 2. They'll extend the term of the loan, beyond a single pay period. That will allow them to collect more interest on each loan. (It will also transform the loan into something other than a true payday loan, which typically is due when you get your next paycheck.) 3. They'll require better credit and deny loans to more potential customers. That last one is arguably most important — it basically means fewer people will get short-term, high-interest loans. For more on payday lending: Listen to our podcast from earlier this year. (By the way, the interest rate caps DeYoung discusses in that podcast are roughly 10 times higher than the cap in Arizona — so the effects on the industry are very different.) Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:12 am Money Magazine Touts Small-Town USA in Best Places to Live List
CNN’s Money Magazine has released its annual list of the 100 best places to live in America. Here are the top ten, to give you an idea of the kinds of town they’re going for: 1 Eden Prairie, MN Here’s how Money Magazine compiled its data. Most of the towns on the list have smallish populations (50,000-150,000). I’ve been to some of the towns on the list–Arvada, CO; Irvine, CA–and have to scratch my head as to how they’re better than some surrounding towns. I’d be more apt to believe this list if it put more weight on certain intangibles, like culture, diversity, and what kinds of communities are nurtured in each specific town. I’d also like to read more about what demographic this list is targeted at. Young family types might see more in this list than, say, single working people, creative types, or boomers seeking a new beginning. Grain of salt is duly swallowed.
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Jul 2010 | 11:11 am A summer without AC? It's possibleKai Ryssdal talks to author Stan Cox about his new book "Losing our Cool," which talks about the consequences air conditioning has had on the environment and people's health.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:50 am Road Warriors: Arone Dyer of Buke&GassArone Dyer of the duo Buke&Gass shares her favorite song to listen to during the long stretches of road between gigs while she is on tour.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:49 am The credit score industry, todayKai Ryssdal talks to Joan Goldwasser of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine about what the credit score landscape is looking like today.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:49 am Hef wants all the bunnies for himselfThe ever-smoking jacketed Hugh Hefner wants to take Playboy Enterprises, Inc. private, in hopes to better navigate the company through a dicey publishing industry and increase its merchandising, without worrying about shareholders.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:49 am Avandia may change how FDA operatesMarketplace's Gregory Warner looks into what it could mean for the Food and Drug Administration's image and also the way the organization analyzes drugs for approval or disapproval.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:49 am Fed: More lending to small businessesFed Chair Ben Bernanke wants banks to start lending again to small businesses after two years of very tight lending, but some critics say the economy hasn't recovered enough for businesses to risk taking out a loan.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:49 am Resort towns feeling effects of oil spillBusinesses and banks along the Gulf coast were nervous when the oil started leaking from the Deepwater Horizon rig, and in the months since, they're still unsure what will happen.Source: Marketplace | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:49 am FTSE 100 closes up, buoyed by BP (AFP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Stock Markets News | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:18 am If Anyone Wants To Talk About What It Felt Like To Preside Over The Financial Crisis, Kevin Spacey’s Here For Ya
Some of Spacey’s empathy may come from the fact that he, too, knows what it’s like to destroy the trust of a client and colleague and lose, if not billions, thousands of dollars in one fell swoop. Of course, it’s not all feelings that’ll go into making this flick. It’s important that the actors truly know their trade, so if anyone thinks they can get Demi Moore up to speed (she accepted the role of chief risk officer right before shooting started, leaving “less time for extensive research), the help would be greatly appreciated. Kevin Spacey Film Explores Humanity On Wall Street [NYT]
Source: Dealbreaker | 12 Jul 2010 | 10:15 am Bank of America's $10.7 Billion 'Mistake'by Ashley Lau Bank of America is calling its misclassification of up to $10.7 billion in assets an "unintentional" accounting error, the WSJ reports. The bank told federal regulators it mistakenly logged six of its short-term financing deals — known as repos — as sales, when they really should have been reported as debt. As we discussed earlier this year, this is a way for banks to temporarily hide their debt by selling off their undesirable assets just long enough to keep them out of the bank's end-of-quarter balance sheet. Once the quarterly report is published, the banks borrow cash to repurchase their original assets, and the debt remains hidden. It's called "window dressing." The SEC has yet to take any action against B of A over the matter. A company spokesman told Bloomberg that the issue isn't material, given B of A's huge, $2.3 trillion balance sheet. "A $10.7 billion accounting error would be a material event for about 99.9 percent" of U.S. banks, the director of Boston University's banking and financial law center told Bloomberg. "It's hard to see how the SEC can accept B of A's rejoinder as being sufficient." Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Jul 2010 | 9:45 am RBC’s Cole on Currencies, Lombard’s Dumas on Recession: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 9:30 am Retailers Cast Christmas Promotions in July (Deal of the Day)Weighing the pros and cons of holiday savings clubs.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 9:29 am UBS Lists First Leveraged Energy Partnerships ETN: AudioSource: Bloomberg - All Podcasts | 12 Jul 2010 | 8:52 am How to Use Social Media to Acquire New Customers
This is a guest post by Megan Webb of RMI. People are always looking for new and interesting ways to use social media to drive new customer acquisition. But before you jump on the social media bandwagon, consider the tips below to ensure you’re adopting a social media strategy that will garner real results. * Identify and define your audience Are your current and potential customers active in the social media space? Will a social media program increase customer engagement while driving new customer acquisition and sales? If your answer is yes, begin by identifying and obtaining a clear understanding of your target audience. This includes researching how they are interacting with brands and your competitors in the social media arena, what information they are seeking about your business and the marketplace, what motivates them to buy, and how they purchase. As with any marketing strategy, this is a crucial step in measuring the long-term success of your campaign. Social media is no exception. * Satisfy a need/provide value What are social media users looking to get out of their participation in your company’s social media platforms? What are the benefits for them to interact with your brand? Is it access to exclusive content, special offers, deals or discounts? There are millions of social media platforms for which social media users can participate and engage. Whatever value you are providing, make sure the benefits of participation are highly visible and consistent. * Integrate social media with other marketing strategies Social media is only one tool in the marketing tool chest. A valuable social media program should be integrated with your existing marketing efforts. Whether you’re using online customer acquisition, public relations, advertising, or interactive marketing to acquire new customers, social media marketing is much more effective when consistent and streamlined with your other marketing efforts. * Be active Many social media platforms are created with great intentions and great enthusiasm. Weeks pass and interest fizzles, people get busy, and the company’s social media channels are left untouched and unmaintained. Just like with any marketing initiative, if you’re not creating a level of consistency, the benefits are severely limited. You wouldn’t create a website or a marketing brochure and never update it again, would you? The point being, if you’re not going to maintain your social media platforms, don’t set them up to begin with. Understand that if you’re not interacting with your customers on a regular basis there is virtually no point to operate in this arena. * Listen, learn, react Social media is a terrific tool to gain insight into your current and potential customers’ needs, wants and thoughts about your business. Encourage customer participation and really listen to what they are saying. Most importantly, learn something from it and react to make needed changes. This is a great way to get a pulse check on your business. Take advantage of this unparalleled opportunity. Before embarking on a social media marketing strategy, remember that it takes time, effort and a sound strategy to make it a success. Before diving in, make sure you understand how to connect with your customers in this space and how to create an integrated marketing program that uses social media as just one part of the marketing mix. Megan Webb is a PR Consultant for Response Mine Interactive (RMI). RMI is an award-winning online customer acquisition agency that helps companies acquire more customers using direct response interactive marketing.
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:51 am 10 Things Mail Delivery Services Won't Say (10 Things)Lost packages, delayed deliveries and Saturday surcharges are just some.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:46 am EU Banks Owe Trillionsby Jacob Goldstein The world's banks need to pay back some $5 trillion in debt in the next couple years. About half is owed by banks in the euro zone, the NYT reports. Investors are already nervous about lending to EU banks, in part because the banks hold lots of bonds issued by countries in fiscal trouble (Greece, Spain etc.). That means the banks could face one of two scenarios: Borrowing at higher interest rates to pay off their debts that are coming due, or paying off the debts without taking out new loans. Both scenarios would leave banks with less money to lend out. That, in turn, would reduce the credit available to individuals and businesses in Europe. While that sort of deleveraging could be healthy in the long term, the reduction of credit in the short term could choke off the economic recovery. European bank regulators are conducting stress tests of EU banks — a program similar to the one that helped restore confidence in U.S. banks in the spring of '09. But, citing the banks' big debts, WSJ argues that European bank regulators need to be more forthcoming about the details of the stress tests — and in particular, to disclose how much the regulators assume banks could lose if Greece, Spain or other countries default on their bonds. For a broader look at the EU — and the perennial tension between national sovereignty and a multinational currency — listen to Sylvia Poggioli's story on today's Morning Edition. Source: NPR Blogs: Planet Money | 12 Jul 2010 | 7:44 am Alcoa Earnings May Signal Muted Bounce (Early Bird)WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW: Analysts expect a profit but slowdown could hurt results.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 5:47 am Bureaucracy FAIL
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:23 am The Components of a Pre-Work Shower
Source: Business Pundit | 12 Jul 2010 | 4:11 am Thinking Green When Shopping for a HouseNew options in the growing market for an eco-friendly home.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:46 am Double-Dip Debate Rages Into Third Quarter (Pundit Watch)Market experts on whether the economy is slowing or sliding.
Source: SmartMoney.com | 12 Jul 2010 | 3:46 am
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