SyndicatePig.com - Business & Finance News

Stocks up as oil price drop eases inflation fears  (Mon, 12 May 2008 21:34:27 GMT)
NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street rallied Monday as oil prices fell back and alleviated some of investors' concerns about accelerating inflation. The Dow Jones industrials gained 130 points....

Tribune's Newsday deal is one step in easing debt  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:44:58 GMT)
NEW YORK (AP) -- Tribune Co.'s $650 million sale of Newsday is an important step toward alleviating its debt burden - for this year....

HP in talks to buy EDS in deal reportedly worth $12B to $13B  (Mon, 12 May 2008 21:33:21 GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. is negotiating to buy information technology services provider Electronic Data Systems Corp. in a deal that could help the world's largest personal computer maker win more consulting contracts with large companies and government agencies....

Mortgage cos. reveal damage from housing crisis  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:38:47 GMT)
NEW YORK (AP) -- Broad damage in the mortgage industry was in full view Monday as a number of companies posted dismal first-quarter earnings, but there were also some hope that the worst of the housing crisis is over....

Sprint Nextel 1Q deficit widens, fewer subscribers  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:42:37 GMT)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Sprint Nextel Corp.'s Dan Hesse had little good news to share Monday on the eve of addressing his first shareholder meeting as chief executive of the troubled wireless carrier....

Old gas pumps can't handle ever-rising prices  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:32:48 GMT)
REARDAN, Wash. (AP) -- Mom-and-pop service stations are running into a problem as gasoline marches toward $4 a gallon: Thousands of old-fashioned pumps can't register more than $3.99 on their spinning mechanical dials....

Crude falls after hitting new record above $126  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:22:32 GMT)
NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil prices briefly spiked to a new record above $126 a barrel Monday but ended the day lower as investors cashed in profits and an earthquake in China raised the possibility of a drop in demand....

Clear Channel, banks, buyers in settlement talks  (Mon, 12 May 2008 21:14:02 GMT)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Clear Channel Communications Inc. and its prospective buyers are talking with banks to try to settle a dispute over whether the banks must fund promised loans for the $19.5 billion takeover, the radio and outdoor advertising company said Monday....

China's inflation rises to almost 12-year high  (Mon, 12 May 2008 19:00:31 GMT)
BEIJING (AP) -- China's inflation almost climbed to a 12-year high in April, swamping official efforts to cool surging living costs that could provoke unrest ahead of the Beijing Olympics....

In lean times, shoppers see extra fat in food bill  (Mon, 12 May 2008 19:45:15 GMT)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Forced to pay for once-free sandwich toppings and twice as much for some steak cuts, shoppers are wondering whether higher grocery bills and restaurant tabs truly reflect the trickle down of a global rise in food prices....

The Fed: Outlook still uncertain, Fed's Evans says  (Mon, 12 May 2008 09:57:00 -0500)
The outlook for the U.S. economy remains very uncertain because the credit markets and housing sector haven't stabilized, Charles Evans, president of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank said Monday.

The Fed: Bernanke gives nod to foreclosure move by Congress  (Mon, 05 May 2008 22:06:00 -0500)
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave the green light Monday to congressional efforts to prevent foreclosures of homeowners caught in the recent sharp nationwide decline in home prices.

The Fed: Fed expands auction, accepts wider collateral to boost liquidity  (Fri, 02 May 2008 10:51:00 -0500)
The Federal Reserve and other central banks are increasing the funding they provide to banks. The Fed also says that, for the first time, it's willing to accept bonds backed by auto loans and credit cards.

The Fed: With rate work over for now, eyes turn to Fed's other programs  (Thu, 01 May 2008 17:07:00 -0500)
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - The Federal Reserve's work setting interest rates is done, for at least the next eight weeks. Next on the central bank's to-do list: whether to expand some of its efforts to pump cash into the still-struggling parts of financial markets.

The Fed: Fed trims rates by quarter-point, no strong hint about future  (Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:24:00 -0500)
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The Federal Reserve chose to cut short term interest rates on Wednesday for the fourth time this year, saying it remains troubled by the economic outlook, but signaling that it now may leave rates steady for a while.

The Fed: Complete text of FOMC's policy statement  (Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:28:00 -0500)
Following is the statement issued on Wednesday by the Federal Open Market Committee regarding its latest monetary-policy decision:

The Fed: Fed words may mean more than action this time  (Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:34:00 -0500)
As Federal Reserve policy-makers gather for the start of their two-day meeting, the statement they'll cobble together over the next two days will be more important than any action taken by the central bank.

The Fed: Fed rate cut not a sure thing  (Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:32:00 -0500)
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Although many commentators are talking as if the Federal Reserve has already decided to cut interest rates by a quarter-point rate cut next week followed by a pause over the summer, there is a chance the Fed could instead decide to just pause right here, Fed watchers said.

The Fed: Market, more economists now see quarter-point rate cut  (Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:58:00 -0500)
Futures traders and a growing number of economists are now expecting just a quarter-point cut to interest rates when Federal Reserve policymakers meet next week.

The Fed: Interest-rate policy can't solve all economic ills: Fed's Plosser  (Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:56:00 -0500)
The idea that interest-rate cuts can solve any economic ills is a misleading perception, says Charles Plosser, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

Hewlett-Packard Said to Be Close to Buying E.D.S.  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:54:16 GMT)
The deal, for $12 billion to $13 billion, would be Hewlett-Packard's largest since its merger with Compaq.

Cablevision in Deal to Buy Newsday  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:02:48 GMT)
The deal with Tribune will give Cablevision a 97 percent stake and return the paper to Long Island ownership.

DealBook: Clear Channel Settlement Is Said to Be Near  (Mon, 12 May 2008 21:33:15 GMT)
The private equity firms seeking to buy Clear Channel are close to settling with the banks financing the deal.

Stocks Gain as Oil Falls and Dollar Advances  (Mon, 12 May 2008 20:40:20 GMT)
Wall Street rose sharply as a rising dollar cooled concerns about inflation and helped keep oil prices in check.

Coping With the Tall Traveler's Curse  (Mon, 12 May 2008 19:48:54 GMT)
For the extra-tall business traveler, there are now some ways to find some relief, both in the air and on the ground.

For HSBC, Asia Offsets Bad U.S. Loans  (Mon, 12 May 2008 16:36:18 GMT)
Europe's biggest bank put aside $3.2 billion for bad loans in the United States in the first quarter, in line with its expectations.

DealBook: MBIA Posts $2.4 Billion Loss for 1st Quarter  (Mon, 12 May 2008 14:23:14 GMT)
The loss, amid a credit crisis that has roiled the subprime-based instruments that MBIA had insured, is a stark reversal from the $198.6 million it earned at the same time last year.

Wachovia Subpoenaed Over Securities Auctions  (Mon, 12 May 2008 18:19:16 GMT)
The bank said that it was cooperating with inquiries into underwriting and sales of the securities that had been started by the Securities Exchange Commission and several state regulators.

DealBook: Norman Pearlstine to Join Bloomberg  (Mon, 12 May 2008 19:58:19 GMT)
Norman Pearlstine, the former editor in chief of Time, announced that he is leaving Carlyle Group to become chief content officer at the privately held financial media group.

Sprint Nextel Posts Loss and Offers Gloomy Outlook  (Mon, 12 May 2008 17:50:19 GMT)
The wireless carrier said that its lackluster performance would continue in the coming quarters as it fights to keep customers and struggles with a merger that has not lived up to its promise.

G.M. Plans to Close Canadian Transmission Plant  (Mon, 12 May 2008 18:12:19 GMT)
News of the closing of the Windsor, Ontario, facility, which produces four-speed transmissions, comes as General Motors is shifting to more fuel efficient six-speed gearboxes.

That Pundit on Fox News? An Upstart Named Rove  (Mon, 12 May 2008 18:44:09 GMT)
The bête noire of Democrats has turned pundit, and his old nemeses do not always know what to make of it.

In the Age of TiVo and Web Video, What Is Prime Time?  (Mon, 12 May 2008 19:14:15 GMT)
The missing six million viewers who were watching prime television last May and have disappeared this year are still watching, but on their own terms.

Craig (of the List) Looks Beyond the Web  (Mon, 12 May 2008 18:47:03 GMT)
In the face of the expansion of the classified ads Web site Craigslist, its founder, Craig Newmark, is capitalizing on his success to promote causes he holds dear.

Deutsche Telekom May Gain Control of Greek Company  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:55:19 GMT)
The purchase of a large stake of Greece's former phone monopoly would give Deutsche Telekom access to Europe's fastest-growing telecommunications market: the Balkans.

E-Commerce Report: Real Estate Lists Grow Comfortable With the Web  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:54:40 GMT)
The triple threat of a weak market, legal pressure and increasing competition has compelled real estate professionals to offer their information more freely online.

It's Official: Jimmy Fallon Is Next for ‘Late Night'  (Mon, 12 May 2008 02:24:27 GMT)
Jimmy Fallon, the former cast member of "Saturday Night Live," is to be named the host of NBC's "Late Night" talk show.

Advertising: Marketers Welcome Television's Shift to a 52-Week Season  (Mon, 12 May 2008 04:50:01 GMT)
The writers' strike this TV season was only the catalyst of the change to upfront week, when networks offer springtime previews of prime-time programs for the coming fall.

State Programs Add Safety Net for the Poorest  (Mon, 12 May 2008 19:30:30 GMT)
At least a dozen states are giving monthly payments to low-income workers, hoping to keep them off welfare rolls.

Planning a Web Site, Publisher Buys a Harvard Alumni Magazine  (Mon, 12 May 2008 05:02:14 GMT)
Plans for 02138, a magazine for Harvard alumni, include expanding it into social networking and event sponsorship, and then duplicating the operation for each Ivy League school.

The United States Open Changes Its Cable Home  (Mon, 12 May 2008 05:14:33 GMT)
ESPN and the Tennis Channel will start televising the United States Open starting next year through 2014.

Citi's New Slogan Is Said to Be Second Choice  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:50:55 GMT)
Replacing a tagline that fizzled last year, Citigroup's new slogan, "Citi Never sleeps", had previously been scratched.

PBS Revives a Show That Shines a Light on Reading  (Mon, 12 May 2008 02:54:59 GMT)
The 2009 version of "The Electric Company" is a weekly, more danceable version of its former daily self.

Playboy Has a Losing Quarter, and Its Chief Talks of Media Transformation  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:52:51 GMT)
Playboy Enterprises reported that it had lost money in the first quarter of 2008, making it another casualty of the economic downturn and the squeeze between old media and new media.

Drug Promises to Restore Sensation After Dental Visit  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:55:49 GMT)
A small drug company said it won approval Friday from the Food and Drug Administration to market the first drug meant to undo the effects of local dental anesthesia.

McCain's TV Preferences Emerge: Office Farce, Not Soap  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:46:27 GMT)
Presidential candidates long ago learned the power of pop culture, but this year they seem to be leaning particularly hard on it.

GodTube, Where Networking Is More Spiritual Than Social  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:44:14 GMT)
GodTube.com, a YouTube knockoff for the evangelical set, is a success with users and with investors as well.

Production of a Movie Stops Over Funds to Pay Its Stars  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:49:50 GMT)
Production was halted after producers of the film failed to keep sufficient funds to pay actors in a union-mandated account.

Fox Business Refines Lineup in Daytime  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:50:34 GMT)
Changes to the lineup of the network, which was introduced in October, will affect almost every daytime hour.

Drilling Down: Subtly but Visibly Swayed by Context  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:45:54 GMT)
A study published recently in The Journal of Marketing Research looks at how subtle cues in our environments affect our product choices.

Treasury Auctions Set for This Week  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:43:35 GMT)
The Treasury's schedule of financing this week included Monday's regular weekly auction of new three- and six-month bills and an auction of four-week bills on Tuesday.

Looking Ahead: The Week's Major Economic Reports  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:47:07 GMT)
The highlight for economic news this week will be the Consumer Price Index for April, on Wednesday.

Webdenda: Accounts, People, Miscellany  (Mon, 12 May 2008 18:21:55 GMT)
News about advertising.

The World: Oil Prices Are Up and Politicians Are Angry. Yawn.  (Sun, 11 May 2008 03:06:06 GMT)
What can Washington do to reduce gas prices in the near term? The short answer, alas, is not much.

Almighty: The Dollar: Shrinkable but (So Far) Unsinkable  (Mon, 12 May 2008 17:07:21 GMT)
What are the chances that a day of reckoning is coming, when the dollar would be so weak that America would have to play by the rules that apply to every other country?

The Way We Live Now: First-Class Privilege  (Fri, 09 May 2008 22:14:39 GMT)
Why expedited security scans for elite travelers would be hard to curtail.

Consumed: Almighty Dolor  (Fri, 09 May 2008 18:18:38 GMT)
As Americans, we like the dollar, but as investors, we're a little more willing to go where the money is.

The Media Equation: A Knock in the Night in Phoenix  (Mon, 12 May 2008 03:35:51 GMT)
The two principal owners of Village Voice Media have decided to match the legal aggression from local authorities in Arizona with some aggression of their own.