national trade business

Delta, US Rivals Target Heathrow Amid Open Skies (Update3) - Bloomberg
BBC NewsDelta, US Rivals Target Heathrow Amid `Open Skies' Update3Bloomberg - 3 hours agoBy Tracy Alloway and John Hughes The European Union-US accord ends a lock on flights between the US and Heathrow for British Airways Plc, Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.Video: Suddenly, No Rules for Trans-Atlantic Flights AssociatedPress'Open Skies' heralds new era in air travel CNN InternationalFort Worth Star Telegram - Houston Chronicle - Forbes - Reutersall 214 news articles

SEC: Countrywide execs to get - CNN International
EarthtimesSEC: Countrywide execs to getCNN International - 2 hours agoNEW YORK CNN -- The two top executives at struggling Countrywide Financial Corp., the nation's largest mortgage lender, are slated to receive a combined $19 million in payouts, a regulatory filing shows.Countrywide CEO to get $10 milion on way out BloggingStocksCountrywide execs to get millions United Press InternationalThe Associated Press - Bloomberg - CNNMoney.com - Reutersall 370 news articles

Stocks edge higher in early trading - USA Today
HispanicBusiness.comStocks edge higher in early tradingUSA Today - 58 minutes agoBy Tim Paradis, AP Business Writer NEW YORK - Stocks were moderately higher at Friday's open after a government report confirmed that personal spending fell in February to its weakest level in 17 months but that personal income came in stronger than ...US Stocks Head for Higher Open Washington PostStocks higher in early trading as personal spending shows weakness ... International Herald TribuneForbes - The Associated Press - RTT News - Fox 28all 694 news articles

Dow Up Over 400 Points
News that the Fed is going to provide additional liquidity for the credit markets help boost stocks to huge gains today The Dow scored its best one day percentage increase in 5 years according to Reuters. The Dow climbed 416 on the day and the Nasdaq was up 86 points.At the same time cities are starting to feel the impact of the tough housing markets. There are more homeless people. There is more crime. There are less revenues for U.S. cites.The mortgage foreclosure crisis has caused a drop in cities revenues, a spike in crime, more homelessness and an increase in vacant properties, a survey of elected local officials out today shows.About two-thirds of 211 officials surveyed by the National League of Cities reported an increase in foreclosures in their cities in the past year, according to the online and e-mail questionnaire. A third of them reported a drop in revenues and an increase in abandoned and vacant properties and urban blight.Theres a reduction in revenues at the same time that more services are needed, says Cynthia McCollum, president of the National League of Cities and councilwoman in Madison, Ala., a suburb of Huntsville. Because of foreclosures, people are stealing, crime is on the rise and we dont have more money for cops on the street.The market had a boost today but the foreclosure crisis is worsening.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

Down $900 Million or More, the Chairman of Bear Sells - New York Times
Calgary HeraldDown $900 Million or More, the Chairman of Bear SellsNew York Times - 1 hour agoBy LANDON THOMAS Jr. Only a year ago James E. Cayne?s stake in Bear Stearns was worth more than $1 billion. But on Thursday, Mr.NEW YORK, March 28 Reuters - Some US stocks to watch on Friday: ReutersBear Stearns Chairman Sells Stock RTT NewsUnited Press International - Forbes - Los Angeles Times - MSN Moneyall 461 news articles

Apple Takes a Drubbing
Apple AAPL has been taking a beating on Wall Street today. The stock is down over 10%. The reason isnt the companys holiday performance but the possibility of a weaker future. Forbes is asking if one bad Apple could spoil the bunch - meaning could Apple weakness spill over into other tech stocks. Its hard to see gadgets having as good a year this year as they did last year if we are heading into a recession.To some extent, its a case of one bad Apple AAPL spoiling the bunch. Steve Jobs & Co. is seen as the most innovative, growth-producing group in tech. And if the U.S. consumers economic troubles are starting to rattle mighty Apple, high fliers like Research In Motion RIMM and Google GOOG might not be immune, either.Indeed, Apples holiday performance showed signs that the companys not unstoppable in 2008. In particular, Apples cautious outlook, weakness in U.S. iPod growth and the unpredictability of iPhone sales left Wall Streets pessimists plenty of reason to doubt. And in this jittery market, those pessimists have a lot of power.First, a recap of Apples good news - and there was plenty of it. Apple turned in revenue of $9.6 billion and profit of $1.6 billion for the holiday quarter, blowing past the average analyst estimate. The company shipped a record 2.3 million Intel INTC-based Macs during the period, and actually sold as many iPhones as computers. In the process Apple generated $2.7 billion in cash, bringing its war chest to $18.4 billion.But there was troubling news, too. On the conference call with analysts, Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer admitted that iPod sales merely met the companys expectations, rather than exceeding them. Part of the reason, he said, was that U.S. iPod sales weakened in December - it took overseas sales to make up the difference. In the U.S., in the gift-buying season, we saw a slightly different curve, he said. That was made up for in our very, very good growth internationally.Apple did have a great holiday quarter but what will happen to Apple in the first three quarters of this year with consumers fighting off a recession and rising prices? Thats the question investors are asking about Apple and many other gadget manufacturers. There are also concerns that if people already have any iPod will they might not be as excited about owning the latest and greatest iPod - especially if things get tight.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods 4Q Profit Rises - CNNMoney.com
Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods 4Q Profit RisesCNNMoney.com - 2 hours agoNEW YORK Associated Press - Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC said Friday its fourth-quarter profit rose 18 percent as sales grew across all segments.Wimm-Bill-Dann - CFO FOXBusinessUPDATE 1-Wimm-Bill-Dann Q4 net profit up 18% to $34.4 mln ReutersInternational Herald Tribune - Houston Chronicle - just-food.com subscription - RTT Newsall 59 news articles

Dole Voluntarily Recalls Tainted Honduran Cantaloupes - dBTechno
dBTechnoDole Voluntarily Recalls Tainted Honduran CantaloupesdBTechno - 3 hours agoBoston dbTechno - Dole Fresh Fruit Co. has decided to join others in recalling tainted cantaloupes. These cantaloupes were imported from Honduras and are believed to be contaminated with salmonella.Lawrence company recalls cantaloupe linked to salmonella Boston GlobeDole Joins Those Recalling Cantaloupes The Associated PressCNNMoney.com - Newsinferno.com - Kansas City infoZine - International Herald Tribuneall 234 news articles

Lehman to sue over Japan fraud BBC News
Boston GlobeLehman to sue over Japan 'fraud'BBC News - 7 hours agoLehman Brothers, one of America's largest investment banks, plans to sue a Japanese trading house, saying it has been the victim of a complex fraud.Lehman to Sue Japan's Marubeni, Claiming Loan Fraud Update1 BloombergMarubeni employees' scam hit Lehman, others: sources ReutersInternational Herald Tribune - RTT News - BloggingStocks - Canada Eastall 231 news articles

Mitsubishi Heavy, Areva in Talks to Make, Sell Nuclear Fuel - Bloomberg
BBC NewsMitsubishi Heavy, Areva in Talks to Make, Sell Nuclear FuelBloomberg - 5 hours agoBy Hiroshi Matsui March 28 Bloomberg -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan's largest maker of industrial machinery, has begun talks with Areva SA of France to develop and sell fuel for nuclear power plants, according to a company document.Mitsubishi to make passenger jets United Press InternationalM'bishi Heavy:To raise jet venture capital in 1 yr ReutersBBC News - Turkish Press - FOXBusiness - Wall Street Journalall 275 news articles

Oil Hits $89 a Barrel
Those forecasts for oil to hit $100 a barrel arent sounding very funny anymore. Oil closed voer $89 a barrel today because of concerns in the Middle East. Turkey has approved the entry of its troops into Iraq which greatly escalate problems in what is already a troubled region. CNN reports that gas prices are just starting to feel the impact from the soaring oil prices. The AAA has gas prices up 4 cents already for the week.Earlier in the day, crude prices scrambled to an all-time trading high of $89.55 a barrel.Prices at the pump have been slow to respond to rising crude prices recently, but that may be changing. On Thursday, gas prices gained nearly 2 cents to a national average of $2.79 a gallon for regular-grade gasoline, according to AAA. They are up 4 cents since Monday.Prices at the pump have been slow to respond to rising crude prices recently, but that may be changing. On Thursday, gas prices gained nearly 2 cents to a national average of $2.79 a gallon for regular-grade gasoline, according to AAA. They are up 4 cents since Monday.Theres almost an inevitability here now that we are going to get to $100 a barrel, said John Kilduff, an energy analyst at Man Financial in New York.Helping to lift crude prices higher was a decline in the dollar, which fell to an all-time low versus the euro and also dipped versus the yenOil closed at $89.47 a barrel. You can track energy prices here on Bloomberg.com. This graph shows how rapidly oil prices have been climbing in 2007.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

Holiday Sales Predicted to Increase 4%
DMNews reports that the National Retail Federation NRF is predicting holiday sales to increase by 4% this year to $447.5 billion. Technology will once again be a hot item. Even fashion is getting more high tech this year according to the NRF.In the fashion and apparel categories, expect to see evening wear and diamonds driving sales. In addition, tailored denim products - across mens, womens and childrens wear - will be a hot item. Womens boots also will help drive sales this holiday season, with a focus on three-quarter length boots rather than knee length.Interestingly, fashion will be getting more high tech this season.Technology is having an impact on fashion, said Dan Butler, VP of retail operations and merchandising at the National Retail Federation. Whether its sweaters or vests designed to hold handheld accessories and iPods, or handbags, which are designed for these devices, we are going to see a lot more of these kinds of products this season.IPod and cell phone accessories will be popular tickets this year, including a new breed of accessories designed to hold these items in the home. Expect to see more widescreen televisions under the tree this year, along with widescreen computer monitors, as the prices of these products have come down.Online sales - which have been rising year after year - will surely grow again this year.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

China Mobile Announces Commercial Deployment of TD-SCDMA Technology - FOXBusiness
Boston GlobeChina Mobile Announces Commercial Deployment of TD-SCDMA TechnologyFOXBusiness - 39 minutes agoSHANGHAI, China, March 28, 2008 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. Nasdaq: SPRD, one of China's leading wireless baseband chipset providers, today reports that China Mobile CMCC has announced commercial ...China Mobile to start TD-SCDMA 3G commercial trials from April 1 ... ForbesChina to Launch Trial of 3G Phones FOXNewsAHN - International Herald Tribune - PhoneMag.comall 113 news articles

Christmas Price Index Climbs in 2007
Prices are soaring and it will be more expensive to buy your True Love the Twelve Days of Christmas this year. The PNC Christmas Price Index says the significantly higher price of gold and increased compensation for minimum wage workers will make Christmas more expensiv. The PNC Christmas Price Index is a tongue-in-cheek economic analysis by PNC Wealth Management based on the cost of gifts in The Twelve Days of Christmas.According to the 23rd annual survey, the cost of The Twelve Days of Christmas is $19,507 in 2007, a 3.1 percent increase over last year. The rise in gift prices mirrored the U.S. governments Consumer Price Index. The Consumer Price Index is up 3.5 percent so far this year.Each year, the Christmas Price Index reflects trends in the broader economy, said James Dunigan, managing executive of investments for PNC Wealth Management. This year, increased commodities prices, concerns about the value of the dollar and the first minimum wage increase in 10 years were major factors in the increases to the Christmas Price Index.For example, True Loves are paying more this year for the five Gold rings. You can see an explanation of this below. There is also a video on the PNCs website.True Loves will have to pay a bit more for the five Gold Rings this year, as the jewelers who provide the prices for the rings report having no choice but to pass increased prices along to consumers as the price of gold continues to rise.The cost of the Gold Rings in this years Christmas Price Index reflects the general trend of increasing commodity prices in the Consumer Price Index, including gold, said Dunigan. In addition, increased fears about inflation and the value of the dollar may have led investors to turn to gold as a safer place to invest their money.The price of five gold rings now totals $395, a 21.5 percent increase over 2006 prices, but still nowhere close to 1989 prices, when the five Gold Rings hit an all-time high of $750.Milkmaids Benefit from Minimum Wage IncreaseAs the only unskilled laborers in the Christmas Price Index, the eight Maids-a-Milking make minimum wage, and have not had a raise since 1997. This year, Congress increased their wages by 13.6 percent; bringing the cost of eight Maids-a-Milking for one hour of work to $46.80. The True Love will have to reach deeper into his pockets for the milkmaids in 2008 and 2009, as well - Congress has already approved continued increases to the minimum wage for the next two years.The cost of most performers in the index - the Drummers Drumming, Pipers Piping and Lords-a-Leaping - rose a modest 3 to 4 percent, due primarily to an increase in the performers compensation, reflecting the current labor market in which the unemployment rate is still below 5 percent. Only the price for the Ladies Dancing was unchanged this year, according to Philadanco, a modern dance company in Philadelphia.Food Prices Are For the BirdsAmong the feathered friends in the Christmas Price Index, the most notable increase was a 20 percent change in the price for six Geese-a-Laying, provided by the National Aviary.For True Loves planning to serve a Christmas goose - or six - for a holiday meal, this item will be a bit more expensive, said Dunigan. Food prices have increased over the last year, which has not impacted birds like Turtle Doves and Partridges, but has had an impact on birds traditionally served as food, like Geese.Most of the other bird prices in the index remained even with last years rates, thanks to steady supply and demand for Partridges, Turtle Doves, French Hens and Swans. Aside from the Geese-a-Laying, only the Calling Birds will cost more in 2007. PNC prices the Calling Birds from a national pet store chain, and prices for Calling Birds or canaries were up 25 percent this year, thanks to higher demand and increased shipping costs for retailers.2007: Most Expensive Christmas EverFor those True Loves who prefer to do their shopping online, PNC Wealth Management calculates the cost of The Twelve Days of Christmas gifts purchased on the Web. This year, the trends identified in the traditional index are repeated in the Internet version, with overall growth of 3 percent, very close to the 3.1 percent in the traditional index. This year, the Internet index is very similar to the traditional index. For example, the price of gold is significantly higher online in 2007 compared to 2006. And, as with the traditional Christmas Price Index, bird prices are mostly even with or, in some cases, down a bit from 2006 levels. In general, Internet prices are higher than their non-Internet counterparts because of shipping costs.As part of its annual tradition, PNC Wealth Management also tabulates the True Cost of Christmas, which is the total cost of items gifted by a True Love who repeats all of the songs verses. This holiday season, very generous True Loves will pay more than ever before - $78,100 - for all 364 items, up from $75,122 in 2006. This 4 percent increase is about even with last years 3.5 percent increase.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

CARB cuts zero emission vehicle requirement - Bizjournals.com
PhysOrg.comCARB cuts zero emission vehicle requirementBizjournals.com - Mar 28, 2008The California Air Resources Board voted unanimously Thursday to slash its previous requirement for auto makers to produce 25000 zero emission vehicles between 2012 and 2014 down to 7500 vehicles.California Lowers Auto Emissions Rule The Associated PressAir board trims mandate for zero-emission cars San Jose Mercury NewsDetroit Free Press - Los Angeles Times - United Press International - Telegraph.co.ukall 603 news articles

Air France Refuses to Budge on Job Cuts at Alitalia (Update1) - Bloomberg
CitizenAir France Refuses to Budge on Job Cuts at Alitalia Update1Bloomberg - 1 hour agoBy Flavia Rotondi and Andrea Rothman March 28 Bloomberg -- Air France-KLM Group, Europe's biggest airline, refused to back down on plans to cut 2100 jobs at takeover target Alitalia SpA in a document submitted to the Italian company's unions.Air France-KLM sticks to its guns in Alitalia talks MarketWatchAlitalia unions critical but won't boycott talks ReutersCNNMoney.com - International Herald Tribune - BBC News - Wall Street Journalall 279 news articles

Gold Passes $1,000 Mark
Gold traded at a record $1,000 an ounce for the first time today. The news coincides will the recession concerns, the weak dollar and the high price of oil. The BBC reports that since the beginning of 2008 gold has jump 20%. Gold also climbed 32% last year.Since the beginning of the year the value of gold has increased by about 20%, after it rose 32% in 2007.Gold eventually settled for the day at $993.80, up $13.30 an ounce.Analysts say gold will stay high as long as dollar and growth fears remain.Every bit of bad US economic data boosts gold in two ways, said Fortis Bank.First because it reinforces the return of its role as a safe-haven asset, and second because the dollar falls on expectations of further Federal Reserve rate cuts.The price of gold story made all the major newspapers and wire services: Reuters, Guardian, The Independent, Forbes, National Post, USA Today, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Telegraph.co.uk, Bloomberg and New York Times to name a few.A 52% climb in just twelve months might mean gold has climbed too quickly notes USA Today columnist John Waggoner here.If youre hankering to buy gold, you may get a chance to buy it more cheaply in the next month or so. Gold bullion has soared 52% over the past 12 months and 19% this year ? and it may have gotten ahead of itself. But if you want to invest for the long run in gold ? which can have a role in a diversified portfolio ? you have three good options: gold bullion coins, gold exchange-traded funds and gold mutual funds.Then again, Waggoners column also mentions that James DiGeorgia - editor of the Gold and Energy Advisor website - says gold could climb to $2,500 an ounce.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

Stocks & Bonds A Middling Week, but a Good One for 2008 - New York Times
Nightly Business ReportStocks & Bonds A Middling Week, but a Good One for 2008New York Times - 19 hours agoBy JEFF SOMMER It was a so-so week for the stock market. The broad market declined modestly, but the Nasdaq composite index, which is heavily laden with technology stocks, managed a slight gain.Stocks end the week down Los Angeles TimesTHE WEEK IN STOCKS: Adding to a bad quarterly performance NewsdayInternational Herald Tribune - The Associated Press - Inside Futuresall 632 news articles

Consumer Spending in US Increased at Slower Pace (Update1) - Bloomberg
Consumer Spending in US Increased at Slower Pace Update1Bloomberg - 2 hours agoBy Bob Willis March 28 Bloomberg -- Spending by US consumers rose in February at the slowest pace in more than a year, another sign the economic expansion may be grinding to a halt.February Spending Flat, Inflation Threat Recedes New York TimesPersonal income stronger than expected CNNMoney.comMarketWatch - Forbes - Wall Street Journal - International Herald Tribuneall 399 news articles

US stocks get starting lift from Lehman upgrade - MarketWatch
Conde Nast PortfolioUS stocks get starting lift from Lehman upgradeMarketWatch - 52 minutes agoBy Kate Gibson, MarketWatch NEW YORK MarketWatch -- US stocks on Friday offered an opening rise, supported by Citigroup Inc.'s upgrade of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and as Accenture Ltd.Lehman Upgraded by Citigroup on `Ample' Liquidity Update2 BloombergCiti says Lehman has ample liquidity ReutersForbes - Conde Nast Portfolio - National Post - StreetInsider.com subscriptionall 24 news articles