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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

Argentine Farmers Restore Roadblocks After Talks With Officials - Bloomberg
BBC NewsArgentine Farmers Restore Roadblocks After Talks With OfficialsBloomberg - 5 hours agoBy Richard Jarvie March 29 Bloomberg -- Argentine farm groups resumed their blockade of some of the country's major highways after government officials failed to respond to their demands to cancel an increase in export taxes.Argentine farm protest restarts nationwide ForbesArgentine Farmers Set Up New Barricades Houston ChronicleReuters India - AFP - Reuters - Voice of Americaall 310 news articles

Microsoft Makes $44.6 Billion Offer to Buy Yahoo
Microsoft has made a surprise $44.6 billion offer to buy Yahoo at $31 per share share.Yahoo issued a statement saying they would consider the offer. Yahoo said that its board will evaluate this proposal carefully and promptly, in the context of Yahoos strategic plans, and pursue the best course of action to maximize long-term value for shareholders.Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said they could help Yahoo compete: We have great respect for Yahoo, and together, we can offer an increasingly exciting set of solutions for consumers, publishers, and advertisers while becoming better positioned to compete in the online-services market,Yahoo recently laid off over 1,000 employees. They are a great company with numerous online products including several recently purchased social media sites like Blo.gs and del.icio.us. They also have a significant media side with original content and acquisitions like Rivals.com. It will be interesting to see whether Microsoft can convince Yahoo shareolders that this is the best option for them or whether Yahoo shareholders believe the company can do better by staying independent.Yahoos shares YHOO are up over 44% on news of the deal reports Marketwatch.Google shares are down significantly on the news because of concerns that a Microsoft-Yahoo merger could threaten Googles search and online advertising dominance.Microsoft views Yahoo as its best chance to thwart Google, which has leveraged its leadership in Internet search and advertising to emerge as an increasingly serious threat to the worlds largest software makers persuasive influence on how people interact with computers.Google already controls nearly 60 percent of the U.S. search market, and has been widening its lead, despite concerted efforts by both second-place Yahoo and third-place Microsoft. By combining, Microsoft and Yahoo would have a 33 percent share of the U.S. search market, according to the latest data from comScore Media Metrix.By joining forces, Microsoft and Yahoo also would widen their narrowing advantage over Google in providing free e-mail accounts -- a service that helps foster more loyalty with users and create more advertising opportunities.Google shares GOOG are down 9% on the news in early trading today.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.comAdvertisement:Find flowers, greeting cards, candy, gift ideas and morein ShoppersShop.coms Valentines Day Shopping section.

Many U.S. Citizens Think Recession is Already Here
The dreaded R word is now being used commonly in news stories and polls. A new AP-Ipsos poll has found that 61% of U.S. citizens believe the country is already in a recession. 59% are worried about their stocks and retirement investments. Technically the economy needs to shrink for two consecutive quarters or six straight months see recession definition for it to count as a recession but for the people suffering in a struggling economy the technical definition doesnt really matter. Another poll found that most people think a Democrat and not a Republican would best be able to get the nation out of a recession - that might be a sign of the way the election is going to go in November. Even author Stephen King is weighing in. Hes slamming the economic pundits who think a recession would help purge the system.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

How High Will Google Go?
Google, which trades on the Nasdaq as GOOG, is getting close to the $600 mark. The stock has been on an incredible ride since it started trading at $85 in 2004.Google, which began trading at $85 in 2004, has the sixth- highest stock price in the U.S. and has surged 27 percent this year. The shares rose $1.84 to $584.39 at 4 p.m. New York time on the Nasdaq Stock Market and earlier reached $596.81.The search engine has taken users from Yahoo! Inc. and Microsoft Corp., pushing sales growth to at least 70 percent in each of the past three years. Google plans to lure more Web surfers and advertisers through the YouTube video site, bought last year, and has introduced software to sell mobile ads.Google is still dominating, Piper Jaffray & Co. Web analysts including Gene Munster said in an Oct. 1 report.Munster, in Minneapolis, rates the stock outperform and estimates it will reach $660 within a year as Google parlays its lead in search into other areas of online advertising next year.Google may very well break the $600 mark and even $650 but how much upside can be left for this powerful technology firm? Henry Blodget has suggested GOOG could trade as high as $2,000Remember a couple years back when some analyst floated the idea that Google could eventually be worth $2,000 a share--and was ridiculed from coast to coast? Well, first its worth noting that Google is now almost a third of the way there. Second, its worth noting that $2,000 a share would mean a market cap of about $750 billion, which--given a reasonable time horizon--just isnt that far-fetched.Why? First, from a macro level, in every technology wave, the market leader usually ends up amassing more power, wealth, and market capitalization than the leaders in the prior wave, often by a startling magnitude. The leaders in the last technology wave included Microsoft and Cisco, both of which peaked around $500 billion in market capitalization...Blodgets remark has stirred up controversy among tech and financial bloggers - see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. You can check the latest GOOG quote here on Yahoo Finance.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.comAd: Singers Sing is a music news blog.Feed: Bloglines | Google | Netvibes | Other Readers

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

Gold Soars to 27-Year High
Gold prices are climbing as the dollar falls. The Financial Times reports that Gold prices climbed to $752.80 an ounce - the highest price for gold since January 1980.The dollar hit a record low against major currencies and gold reached a 27-year high on Friday as investors ignored data suggesting that inflation moderated last month.Analysts said the prospect of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and stronger growth outside the US was weighing on the dollar and boosting commodities.The Feds rate cuts have a specific driver - growth risks for the US economy, said Naomi Fink, senior currency strategist at BNP Paribas.A USA Today article about todays new gold record has a chart that shows how investors have been seeking shelter in gold over the past two months.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.comVisit ShoppersShop.coms Halloween Shopping Website to find costumes, coupons and resources.

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

Oppenheimer sees dividend cuts at Citi, Wachovia, others - MarketWatch
EarthtimesOppenheimer sees dividend cuts at Citi, Wachovia, othersMarketWatch - 1 hour agoBy Andrew Dowell , , will likely have to announce dividend cuts next month, as shrinking earnings will make it hard to support current payouts, Oppenheimer analyst Meredith Whitney said Friday in a note to clients.RPT-UPDATE 1-Oppenheimer sees dividend cuts at Citi, Wachovia ReutersAhead of the Bell: Bank Dividends CNNMoney.comBloomberg - Forbes - BusinessWeek - Houston Chronicleall 103 news articles

Schering-Plough, Merck&s Vytorin Fails Artery Study (Update1) - Bloomberg
Dog Flu Diet and DiseasesSchering-Plough, Merck's Vytorin Fails Artery Study Update1Bloomberg - 29 minutes agoBy Shannon Pettypiece and Michelle Fay Cortez March 30 Bloomberg -- Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp.'s cholesterol pill Vytorin didn't slow clogging of the arteries better than an older, cheaper drug, prompting doctors to say the medicine should ...Journal Issues Warning on Two Cholesterol Drugs New York TimesVytorin Study Shows Little Change In Artery Thickness CNNMoney.comForbes - Wall Street Journal - Reuters - WANDall 86 news articles

Markets React to Bear Sterns, Weekend Fed Action
JP Morgan Chase has snatched up Bear Sterns in a rapid transaction for a huge discount of $2 a share. JPMorgan Chase & Co. agreed to buy Bear Stearns Cos. for $240 million, about 90 percent less than its value last week, after a run on the company ended 85 years of independence for Wall Streets fifth-largest securities firm.Shareholders of Bear Stearns will get stock in JPMorgan equivalent to about $2 a share, compared with $30 at the close on March 14, the New York-based companies said in a statement late yesterday. The Federal Reserve is providing financial backing to JPMorgan, the second-biggest U.S. bank, and also cut the rate on direct loans to banks in its first emergency weekend action in almost three decades to stave off a broader market panic. The Fed also moved in with a rare weekend move and dropped the emergency lending rate a quarter of a point. President Bush also weighed in predicting a turnaround. President Bush rushed to strike a note of calm to the turbulent situation on Monday morning, hailing the Feds action and saying: Weve taken strong decisive action. The president spoke after meeting at the White House with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and other members of his economic team. Were in challenging times, Bush said.Despite all the action to help prevent losses stocks are still in negative territory again today. The Financial Times says investors are waiting for the next domino to fall.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

Navteqs sale faces a detour - Chicago Tribune
PhoneMag.comNavteq's sale faces a detourChicago Tribune - Mar 29, 2008By Wailin Wong | Tribune reporter March 29, 2008 European antitrust regulators have raised concerns over the acquisition of Chicago-based digital map provider Navteq by Finnish cell phone-maker Nokia, delaying an $8.1 billion deal that is poised to ...Nokia's Navteq Acquisition Faces In-Depth EU Probe Update4 BloombergEU Opens Antitrust Probe Of Nokia-Navteq Deal Wall Street JournalCNNMoney.com - Reuters - The Associated Press - Forbesall 155 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

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

Miserable Opening Bell?
The New York Times reports that the stock market plunge in Asia and Europe continued into Tuesday. Stocks are falling due to concerns that the U.S. economy is headed for a recession. MarketWatch has a roundup of the two day losses.Shanghai two days: -12%Japans Nikkei 225 two days: - 10.2%Hang Seng two days: -13.7%U.K. FTSE 100 two days: -8.6%German DAX 30 two days: -12.4%This sell off could extend to U.S. stocks today.Amid fears that the United States may be in a recession, the decline in stock markets accelerated this morning as exchanges opened across Asia.Markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney all fell farther in the opening hours of trading today than they had all day Monday. Until now, overseas markets had largely avoided the sell-off that has caused steep declines recently in the United States, whose markets were closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther Kings Birthday. But investors reacted with what many analysts described as panic to the multiplying signs of weakness in the U.S. economy.And in a sign that the United States could join the sell-off today, trading in U.S. stock futures Monday suggested that the Dow Jones industrial average would fall more than 500 points at the opening bell.Marketwatch also says that the DJIA futures are currently down 650 points which could result in a miserable and nervous day of stock trading today.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

Maguire Properties Says Its No Longer Pursuing Sale (Update1) - Bloomberg
RTT NewsMaguire Properties Says It's No Longer Pursuing Sale Update1Bloomberg - 2 hours agoBy Alan Mirabella March 28 Bloomberg -- Maguire Properties Inc., the biggest office landlord in downtown Los Angeles, said it's no longer pursuing a sale of the company because no viable bids emerged.Maguire Properties says not to pursue sale ReutersMaguire Properties says no longer actively considering sale of the ... ForbesHouston Chronicle - RTT News - FOXBusiness - 24/7 Wall St.all 26 news articles

UBS to mark down auction-rate securities - CNNMoney.com
PravdaUBS to mark down auction-rate securitiesCNNMoney.com - 3 hours agoTORONTO Thomson Financial - UBS NYSE:UBS AG said Friday it is cutting the value of auction-rate securities in its brokerage customers' accounts, the first confirmation that problems with the securities have eroded the principal holdings of investors.3 Firms Are Asked for Data on Auction-Rate Shares New York TimesUBS, Merrill, Bank of America Auction Sales Probed Update4 BloombergForbes - Wall Street Journal - Reuters - Boston Heraldall 54 news articles

Super Tuesday is Terrible Tuesday for Stock Market
The American public is busy trying to figure out what all these polls mean about who is going to be their partys candidate. Meanwhile, Super Tuesday has turned out to be Terrible Tuesday for the stock market. Todays news that service sector shrank sent stocks in the wrong direction.The volatility that pummeled stocks in January returned with the news that the service sector shrank last month for the first time since March 2003. The report from the Institute for Supply Management wiped out the nascent optimism about the economy that had sent stocks surging higher last week.The report drives a nail into the coffin from investors minds that were in a recession, said Todd Salamone, director of trading at Schaeffers Investment Research. That doesnt mean stock prices in the months ahead will be lower. But when you see headline numbers like this, there tends to be a reactionary sell.The ISM said its index of service sector activity, which accounts for about two-thirds of the economy, dropped below 50, a level that indicates contraction. Economists had expected another month of growth.Its possible the service sector, which includes businesses ranging from restaurants to retailers to banks, could bounce back in February as the manufacturing sector did in January after its December contraction. The benefit of the Federal Reserves two big interest rate cuts in the latter part of January could also help spur the service sector back into growth mode later this year.Marketwatchs entry says the data today is pointing toward a recession.Todays awful numbers:Dow down 370.03 2.93% - biggest one-day point drop for Dow since it dropped 387 points on Aug. 9, 2007.Nasdaq lost 73.28 3.08%Standard and Poors 500 lost 44.18 3.20%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

Fremont General says FDIC orders recapitalization of bank and ... - CNNMoney.com
Fremont General says FDIC orders recapitalization of bank and ...CNNMoney.com - 42 minutes agoNEW YORK, Mar. 28, 2008 Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex -- Fremont General NYSE:FMT PR NYSE:FMT Corp. Friday said the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued a supervisory prompt corrective action directive to the company and to its ...Fremont Ordered to Recapitalize Wall Street JournalFremont Ordered by FDIC to Find Buyer; Curbs Imposed Update3 BloombergReuters - FOXBusiness - Housing Wire - 24/7 Wall St.all 20 news articles

Bernanke Says Some Small Banks May Fail
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said in testimony in front of U.S. Congress today that there could be some bank failures because of the ongoing credit crisis. The AP reports that Bernanke did says that the large U.S. banks will likely recover but it is disturbing to hear he expects some small bank failures.Bernanke, testifying before Congress, said that while the large U.S. banks will likely recover from the recent credit crisis, others could fail.Implying that some banks may fail stirs concerns for any investor whos familiar with financial and economic history, said Hugh Johnson, chairman and chief investment officer of Johnson Illington Advisors. Investors have been very edgy about credit market conditions and banks financial conditions. Very edgy. And this doesnt remove that edginess.Earlier, stocks had fallen in response to a Labor Department report that first-time unemployment claims rose last week by 19,000 to 373,000, the highest level since late January.Scott Wren, equity strategist for A.G. Edwards & Sons, said he still believes theres less than a 50 percent chance of a recession, but that its clear employers are cautious about hiring.To consistently see claims up near 400,000, thats pretty telling often-times of a recession, he said.On the positive side Bernanke doesnt anticipate a return to the stagflation periods of the 1970s - although with gas forecast to exceed $4 a gallon not everyone is convinced. Marketwatch reports that stocks are lower today following Bernankes words and news that last years GDP growth was just 0.6%Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

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

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

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

Why the Paulson Plan is DOA - BusinessWeek
Boston GlobeWhy the Paulson Plan is DOABusinessWeek - 1 hour agoLet?s see. In the middle of perhaps the greatest financial upheaval since the Great Depression, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson is proposing a change in financial regulations which basically amounts to a big wink to Wall Street.News Analysis In Treasury Plan, a Reluctant Eye Over Wall Street New York TimesKeeping US Financial Markets Competitve ForbesFOXBusiness - Bloomberg - Reuters - Chicago Tribuneall 916 news articles

UPDATE: Proxy Battle Begins At Office Depot - CNNMoney.com
UPDATE: Proxy Battle Begins At Office DepotCNNMoney.com - 1 hour agoA proxy battle at Office Depot Inc. ODP was officially launched Friday when a shareholder group filed its materials seeking its two nominees to replace the company's current and former chairman from the board.Office Depot shareholder files proxy Bizjournals.comOffice Depot holder group files proxy statement ReutersFOXBusiness - Trading Markets press release - SunHerald.comall 13 news articles

Mercantile Bank Corporation Announces First Quarter Provision ... - FOXBusiness
Mercantile Bank Corporation Announces First Quarter Provision ...FOXBusiness - 40 minutes agoGRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Mar 28, 2008 PrimeNewswire via COMTEX -- At a meeting held March 27, 2008, the Board of Directors of Mercantile Bank Corporation Nasdaq:MBWM determined that deteriorating economic conditions and real estate valuations have had ...Mercantile Bank expects 1Q provision BusinessWeekUPDATE 1-Mercantile Bank to post Q1 loss on increased provision ReutersForbes - MLive.com - Trading Markets press release - Business Wire press releaseall 21 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

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

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

KB Home Posts $268 Million Loss - Wall Street Journal
KB Home Posts $268 Million LossWall Street Journal - 1 hour agoBy DONNA KARDOS KB Home swung to a fiscal first-quarter loss on charges related to write-downs and the abandonment of certain contracts, as the housing downturn and credit crisis continued to take their toll on the residential builder.KB Home posts quarterly loss ReutersKB Home swings to 1Q loss; revenue falls, misses expectations CNNMoney.comNewsweek - Centre Daily Timesall 100 news articles

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

Markets Climb on Sweetened Bear Sterns Deal
The stock market managed a rally that has become rare of late. The sweetened JP Morgan - Bear Stern deal seemed to rally stocks. he Dow Industrials rose 187.32 to 12,548.64. The S&P 500 gained 20.37 to 1349.88. The Nasdaq surged 68.64 to 2326.75.News that the median home price drop of over 8% compared to a year ago didnt keep stocks from climbing Reuters reports in the video clip below.Permalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

Electronic Arts extends tender offer for Take-Two - MarketWatch
BBC NewsElectronic Arts extends tender offer for Take-TwoMarketWatch - 2 hours agoBy MarketWatch NEW YORK MarketWatch -- Electronic Arts Inc. said Friday that it's amending its tender offer for Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. in light of the video-game publisher's latest rejection of its bid.EA Extends Offer for Take-Two Wall Street JournalElectronic Arts extends Take-Two offer deadline ReutersBusinessWeek - CNNMoney.com - FOXBusiness - RTT Newsall 445 news articles

Delta completes jet wiring inspections - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Delta completes jet wiring inspectionsAtlanta Journal Constitution - 1 hour agoBy SA REID , MIKE MORRIS Delta Air Lines has completed a reinspection of wiring bundles on older jets and flight schedules had returned to normal Friday morning, a spokesman for the airline said.Airlines wrap up jetliner checks Los Angeles TimesHundreds of Flights Canceled for Inspections New York TimesMarketWatch - KMSS TV33 - Reuters - Cheapflights.comall 2,165 news articles

BA cancels flights as chaos persists at Heathrow T5 - Reuters
Edmonton JournalBA cancels flights as chaos persists at Heathrow T5Reuters - 43 minutes agoBy David Clarke LONDON Reuters - British Airways Plc cancelled a fifth of flights from its new $8.6 billion terminal at London's Heathrow airport on Friday as chaos from its shambolic opening spilled into a second day.British Airways Cancels Flights as T5 Chaos Continues Update2 BloombergBA Expects More Cancellations As Problems at Terminal 5 Continue Wall Street JournalMarketWatch - Times Online - USA Today - BBC Newsall 1,678 news articles

The Credit Crisis: How We Got Here
Sometimes it is worth tacking a look at how we got into this mess in the first place. Reuters has a great recap in the video below. It began with a US housing problem that has quickly mushroomed into a crisis. In this video, Reuters explains how banks begin to tighten credit when a high percentage of subprime mortgages started to become overdue. The loan problem escalated and subprime lender New Century filed bankruptcy. These losses spread to larger banks that have had to write off billions of dollars of debt. Today, the credit problems have not gone away. Home prices are still dropping and inflation is a serious problem. The weakening economy is starting to impact growth and job creation. There are worldwide concerns that the U.S. will fall into a recession and this recessio nwill drag the global economy down with it.Direct video linkPermalink | Recent Headlines | WWFeeds.com

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

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

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

American Axle strike tips US nearer recession as GM, suppliers ... - Detroit Free Press
ServihooAmerican Axle strike tips US nearer recession as GM, suppliers ...Detroit Free Press - 11 hours agoBY JEWEL GOPWANI ? FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER ? March 30, 2008 At the beginning of this year, it seemed like Detroit's great labor battles were over, after industry-changing deals at the Detroit automakers and the likes of parts giant Delphi Corp.GM's Broken Axle BusinessWeekStrike at American Axle To Shut Another GM Plant Wall Street JournalMLive.com - Reuters - AFP - DetNews.comall 179 news articles

IACs Diller wins court battle with Liberty - Reuters
IAC's Diller wins court battle with LibertyReuters - 15 hours agoBy Michele Gershberg NEW YORK Reuters - IAC/InterActiveCorp IACI.O: Quote, Profile, Research chief Barry Diller on Friday won a bitter legal dispute with Liberty Media Corp's John Malone, paving the way for him to proceed with efforts to spin off ...Barry Diller Wins as Court Allows His 5-Way Division of IAC New York TimesBarry Diller Can't Be Ousted From IAC Board by John Malone BloombergCNNMoney.com - Wall Street Journal - Conde Nast Portfolio - FOXBusinessall 247 news articles

Striking Colombia nickel miners to vote on offer - Reuters
Mining Journal OnlineStriking Colombia nickel miners to vote on offerReuters - 1 hour agoBOGOTA, March 30 Reuters - Unionized workers at Colombia's Cerro Matoso ferronickel mine will vote on Sunday on a company offer to end a four-week strike that has hit global nickel prices, a labor union leader said.BHP Declares Force Majeure at Mine Houston ChronicleBHP declares force majeure at Colombian nickel mine MarketWatchBloggingStocks - Bloomberg - Market Intelligence Center - Mining MXall 33 news articles

Clear Channel Says Private-Equity Buyout May Collapse (Update3) - Bloomberg
Edmonton JournalClear Channel Says Private-Equity Buyout May Collapse Update3Bloomberg - 56 minutes agoBy Don Jeffrey March 28 Bloomberg -- Clear Channel Communications Inc., the biggest US radio broadcaster, said its sale to private- equity firms may collapse after banks backed out of financing the $19.5 billion deal.Clear Channel fight gets down 'n' dirty CNNMoney.comClear Channel says buyout may not close ReutersWall Street Journal - Bizjournals.com - Forbes - FOXBusinessall 1,429 news articles

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

JC Penney Plunges After Cutting Profit Forecast (Update1) - Bloomberg
CNBCJC Penney Plunges After Cutting Profit Forecast Update1Bloomberg - 1 hour agoBy Lauren Coleman-Lochner March 28 Bloomberg -- JC Penney Co., the third-largest US department-store chain, plunged the most in more than 20 years in New York trading after the retailer cut its sales and earnings forecasts on slower consumer spending ...JC Penney cuts first-quarter forecast MarketWatchJP Penney Slashes Guidance, Wall Street JournalReuters - CNNMoney.com - Conde Nast Portfolio - RTT Newsall 112 news articles

EA extends deadline for Take-Two offer - BusinessWeek
The Money TimesEA extends deadline for Take-Two offerBusinessWeek - Mar 28, 2008By BARBARA ORTUTAY Electronic Arts is not backing down from its $2 billion hostile bid for the publisher of Grand Theft Auto even as Take-Two Interactive does what it can to buy more time.Electronic Arts to Take-Two: Game Over ForbesEA extends offer for Take-Two but wants 'poison pill' removed Bizjournals.comSan Francisco Chronicle - Variety - Red Herring - E-Commerce Timesall 116 news articles

Bush Says Administration Will Expand Mortgage-Relief (Update1) - Bloomberg
NECNBush Says Administration Will Expand Mortgage-Relief Update1Bloomberg - 19 hours agoBy David Scheer March 29 Bloomberg -- President George W. Bush said the government will expand efforts to help homeowners avoid foreclosure as Democrats increase pressure on his administration to reduce unaffordable home-loan payments.Bush may expand help for struggling homeowners ReutersCongress poised to tackle tricky mortgage crisis NewsdayImperial Valley News - Voice of America - The Associated Press - Philadelphia Inquirerall 515 news articles

Clear Channel says buyout may collapse - Reuters
EarthtimesClear Channel says buyout may collapseReuters - 20 hours agoNEW YORK Reuters - Radio broadcaster Clear Channel Communications Inc said on Friday its pending $20 billion buyout may collapse, as the banks had failed to provide funding for the deal under previously agreed terms.Clear Channel Defers Dividend Wall Street JournalUPDATE:Clear Channel,Buyers Want Suit Kept In Texas State Court CNNMoney.comForbes - Bizjournals.com - Boston Globe - The Associated Pressall 564 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

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

No Recession at Red Hat - New York Times
RTT NewsNo Recession at Red HatNew York Times - Mar 28, 2008By Steve Lohr Red Hat, the Linux software company, gave a nice welcome present today to its new chief executive, James Whitehurst.Red Hat gets lift following upbeat earnings report MarketWatchOut of the Gate: Red Hat Rises CNNMoney.comBizjournals.com - The Associated Press - Motley Fool - Forbesall 280 news articles

Is the Stimulus Payment Automatic? - Wall Street Journal
NY1Is the Stimulus Payment Automatic?Wall Street Journal - 14 hours agoBy TOM HERMAN Q: We've already filed our taxes and didn't see where we were to file for our stimulus payment. Do we need to file for this, or is it automatically done?Veterans get weekend tax help Desert DispatchAARP tax aides keeping busy The Register-GuardWWBT - Port Huron Times Herald - Chicago Tribune - Clarksville Leaf Chronicleall 427 news articles

Vector Capital says offer to buy Captaris has expired - CNNMoney.com
Vector Capital says offer to buy Captaris has expiredCNNMoney.com - 1 hour agoBOSTON, Mar. 28, 2008 Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex -- Private equity firm Vector Capital Friday said its offer to purchase Captaris Inc. NASDAQ:CAPA for $4.75 per share has expired.UPDATE 1-Vector Capital says Captaris offer expires ReutersVector's Bid for Captaris Expires Houston ChronicleFOXBusiness - Blogging Buy Outs - Bizjournals.com - PR Newswire press releaseall 33 news articles

Is Google Over? - Motley Fool
Sioux City JournalIs Google Over?Motley Fool - Mar 28, 2008By Rick Aristotle Munarriz March 28, 2008 Shares of Google Nasdaq: GOOG fell yesterday on the heels of another comScore report that shows weakness in the number of clicks that Google ads are receiving.Report Shows Decline In Google Paid-Search-Ad Clicks In US CNNMoney.comGoogle's Ad-Click Data Disappoint Wall Street JournalBloomberg - Forbes - Detroit Free Press - InternetRetailer.comall 387 news articles