Small Businesses Hold on Despite Economy
Matthew Bandyk

Conventional wisdom holds true when it comes to small businesses struggling in an economic recession. Small businesses drive the nation's economy so when the economy slows down, they take the brunt. Compared with large businesses, they have less of a cushion of capital. Tight credit makes business expansion difficult. And economic slowdowns can expose fundamental flaws in business plans. But despite all these disadvantages, the number of small businesses as a whole seems to be recessionproof.

Obama's Hidden Business Tax Increase
by Matthew Bandyk

Obama's proposal would require companies to account for their inventories on a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis rather than a last-in-first-out (LIFO) one -- an eye-glazing change that's highly significant. In an era of rising costs, to assume that you're selling your oldest inventory rather than your newest increases reported profits and thus taxes, even though nothing real has changed. If inflation turns worse, as many analysts predict, FIFO would force companies to pay real taxes on phantom profits as the value of goods gets inflated while they sit in inventory.

Employers to Make Deeper Cuts in 2010 Health Coverage
by Martha Lynn Carver

Look for employers to cut more deeply than ever into health care coverage for their workers in 2010. Companies are getting walloped by higher than expected costs just when they can least afford it.

Obama's New Antitrust Rules Have Big, Powerful Companies Sweating
by Tamara Lytle

The Obama administration has swept away policy after policy from the Bush administration, and the top antitrust regulator, Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney, made it clear in her speech that she's coming in with a very big broom.

Varney repudiated the Bush administration's more laissez-faire approach to monopoly cases in a forceful speech to a liberal think tank and then in another one to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A report issued last year by the Bush administration on monopoly regulation is no longer government policy, she warned judges, lawyers, and companies.

"As antitrust enforcers, we cannot sit on the sidelines any longer, both in terms of enforcing the antitrust laws and contribution to sound competition policy as part of our nation's economic strategy," she said in her speech.

US jobless rate rises to over 10%
The US economy lost 190,000 jobs in October, taking the jobless rate above 10% for the first time since 1983.

South Korea approves India deal
South Korea ratifies a free trade deal with India that will give the two Asian countries greater access to each other's markets.

Ukraine 'pays Russian gas bill'
Ukraine says it has paid its gas bill to Russia, calming fears that Europe may suffer disruptions to gas supplies.

Major economies 'all recovering'
Major economies are showing strong signs of recovery, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says.

Australia raises growth forecasts
The Reserve Bank of Australia says the country is growing faster than it had expected.

G20 ministers meet in St Andrews
The world's most powerful finance ministers are in St Andrews for a summit aimed at pulling the global economy out of recession.

US hits China pipes with tariffs
The United States imposes high anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese pipes as trade disputes mar the run-up to a bilateral summit.

US shares rise on business data
US shares rise strongly after official figures show business productivity has risen at its highest rate in six years.

More house price falls forecast
The recovery in UK house prices could be punctuated by a 6.6% drop in values next year, property group Savills forecasts.

Extra £25bn to stimulate economy
The Bank of England is to pump an extra £25bn into the economy but has kept interest rates unchanged at 0.5%.

Christmas shoppers 'undeterred'
Christmas shoppers will spend as much this festive season as last year despite the UK remaining in recession, Deloitte predicts.

China defends export restrictions
China denies claims by the US, EU and Mexico that it is unfairly constraining exports of some raw materials.

Euro interest rates unchanged
The European Central Bank keeps interest rates on hold at 1% as rising unemployment weighs on economic confidence.

Iceland interest rates cut to 11%
Iceland cuts interest rates to 11% from 12%, as hopes build that the country's economy is starting to stabilise.

Savers suffering from low rates
Nearly half of all UK variable rate savings accounts pay interest of 0.5% or less, says information service Moneyfacts.

US interest rates left unchanged
The Federal Reserve keeps US interest rates on hold at between 0% and 0.25% to help the economic recovery, as expected.

China 'boosts East Asian growth'
The World Bank raises its forecasts for East Asian growth, largely as a result of an economic rebound in China.

Gold hits new high on India deal
The price of gold reaches an all-time high after a large sale of the precious commodity by the International Monetary Fund to India.

Small fall in Irish jobless total
The unemployment rate in the Irish Republic fell in October for the first time in almost two years, official figures show.

New Australia interest rate rise
Australia, which managed to avoid recession, raises its main interest rate once again - this time from 3.25% to 3.5%.

Spanish benefit claimant total up
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits in Spain rose by 98,906 in October, government figures show.

Cash crackdown in Nigerian banks
Nigeria's central bank orders banks to report suspicious cash transactions from people involved in politics.

Drinkers get VAT New Year break
New Year's Eve revellers will get an extra six hours of reduced-VAT drinking, the government announces.

Libyans 'unlikely' to compensate
A lawyer who has advised Libya in the past says it is unlikely victims of the IRA in NI will be compensated.

Debt management under focus
A watchdog is to monitor the largely unregulated debt management industry to ensure fair treatment for customers.

Craving for raw garlic sees Irish finance minister through crisis
An economist reveals Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan's unlikely fondness for munching on raw garlic.

Afghan resources
There is more than just poppy dollars in Afghanistan

Darling project
G20 finance ministers to pursue banking reform

Recovery signs
Signs of confidence despite the shrinking economy

Stephanomics
If the economy is recovering, now is moment of truth

Lessons learned
The BBC Box returns from a year of globe trotting

Holy water
Ghana spa hopes to spark health tourism boom

Brown urges new banks 'contract'
UK PM Gordon Brown tells a G20 summit there should be a new social contract with world banks to make them more responsible.

Treasury seeks RBS lending proof
The Treasury demands proof from bailed-out Royal Bank of Scotland that there is little demand for its business loans.

US jobless rate rises to over 10%
The US economy lost 190,000 jobs in October, taking the jobless rate above 10% for the first time since 1983.

BA to cut 1,200 jobs amid losses
British Airways says it will cut its global workforce by an extra 1,200 as it reports a first-half loss for the first time.

Personal insolvency rises by 28%
Personal insolvencies hit a record in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2009, with the total up 28% on a year ago.

eBay in Skype deal with founders
eBay settles a lawsuit with the founders of Skype, ending uncertainty over the future of the internet phone company.

Sugar firm to shut pension scheme
The Tate & Lyle sugar company becomes the latest to announce the closure of its final-salary pension scheme.

AIG posts second quarterly profit
Insurer AIG reports its second straight quarterly profit since it was bailed out by the US government.

Post union welcomes 'concessions'
The postal union says Royal Mail made "significant concessions" in an agreement which led it to call off planned strikes.

Craving for raw garlic sees Irish finance minister through crisis
An economist reveals Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan's unlikely fondness for munching on raw garlic.

Darling project
G20 finance ministers to pursue banking reform

Ring fingered
Plans to legally help unmarried couples are criticised

Rapid descent
How did British Airways manage to fall so far?

Retro chic
Brands from East Germany still going strong 20 years on

Stalled engine
Has GM dealt German carmaker Opel a fatal blow?

Afghan resources
There is more than just poppy dollars in Afghanistan

G20 ministers meet in St Andrews
The world's most powerful finance ministers are in St Andrews for a summit aimed at pulling the global economy out of recession.

More policing of pedlars planned
Pedlars - who trade on the move - could face regulation by local authorities and instant fines if they flout the rules.

More house price falls forecast
The recovery in UK house prices could be punctuated by a 6.6% drop in values next year, property group Savills forecasts.

South Korea approves India deal
South Korea ratifies a free trade deal with India that will give the two Asian countries greater access to each other's markets.

Ukraine 'pays Russian gas bill'
Ukraine says it has paid its gas bill to Russia, calming fears that Europe may suffer disruptions to gas supplies.

US hits China pipes with tariffs
The United States imposes high anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese pipes as trade disputes mar the run-up to a bilateral summit.

Royal Mail strikes are called off
Postal strikes are called off until at least the New Year to allow for fresh talks between Royal Mail and the main union.

Fannie Mae asks for extra $15bn
US mortgage finance firm Fannie Mae asks for another $15bn in state aid after announcing heavy losses.

F1 designer unveils electric car
A new sustainable electric car designed for city or town use is the result of a £9m investment programme.

Major economies 'all recovering'
Major economies are showing strong signs of recovery, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says.

Pioneer shares up on smaller loss
Shares in Japanese electronics maker Pioneer rise 9% after the company announced smaller-than-expected losses.

US insider trading case widened
A further 14 people are charged in connection to the alleged $20m insider trading scheme at US hedge fund Galleon Group.

Extra £25bn to stimulate economy
The Bank of England is to pump an extra £25bn into the economy but has kept interest rates unchanged at 0.5%.

Threshers owner shuts 373 shops
A total of 373 stores are to close at Threshers and Wine Rack owner First Quench, says the firm's administrators.

Housing association rents to fall
England's five million housing association tenants will get their first ever rent reduction from April because of deflation.

Savers suffering from low rates
Nearly half of all UK variable rate savings accounts pay interest of 0.5% or less, says information service Moneyfacts.

Christmas shoppers 'undeterred'
Christmas shoppers will spend as much this festive season as last year despite the UK remaining in recession, Deloitte predicts.

Australia raises growth forecasts
The Reserve Bank of Australia says the country is growing faster than it had expected.

US shares rise on business data
US shares rise strongly after official figures show business productivity has risen at its highest rate in six years.

China defends export restrictions
China denies claims by the US, EU and Mexico that it is unfairly constraining exports of some raw materials.

UBS fined £8m by the UK regulator
The Financial Services Authority fines Swiss banking giant UBS £8m for failing to stop employees making unauthorised trades.

Opel U-turn sparks strikes
Opel workers in Germany are on strike in protest at parent firm GM's decision not to sell its European operations.

RBS bank reports losses of £2.2bn
Royal Bank of Scotland announces that it lost £2.2bn in the three months to the end of September.

Guidelines for financial journalists

British Bankers Defend Their Pay and Bonuses
Regulators, central bankers and citizens are criticizing bankers for continuing large compensation packages while receiving government funds.

U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 10.2%, Highest in 26 Years
The number of unemployed rose to 15.7 million in October, as 190,000 nonfarm jobs were lost, the government said, and economists do not expect relief until next year.

Seeing the Glass Half Full Despite the Day’s Reports
The market had been expecting unemployment to top 10 percent before peaking. But the pace of job losses has accelerated and the rate is likely to go higher.

Off the Charts: Car Buyers Come Back, but Not in Droves
A factor causing sluggishness may be that auto companies produced and, with discounts, sold too many cars in the years before the recession.

Berkshire Says Profit Tripled in Quarter
The big Warren Buffett-led conglomerate said its third-quarter profit tripled as the improving economy and stock market boosted the value of its derivative contracts.

A.I.G. Reports Profit but Warns of Continued Volatility
The insurance giant, which was bailed out last year amid the financial crisis, warned that earnings would remain choppy as the company executes its restructuring plan.

Founders Win a Piece of Skype From eBay
The founders of Skype will drop their lawsuits against the company and a consortium of buyers who bid to purchase Skype. In exchange, the founders will get a 14 percent share in the new Skype.

British Airways to Cut Another 1,200 Jobs
The total number of planned staff reductions rises to nearly 5,000 as the British carrier wrestles with what its chief executive called the toughest year in the history of aviation.

Your Money: Money Issues That Can Test Even a Rock-Solid Marriage
Money may be the root of all evil, and in a marriage it can certainly be the seed of trouble. Here are five things couples should do to sidestep difficulties.

Enthusiasm for I.P.O.'s Starts to Fade Across Asia
There are signs that the primary equity window that saw a big revival two quarters ago is beginning to quickly shut.

Chinese Agencies Struggle Over Video Game
Two government agencies are facing off over the right to regulate the popular online game World of Warcraft.

Beijing Denounces U.S. Duties on Chinese-Made Pipes
China denounced new duties as protectionist, a week before President Obama is due in China talks.

G.M. Executive Quits Over Opel Decision
The head of European operations for General Motors quit after the automaker backed out of a deal to sell its Opel brand, a decision that has angered German workers and government officials.

Job Cutbacks Rise by 1,200 at a Carrier in Britain
The airline says the additional reductions are necessary in what its chief calls the most difficult year in airline history.

Turning Happy Hour Into a Global Job Search
As the New York economy founders, job seekers are using social events to forge foreign connections that hold hopes of new careers.

Research in Motion Plans Big Share Buyback
Stock in the company, creator of the BlackBerry smartphone, has lost about a third of its value since September.

Blackstone Reports $275 Million Third-Quarter Profit
The Blackstone Group on Friday reported a $275 million profit for the third quarter, as the giant publicly held private equity firm bounced back from the depths of the financial crisis last year.

Yacht Broker Sentenced to 2 Months for Tax Evasion
A Florida yacht broker gets credit for promptly confessing and for assisting a federal inquiry of tax evasion at offshore banks.

Consumer Borrowing Falls Sharply
The Federal Reserve said borrowing fell $14.8 billion, the biggest decline since July.

World Briefing | Africa: Ivory Coast: Judge Rejects Request in Toxic Waste Case
About $45 million intended to compensate 30,000 victims of a toxic waste dumping scandal in Ivory Coast will not be diverted to a self-appointed community representative, a judge in Abidjan ruled Friday.

Brain Drain in Reverse Behind Fallen Berlin Wall
Two decades after the Berlin Wall came down, those who once left Dresden to seek work in western Germany are returning.

E.U. Finds Trade Barriers Rising Since Global Crisis
But a report from the European Union suggests there is no sign of the spiral of protectionism that some feared when the worldwide downturn took hold last year.

Stimulus to Expand From Bank of England
While Britain struggles to start a recovery, the European Central Bank hints that it will soon be ready to withdraw some economic support.

14 Charged With Insider Trading in Galleon Case
Federal prosecutors charged 14 hedge fund employees, lawyers and other investors in criminal complaints that seem to be connected to the Raj Rajaratnam case.

A Scheme That Relied on Early Deal Tips, With Touches From a James Bond Movie
Prosecutors say a scheme brought in $20 million and relied on early tips about deals from the people involved in doing them, with the modern touch of disposable cellphones.

A Not-So-Guilty Pleasure
Sales of footwear were up sharply in September and October, possibly because they are a less expensive way to indulge.

UBS Fined $13.3 Million for Illicit Trades by Employees
Four employees at a bank unit in London had carried out unauthorized trading on at least 39 accounts.

Winners and Losers in Financial Crisis Emerging in Europe
The earnings of two European banks, BNP Paribas and Commerzbank, painted a stark contrast a little over a year after Lehman Brothers fell.

Russia Moves to Resume Borrowing From Abroad
Any bond issue would be expected to draw keen interest because Russia is in better financial shape than a decade ago.

E.U. Leaders Bolster Internet Access Protections
Lawmakers struck a compromise between governments seeking to impose tough anti-piracy laws and consumer groups looking to enshrine Internet access as a right.

Jobs Question Jeopardizes Wind Farm’s Stimulus Deal
Some lawmakers are not happy that the Texas project would create many more jobs in China than in the United States.

Rules on Modified Corn Skirted, Study Says
As many as 25 percent of the American farmers growing genetically engineered corn are no longer complying with federal rules intended to maintain the resistance of the crops to damage from insects.

New Drug for H1N1 Flu Offers Hope
Peramivir might also be a life saver for its developer, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, an unprofitable biotechnology company in Birmingham, Ala.

Airbus Loses Customer for Troop Transport Plane
South Africa canceled a multibillion-dollar order for the Airbus A400M troop transport plane, dealing a painful blow to the program.

New U.S. Tax on Chinese Pipes
The duties on $2.6 billion in annual imports of the pipes will be 36.5 percent for the 37 largest exporters, the Commerce Department said.

Germans Angry Over G.M. Decision to Keep Opel
German officials reacted angrily to General Motor’s decision to keep its European business, Opel, rather than sell a majority stake to a consortium backed by Berlin.

Party’s Over: A New Tone for Chrysler
Chrysler had $5.7 billion in cash on hand at the end of September, up from the $4 billion it had in June after emerging from bankruptcy, its chief executive said.

Toyota Pulling Out of Formula One to Cut Costs
Toyota announced Wednesday that it is pulling out of F1 racing, citing a need to focus on its core business.

SAIC Sets Its Sights on Green Cars
The parent of SAIC Motor plans to invest $880 million to develop and manufacture clean-energy vehicles in the next couple of years, a state news agency reported.

World Bank Raises Forecast for China’s Economy
China’s economy is now expected to grow 8.4 percent this year, according to the World Bank’s latest projection, rather than by the 7.2 percent it had forecast in June.

Decision on Oracle a Test for Kroes
By filing formal charges over Oracle's attempt to acquire Sun Microsystems, European regulators risk ushering in a new era of trans-Atlantic tensions over antitrust law. Yet backing down would smack of weakness.

Report Says Big Buyouts Are Likelier to Default
The 10 largest companies bought by private equity companies are performing worse than stand-alone companies or other, smaller deals, according to Moody’s.

Some Wall Street Year-End Bonuses Could Hit Pre-Downturn Highs
A report projected that pay bonuses in the financial industry would be up 40 percent from 2008, when Wall Street handed out nearly $20 billion in cash awards.

China’s Growth Picks Up Speed but Raises Concerns
The country’s 8.9 percent growth in the quarter was largely fueled by a generous stimulus package, but some are worried it might lead to a bubble and inflation.

Rising Debt a Threat to Japanese Economy
The question of how much debt a country can carry looms large in the U.S., but even larger in Japan.

China Approves Disney Theme Park in Shanghai
A resort, one of the largest-ever foreign investments in China, would cover 1,000 acres and cost $3.5 billion.

Vegemite Contest Draws Protests
It’s still unclear whether a contest to name a new Vegemite product by Kraft Foods Australia was a marketing failure or a publicity coup.

At Air India, Losses, Rats and a Brawl in the Sky
The airline, which is expected to lose more than $1 billion this business year, has chased rats from a plane and had a midair fistfight among crew members.

High & Low Finance: Goodbye to Reforms of 2002
Congress is apparently gutting Sarbanes-Oxley, which required public companies to make sure their internal controls against fraud were not full of holes.

Special Report: International Education: M.B.A.’s Guide Socially Concerned Entrepreneurs
Business school students have turned toward courses in social entrepreneurship.

Ayn Rand’s Revenge
Anne C. Heller’s biography conveys the conviction and odd charisma of Ayn Rand, whose individualist message is still resonant for American conservatives.

In the Long Run
Brief introductions to the life and theories of the economist John Maynard Keynes from Peter Clarke and Robert Skidelsky.

Tourism to Bring $110 Billion to Asia Pacific by 2009
Tourism should bring the Asia Pacific region $110 billion in revenues over the next three years, with much of that coming from travelers in the region, according according to the report from the Pacific Asia Travel Association or PATA, reports AP.

US Agency Revenue Up 8.8% to $28.2 Billion
U.S. agencies offering digital marketing services led the charge as overall agency revenue grew 8.8% to $28.2 billion in 2006, reports AdAge. Billings from traditional advertising and media were up just 4.2%, reaching $13.1 billion. Income from marketing offerings rose from 13.1% to hit $15.1 billion. 

Ethanol Demand Boosts Corn Planting 15% in 2007, Biggest Since 1944
Corn planting will be up 15% this year to 90.5 million acres and 12.1 million more acres than in 2006,  the biggest U.S. corn planting since 1944, boosted by high demand from the ethanol industry and strong export sales, reports AP, citing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual prospective plantings report. 

Easter Spending Expected to Hit $14 billion
American consumers are eager to celebrate Easter with their family and friends, with the tTotal holiday spending estimated to reach $14.37 billion, according to NRF’s 2007 Easter Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. This year, shoppers who are planning to celebrate Easter (79.5%) are expected to spend an average of $135.07, up 11% from last year’s $121.72 per person. 

$22B US Generic Drugs Industry by the Numbers
With the new Democratic Congress promising to lower health care costs, generic drug makers take on brand-name rivals to level the playing field, reports AP. Here are some key metrics and stats on the generic drugs market: 

U.S. Sales of Hybrid Vehicles Jump 28% to 254,545 in 2006; 1.5% of US Vehicles
U.S. sales of gas-electric hybrid vehicles rose 28% to 254,545 in 2006, but the rate of growth is starting to slow, according to a report by R.L. Polk & Co.  Hybrids accounted for about 1.5% of U.S. vehicle sales last year.  Toyota Prius led the segment with 42.8% of new registrations. 

12th-Graders Math Proficiency Falls; Reading Skills Lowest Since 1992: Study
The average U.S. 12th-grader reading score in 2006 was the lowest since 1992, while less than one-quarter (23 percent) of 12th-graders scored at or above the Proficient level in the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), according to The Nation’s Report Card. 

Venture-backed companies in US Account for 17% of GDP and 10 million Jobs: Study
U.S. companies that received venture capital from 1970-2005 accounted for 10 million jobs and $2.1 trillion in revenues in 2005, according to a study conducted by Global Insight for the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). This represents 9% of the total private sector work force and 16.6% of total U.S. GDP. Venture investment itself represents just 0.2% of U.S. GDP.  

Private Equity Bonus Scorecard 2006: Dealmaker
Private-equity funds continued to increase their dominant position on both ends of the domestic markets; they accounted for roughly one-fourth of M&A activity and sponsored more than 40% of all IPOs, with the time between purchase and sale often shrinking to mere months, reports Dealmaker magazine. 

Pre-money Valuation of VC-backed Startups Reaches $18.5 million in 2006, Highest Since 2000
The median pre-money valuation of U.S. venture-backed companies reached $18.5 million in 2006, compared to $15 million in 2005, according to VentureOne data. This is the highest median valuation since the peak of $25.1 million in 2000. 

Charitable Giving to Colleges Grew to a Record $28 billion; Top 20 Colleges and Sources
Charitable contributions to higher education grew 9.4% to a record $28 billion in the last academic year, according to a report by the Council for Aid to Education. Contributions to Stanford University rose 50% to top $911.6 million, the largest amount ever raised by a U.S. university in a year, according to the report.

ETF Assets Jump 1.1% to $422 billion in January; Set to Climb 40% in 2007 
The net amount of money invested in exchange traded funds climbed 1.1% or $4.5 billion in January to $422 billion, according to State Street Global Advisors, reports IBD. 

Affluent North Americans to Reach 37.7 million and $19 trillion in Assets by 2010
The population of affluent and wealthy individuals in North America will grow 24% to 37.7 million by 2010 from from 30.4 million in 2006, according to Celent. The report expects this affluent group to control over $19 trillion in assets by 2010. 

Identity Theft Loss Falls 12% to $49 billion in 2006
Americans lost about $49.3 billion in 2006 to identity theft criminals, a 11.5% decline from $55.7 billion identity theft loss in 2005, on increased vigilance among consumers and businesses, according to The 2007 Identity Fraud Survey Report by Javelin Strategy & Research. 

Brown urges new banks 'contract'
UK PM Gordon Brown tells a G20 summit there should be a new social contract with world banks to make them more responsible.

US jobless rate rises to over 10%
The US economy lost 190,000 jobs in October, taking the jobless rate above 10% for the first time since 1983.

eBay in Skype deal with founders
eBay settles a lawsuit with the founders of Skype, ending uncertainty over the future of the internet phone company.

AIG posts second quarterly profit
Insurer AIG reports its second straight quarterly profit since it was bailed out by the US government.

Treasury seeks RBS lending proof
The Treasury demands proof from bailed-out Royal Bank of Scotland that there is little demand for its business loans.

BA to cut 1,200 jobs amid losses
British Airways says it will cut its global workforce by an extra 1,200 as it reports a first-half loss for the first time.

Fannie Mae asks for another $15bn
US mortgage finance firm Fannie Mae asks for another $15bn in state aid after announcing heavy losses.

South Korea approves India deal
South Korea ratifies a free trade deal with India that will give the two Asian countries greater access to each other's markets.

Major economies 'all recovering'
Major economies are showing strong signs of recovery, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says.

Ukraine 'pays Russian gas bill'
Ukraine says it has paid its gas bill to Russia, calming fears that Europe may suffer disruptions to gas supplies.

G20 ministers meet in St Andrews
The world's most powerful finance ministers are in St Andrews for a summit aimed at pulling the global economy out of recession.

Craving for raw garlic sees Irish finance minister through crisis
An economist reveals Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan's unlikely fondness for munching on raw garlic.

Guidelines for financial journalists

Darling project
G20 finance ministers to pursue banking reform

Retro chic
Brands from East Germany still going strong 20 years on

Rapid descent
How did British Airways manage to fall so far?

Afghan resources
There is more than just poppy dollars in Afghanistan

Stalled engine
Has GM dealt German carmaker Opel a fatal blow?

Top Gunner
Will Arsenal director Stan Kroenke launch a takeover?

Australia raises growth forecasts
The Reserve Bank of Australia says the country is growing faster than it had expected.

US hits China pipes with tariffs
The United States imposes high anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese pipes as trade disputes mar the run-up to a bilateral summit.

US shares rise on business data
US shares rise strongly after official figures show business productivity has risen at its highest rate in six years.

More house price falls forecast
The recovery in UK house prices could be punctuated by a 6.6% drop in values next year, property group Savills forecasts.

Post union welcomes 'concessions'
The postal union says Royal Mail made "significant concessions" in an agreement which led it to call off planned strikes.

Pioneer shares up on smaller loss
Shares in Japanese electronics maker Pioneer rise 9% after the company announced smaller-than-expected losses.

F1 designer unveils electric car
A new sustainable electric car designed for city or town use is the result of a £9m investment programme.

UBS fined £8m by the UK regulator
The Financial Services Authority fines Swiss banking giant UBS £8m for failing to stop employees making unauthorised trades.

Personal insolvency rises by 28%
Personal insolvencies hit a record in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2009, with the total up 28% on a year ago.

Sugar firm to shut pension scheme
The Tate & Lyle sugar company becomes the latest to announce the closure of its final-salary pension scheme.

More policing of pedlars planned
Pedlars - who trade on the move - could face regulation by local authorities and instant fines if they flout the rules.

Housing association rents to fall
England's five million housing association tenants will get their first ever rent reduction from April because of deflation.

South Africa cancels Airbus deal
South Africa cancels a multi-billion dollar contract for eight military aircraft with Airbus, citing escalating costs.

Libyans 'unlikely' to compensate
A lawyer who has advised Libya in the past says it is unlikely victims of the IRA in NI will be compensated.

China defends export restrictions
China denies claims by the US, EU and Mexico that it is unfairly constraining exports of some raw materials.

JP Morgan agrees $75m bribe fine
US banking giant JP Morgan agrees to pay a fine of $75m to settle charges that it bribed officials in Alabama.

Carmaker Toyota eyes smaller loss
Carmaker Toyota cuts its annual loss forecast after announcing a return to profit in the most recent quarter.

Panasonic begins Sanyo takeover
Japanese electronics group Panasonic says it has begun the process to take over smaller rival Sanyo.

RBS bank reports losses of £2.2bn
Royal Bank of Scotland announces that it lost £2.2bn in the three months to the end of September.

Extra £25bn to stimulate UK economy
The Bank of England is to pump an extra £25bn into the economy but has kept interest rates unchanged at 0.5%.

Iraq in third overseas oil deal
Iraq reaches a deal with a consortium led by US oil giant Exxon Mobil to develop the country's West Qurna 1 oil field.

Iraq signs new overseas oil deal
Iraq's oil ministry signs an agreement with a consortium led by the Italian firm, ENI, to develop the Zubair oilfield.

Gold hits new high on India deal
The price of gold reaches an all-time high after a large sale of the precious commodity by the International Monetary Fund to India.

Bank comments hit Indian shares
India's leading shares slip 2% after the country's central bank says it is time to end some of its support measures.

Flu cases reach alert level, set to top 6 million
The cumulative number of people infected with influenza, in most cases H1N1 swine flu, since early July reached an estimated 5.85 million as of Nov. 1 and is set to top the 6 million mark soon, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases said Friday. An estimated 1.54 million people infected with influenza visited medical facilities nationwide during the latest reporting week of Oct. 26 to Nov. 1. (Japan Times)

Raising Japan's profile
Even before Yukio Hatoyama became Japan's prime minister this summer, his philosophy of yuai, an idea that translates loosely to "fraternal love," had been ridiculed. The conservative Sankei Shimbun newspaper worried about the concept's origins, tracing it back to the liberté, egalité, and fraternité of the French Revolution and comparing Hatoyama to a modern-day Robes-pierre, sans guillotine. The moderate newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun doubted something so lofty could be understood, much less applied, on a global level. And despite Hatoyama's assertion that his brand of fraternity is "combative," rooted as it is in revolution, his political opponents have derided it as impractical and "as mushy as ice cream." (NewsWeek)

Japan, Mekong region to cooperate on environmental protection
The leaders of Japan and five Mekong countries in Southeast Asia agreed Saturday to step up cooperation to protect the environment and tackle climate change over the next 10 years in an initiative to start "a Decade toward the Green Mekong." Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his counterparts from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam embraced the program in the Tokyo Declaration, adopted during the first summit meeting involving these countries that began Friday in the Japanese capital. (AP)

Is technology dumbing down Japanese?
The Japanese language is being transformed by blogs, e-mail and keitai shosetsu, or cellphone novels. Americans may fret over the ways digital communications encourage sloppy grammar and spelling, but in Japan these changes are much more wrenching. A vertically written language seems to be becoming increasingly horizontal. Novels are being written and read on little screens. People have gotten so used to typing on computers that they can no longer write characters by hand. And English words continue to infiltrate the language. Is Japanese getting simpler, easier or just worse? (New York Times)

Japan's high-tech cemeteries
Japan, known for cutting-edge technology as well as ancestor worship, is merging the two with the latest in the funereal: card-activated crypts. (Reuters)

Gunman in Japan 'wounds three, kills himself'
A gunman in Japan who said he was a gangster shot and wounded three people before killing himself Friday in Yokohama near Tokyo, police and news reports said. The man entered a real estate agency and said he was a member of a crime syndicate before he opened fire around 2:30 pm, wounding the three people, one of them seriously, police said. (AFP)

Scot honored for service to Japan
A Scotsman credited with preventing thousands of Japanese from dying of cholera in the 19th century is being officially honored in his hometown of Edinburgh. Officials have unveiled a stone bench to commemorate the important but little known life of William Burton, who redesigned a large part of Japan's crumbling water supply system in the late 19th century and thereby significantly improved the nation's public health. (Japan Times)

Baseball: Giants one win away after clutch homers
Yoshiyuki Kamei showed everyone why he won this year's new NPB award for dramatic home runs with a shot in the ninth inning of Game 5. Two batters later, Yomiuri Giants captain Shinnosuke Abe did him one better. Kamei sent the first pitch of the ninth flying into the seats in right field to tie the game and Abe hit a sayonara shot later in the inning to bring the Giants within a victory of the Japan Series title with a dramatic 3-2 win over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on Thursday at Tokyo Dome. (Japan Times)

Jobs, animation drive popularity of learning Japanese
Japanese-language study is growing in popularity overseas every year, especially in East Asia, driven by interest in animation and the desire to find work in Japan. According to a 2006 survey by the Japan Foundation, Japanese was being taught in 133 countries and territories throughout the world to an estimated 2.98 million people, an increase of 26.4 percent from three years before. (Japan Times)

Baseball: Matsui and the league that Ruth built
To the delight of fans back home in Tokyo, Hideki Matsui drove in six of the New York Yankees' seven runs in their World Series-winning victory Wednesday and became the first Japanese-born player to win a series Most Valuable Player award. For much of his career, Matsui was a star player for the Tokyo Giants. Matsui's key role in the series highlights the close ties between American and Japanese baseball. Playing in the Yankees' new stadium, the successor to the "House that Ruth Built," Matsui's performance brought to mind the key role that Babe Ruth played in the development of professional baseball in Japan. (CNN)

Japan pledges $5.5 bln for SEAsia's Mekong region
Japan on Friday pledged 5.5 billion dollars in aid over three years for Southeast Asia's five Mekong River nations, seeking to deepen ties with the region amid growing influence from China. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who has pushed the concept of an EU-style Asian community, announced the more than 500 billion yen in loans and grants to his counterparts from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. (AFP)

Mushroom collector in Japan finds woman's head
A Japanese man collecting mushrooms in a mountain area today found the severed head of a young woman, believed to be a college student missing since last month, news reports said. The man made the grisly find near the 1223-metre peak of Mount Garyu in the north of Hiroshima prefecture, where he was gathering wild mushrooms. (The Australian)

Death sentences upheld for two Japan doomsday cultists
A Japanese court rejected Friday the final appeals of two senior members of the doomsday cult behind the 1995 deadly sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, effectively putting them on death row. The Supreme Court's presiding judge Yukio Takeuchi rejected pleas by Toru Toyoda, 41, and Kenichi Hirose, 45, upholding previous verdicts by two lower courts that handed both the death sentence, Jiji Press reported. (mysinchew.com)

Sakurajima volcano picking up activity
The Sakurajima volcano in southwestern Japan has had 400 explosive eruptions so far this year, the most in 24 years, a local observatory said Friday, alerting people to a further pickup in the activity of the mountain. The Kagoshima Observatory said the number of minor explosive eruptions reached the threshold Thursday night and an expert says the recent Sakurajima activity is similar to that observed just ahead of a major eruption that occurred in 1946. (AP)

Suspect in murder of British woman had face-lift in Nagoya
A fugitive suspect in the 2007 murder of a British woman had cosmetic surgery at a clinic in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture last month, investigative sources said Wednesday. The Oct. 24 surgery is the first solid information in the ongoing hunt for Tatsuya Ichihashi, 30, who is wanted in connection with the murder of Lindsay Hawker, 22, a language teacher whose body was found at his apartment in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, since March 2007. (AP)

Baseball: Nippon Ham gets to Giants' Takahashi early, evens series 2-2
In a knock-down, drag-out struggle, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters pounded the body for a technical knockout. Eiichi Koyano had three hits, including a two-run double, and four RBIs, and cleanup man Shinji Takahashi went 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored as Nippon Ham outlasted the Yomiuri Giants 8-4 in Japan Series Game 4 on Wednesday before 45,133 at Tokyo Dome. (Yomiuri)

In Tokyo, nothing is too good for your pet
Whether you're looking for a birthday cake for your beagle, or oxygen therapy for your tabby, you can find countless ways to pamper your pet in Tokyo. Japan has become a nation of animal lovers. According to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association of Japan, the number of domestic cats and dogs in the country now stands at 26.8 million, up from 17.8 million 10 years ago. Many cafes and shops are now animal-friendly and there are several fun places for owners to take their furry friends out for a day on the town. (Japan Times)

Brad Pitt looking for new motorbike in Japan
Countless reports swarmed the cyberspace late last month claiming that Pitt was hit by a paparazzo while riding his motorcycle in Hollywood, California. Fortunately, the heartthrob of millions was not hurt, thanks to the helmet he was wearing at the time of the accident occurred on Oct. 24. The big bike fan Pitt, who is currently in Japan promoting his latest movie, "Inglourious Basterds," is now on the hunt for a new hog to replace his damaged one. (themoneytimes.com)

16-yr-old boy in grave condition after being hit by arrow between eyes
A 16-year-old boy practicing archery at a public hall in Tokyo's Meguro Ward was struck between the eyebrows Wednesday by an arrow shot by a 17-year-old boy from the same high school archery club, and is in serious condition, police said. The accident occurred around 4:45 p.m. when the two students at the private high school were practicing archery alone. The student who shot the 70-centimeter carbon arrow made an emergency call for an ambulance. (AP)

Japanese held for drug smuggling in Malaysia claims she was duped
A Japanese woman facing the death sentence for trafficking drugs into Malaysia claims she was duped by a Middle Eastern man into delivering what she thought were "books" to the country, an investigating officer said Wednesday. Mariko Takeuchi, a 35-year-old former nurse, was arrested last Friday at Kuala Lumpur International Airport upon arrival from Dubai. While scanning through three pieces of her luggage, Customs Department officers found 4.7 kilograms of methylamphetamine hidden under the lining of her bag. (AP)

Japan's economy was established upon human trafficking
Have you ever wonder why Japanese women appear to accept the sexism rampant in their own society? Have ever wonder why Japanese men are never blamed for enjokyosai or pedophilia in Japan? It is because sex trafficking is nothing but a mundane part of their own cultural identities, which they came to accept it as fact of life. What is more outrageous is that such culture of sex trafficking in Japan was originated and is persistently encouraged by the Japanese government today. (examiner.com)

Man held for attempted attack on Japanese embassy
A man has been arrested for allegedly planning to torch the Japanese embassy in the South Korean capital and to take staff hostage in protest at historical disputes, police said Thursday. The man identified only as Jang allegedly tried to break into the embassy Wednesday evening but was caught by police stationed nearby. (inquirer.net)

Matsui becomes first Japanese-born Series MVP
Hideki Matsui has the most curious habit at the plate. He never takes a practice swing once he steps into the batter's box. He saves all those meaty cuts for when he needs them. Matsui did all sorts of damage Wednesday night, setting a record with six RBIs in a World Series clincher and leading the New York Yankees over the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 Wednesday night. His performance won Game 6 -- and clinched the MVP trophy. (Sports Illustrated)

NEC offers eyewear translator
Most eyewear improves vision or cuts through solar glare, but a new gadget from Japan may soon sharpen linguistic skills and cut down language barriers instead, inventors said Thursday. High-tech company NEC has come up with a device that it says will allow users to communicate with people of different languages. Shaped like a pair of eye-glasses, but without the lenses, the computer-assisted Tele Scouter would use an imaging device to project almost real-time translations directly onto the user's retina. (AFP)

Asia's best coffee - Japan
Coffee (pronounced koh-hii in Japanese) is now one of Japan's favorite beverages. But it took a few centuries to catch on, and it's highly likely that before the modernization of the country during the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), Japan's tea drinkers were simply not ready for coffee. That changed with Westernization, and Japan's wholesale embrace of such things as meat eating, Western philosophies of aesthetics, jazz, short skirts, beer halls and coffee. Canned coffee -- the single-serving variety sold hot or cold, mostly from the country's five-million-odd vending machines -- is another aspect of the culture that, while not exclusive to Japan, is conspicuously Japanese. (Wall Street Journal)

South East Asian government and business hails arrest of Hamadi
The arrest of Riduan bin Isomuddin alias Hamadi in Thailand can only be good news for business in South East Asia. Hamadi was responsible for severe damage to the economies of much of South East Asia, by instilling fear in foreign and local investors, increasing country risk and insecurity, driving away tourism dollars, and slowing down the participation of many South East Asian countries in the global economy.

Thailand visa fees to increase substantially
Thailand visa fees for tourism, business and residency purposes will rise by around 100 to 400 percent in late August 2003. While such fees may not represent a significant increase in business travel or tourism costs overall, it makes Thai visa fees in many cases (depending on length of stay) similar or significantly higher than those for neighbouring countries Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, canceling out a previous competitive advantage for Thailand.

Asia Pacific to provide highest economic growth of any global region through 2007
The Economist Intelligence Unit predicts 5.9 percent annual economic growth for the Asia Pacific ex Japan through 2007, making the region the fastest-growing globally. However this growth is not evenly spread, with China and India leading the charge, while other Asian economies struggle or show limited growth.

Blast rocks J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta Indonesia
Jakarta's J.W. Marriott hotel was the scene of an explosion today, just as Indonesia and the Indonesian economy was recovering from the Bali incident and leaders receiving praise for their fight against terrorism.

Strange Sunday in Makati
There’s an eerie parallel with today's military rebellion in the Philippines with the Cory years - a female leader swept into office by People Power swears to clean up corruption, but somehow never quite delivers and things just get more and more crooked. Bottom line - nobody's delivering pizza in Makati, Manila's financial district, tonight...

Competitiveness Rankings sees South East Asia on the rise
Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are the rising stars of the IMD's World Competitiveness Scorecard for 2003 published in their yearbook last week. At the same time traditional lean and mean Scandinavian economies which have dominated the rankings since their inception, as well as the mature East Asian economies, seem to be losing their competitive advantage.

SARS and ASEAN: Some facts - Some perspective
In the lead-up to the ASEAN SARS summit in Bangkok Thailand this week, a call for some perspective. SARS is not so much an Asian problem, but a world-wide and China and Singapore problem. China, Singapore and Hong Kong distinguish themselves by high incidence levels and local transmission. Incidence and local transmission among other countries, Western and Asian alike, is much lower, at least for the moment. And latest data suggests that the peak of new infections, especially outside China, may have been reached.

Why when China sneezed, the world caught a cold
It used to be said that when the US sneezed, Asia caught a cold, usually referring to the economic health of the US, based on the importance of that market both to the dependence of Asian manufacturers on US imports, and the central place of the US economy and investment on the global economy. However in the case of the SARS virus, for maybe the first time of many, the reverse is true.

Iraq: The view from Washington - Washington Square that is - Bangkok Thailand
The view on the Iraq war from Washington - Washington Square that is - Bangkok Thailand - is at once predictable and surprising. There is much agreement on the 'need' or 'justification' for the US triggering a war with Iraq that many thought unnecessary for example. After all many regulars here have suffered from risking their lives and seeing mates lost in the cause of 'freedom' and 'democracy'.

Malaysia and the Iraq War
Malaysians are predominantly anti the Iraq war. And that's a under-statement. For the first time in living memory the Iraq war has unified the ruling Barisan Nasional government and their bitter rivals the fundamentalist PAS party. So much so that members from both political groups staged a demonstration outside the US embassy yesterday. It was a small gathering or perhaps 100 or so, but in Malaysian terms it was significant.

Will a war against Iraq reduce terrorism - or increase it?
Bush's tilts against the UN, accusing it of irrelevance and losing credibility, as well as statements that continue to emphasize that the US will go it alone in Iraq if necessary, does little to convince many that this war is more about terrorism and protecting the world than it is about increasing US power and influence by force of arms.

Building a Brand and Losing Your Shirt
In Asian countries where competition, individual achievement and standing out from the rest are not among the most important values, there are typically few well known brands. Still, Asian marketers have always understood the need to persuade and compete in their advertising messages.

Bali tourism on the road to recovery
There is optimism all around for the Bali tourism industry as international and regional travel and professional organizations rally around to choose Bali for their 2003 meetings strengthening the MICE market and reinforcing confidence in Bali. There are strong signs of recovery in the holiday and incentive sectors as well.

Malaysiakini: Not the Messiah - just a very naughty boy
To the Malaysian ruling government, MalaysiaKini is not the Messiah of the Press - he's just a very naughty boy...

MalaysiaKini press release on police raid on offices
Malaysiakini press release dated Jan 20th 2003 on the police raid and confiscation of Malaysiakini computers following a complaint lodged against the newspaper by the ruling government's youth wing.

China fuels energy cold war
Driven by the lack of a coherent multilateral approach to energy security in Asia and by China's already tense relations with neighboring states, competition for energy resources may prove to be the spark for regional and international conflict. Ultimately, this would bring China into confrontation with the world's largest energy consumer, the US. - Chietigj Bajpaee

Cornering the dragon
The goals of confrontationists in the Bush administration are to ring China with military bases, support Taiwanese independence, and work for the fall of the Communist Party. In short, corner the dragon.

Bush has a clear run at Syria
Despite the highly questionable assertions that form the basis of President George W Bush's antipathy toward Syria, there have been no serious challenges to his views on Capitol Hill: Bush appears to have few obstacles should he once again choose to lead his country to war.

Asians kick Big Tobacco in the butt
It was a formidable challenge: slow the poisoning of Asians by foreign cigarettes without poisoning multilateral trade ties. But the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control became a reality over the weekend, and it could be a landmark achievement not just for human health in Asia, but also for long-term economic well-being. - Alan Boyd

SOUTHEAST ASIA:
Thailand wants to become the "gold standard" in the drive to snuff out smoking.

Commentary - by Francesco Sisci Black holes and rogue states
The US, having dealt with one "rogue" state, Iraq, now has its sights set on Iran, and to a lesser extent on North Korea. This is a dangerous strategy because, by dealing with a rogue state, what in effect is created is a lawless geopolitical black hole that offers terrorists a sanctuary they would otherwise not have had.

SOUTH ASIA:
Delhi put a dent in Kabul's dreams about a pipeline project. - Sudha Ramachandran Bangladesh could be coming out of denial on Islamic miliancy.

CENTRAL ASIA:
Europe is unfazed by a uranium deal signed by Russia and Iran.

KOREA:
North Korea may need to rescue the South from its too-rapid aging. - Jeffrey Robertson SPEAKING FREELY: Forget the "Libya model" for Pyongyang. - Yoshinori Takeda

CHINA:
Hong Kong is already anxious about its next chief executive, as is Beijing. - Qiu Xin

MIDDLE EAST:
Long suppressed by Saddam Hussein, the Shi'ite Da'wa Party has risen from the ashes.

China's takeover battle in a tangled web
China's leading online game operator Shanda seemed poised to take over top portal Sina and create a national Internet giant. But Sina's poison pill may signal "game over" and set the stage for a global bidding war. - Gary LaMoshi

Boom time for India's primary share market
Indian share markets have experienced an unprecedented bull run over the past two years, thanks mainly to young investors who are willing to wait. This is also one of the reasons initial public offerings are doing so well. - Indrajit Basu

Philippines follows Argentina's debt path
Public-sector debt default is looming in the Philippines, where just as in Argentina, the risk of default is being driven by social revolt and weak governance. - Jephraim P Gundzik

Daily Forex Commentary
There were more bad signs for the US dollar, but there were bad signs for the euro, too. Both had their backers and their detractors. Who's right? - Jack Crooks

Asia Times Online Community
Discuss any of the articles above on The Edge - your forum for incisive global discussion.

Index shrugs off US gloom
LONDON FTSE 100 CLOSE 5,142.7 +17.1

Erikka Askeland: Punk rocks the City, but if you like your beer it may well pay
YOU may be surprised to hear it, but being a business journalist in the pub does not always make you the most called-upon life of the party.

Terry Murden: These days printing a mere £25bn signals calm
INJECTING £25 billion into the economy at any other time would seem extraordinary. The fact that some forecasters saw it as only half the expected amount tells us how fearful

Wall Street helps Footsie cause
LONDON FTSE 100 CLOSE 5,125.6 +17.8

One to Watch: Tullow spreads risks
Tullow Oil 1,233p +23p Scotsman says BUY

Scripps cuts deal for Travel Channel
Business News: Company acquires 65% of network from Cox -- They've got the home improvement, gardening and cooking enthusiasts locked up, and now Scripps Networks Interactive will be a player in the vacation and leisure arena after cutting a megabucks deal with Cox Communications to acquire a majority stake in the Travel Channel.

Microsoft cuts more jobs
Business News: Company to lay off 800 more employees -- Microsoft Corp. says it is cutting 800 more jobs. That's in addition to the 5,000 layoffs it announced in January.

Wall Street wary of Comcast
Business News: Cable giant may fork over $4-6 billion to GE -- Comcast posted solid third-quarter earnings, but many on Wall Street remain unimpressed.

John Chong: Leader of the pack
Business News: Exec uses Hollywood biz models to create company -- Sometimes your first love is the one that sticks in your memory.

Time Warner profits take a tumble
Business News: Decline at AOL, Time Inc. responsible for drop -- Jeff Bewkes is eagerly looking forward to the day when Time Warner's fortunes will turn on content alone.

Turner to launch TruTV in Asia
Business News: Company poised to expand portfolio -- Turner is poised to expand its Asian portfolio with the launch of its TruTV cable net across Asia.

Channel 4, BBCW deal fails to fly
Business News: Duncan admits defeat as tenure draws to close -- The outgoing head of U.K. web Channel 4 has thrown in the towel over a tie-up with BBC Worldwide, the pubcaster's commercial arm, which he hoped would help solve Channel 4's "funding gap."

Imageworks tools deal with Foundry
Business News: Duo move forward in field of software tools -- Sony Pictures Imageworks and software maker the Foundry have struck a technology-sharing agreement that marks a significant step forward in the standardization of visual effects software tools.

Sony's losses less than expected
Business News: Electronics giant racks up net loss of $289 mil -- Sony has reported yet another quarter of losses -- its fourth straight -- though the pain is less than analysts predicted.

Till completes Icon switch
Business News: Former Polygram chief acquires distrib company -- Former Polygram chief Stewart Till has completed his drawn-out deal to acquire the U.K.-based international sales and distribution operations of Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey's Icon Group.

CCC, Geo gear up DVD rental machines
Business News: Duo to launch venture later this month -- Culture Convenience Club and Geo Corp. are gearing up to install DVD rental machines in locations around the country, according to the Nikkei newspaper.

WGA issues dire outlook for news biz
Business News: Guild presses federal government for more support -- WGA East has issued a gloomy outlook for the news business and urged the government to provide more support for public broadcasting.

EFP backs films at AFM
Business News: Org heads to market with Media Program coin -- Pic support org European Film Promotion will head to Santa Monica's American Film Market next week with extra coin from the European Union's Media Program.

TV orgs to help disabled filmmakers
Business News: Loreen Arbus donates to ATAS for scholarship -- Two TV industry foundations have teamed to launch a scholarship for filmmakers with disabilities.

MTV taps Sarah Tomassi Lindman
Business News: She will serve as exec VP of program strategy -- MTV has tapped Sarah Tomassi Lindman to serve as the cabler's new exec VP of program strategy.

FCC taps ex-journo Steven Waldman
Business News: Beliefnet co-founder to head media initiative -- Steven Waldman, former journo and co-founder of Beliefnet, has been tapped by the FCC to lead an initiative designed to assess "the state of media in these challenging economic times."

Russian ad spending shows growth
Business News: AdMonitor reports rise in third quarter -- The Russian advertising market shrank 30% from 184 billion rubles ($6.3 billion) to $4.3 billion in the first nine months of the year vs. the same period in 2008.

Smith to exit CBS Interactive post
Business News: Executive moves to advisory role -- Quincy Smith left his gig as an investment banker at Allen & Co. three years ago to join CBS with the mandate of making the Eye a player in digital media.

SAG rejects tentative videogame deal
Business News: Guild asks companies to return to bargaining table -- Screen Actors Guild thesps have thrown a wrench into the world of videogame voice work, rejecting a tentative deal for a new contract and asking employers to return to the bargaining table.

VOD site Voddler bows in Sweden
Business News: Company signs deals with Paramount, Disney -- Video-on-demand service Voddler launched in Sweden Wednesday, offering a service comparable to Hulu.

Linux Q&A with Microsoft
Microsoft responds to questions on TCO, indemnification, and the value proposition of Linux.

Opening the Desktop
Companies such as KeyCorp are evaluating the impact of the Firefox browser.

Time to IIT: Inter-Institutional Transfers Catch On
The hows and whys of integrating Inter-Institutional Transfers (IITs) into online banking.

Reg NMS was just re-released last week and the document surprised everyone, notes Larry Tabb, CEO of the Tabb Group and Contributing Editor to WS&T. Tabb offers his perspective on the regulation, pointing out its winners and losers. "While this may sound tame, it has the teeth of a shark," he says, "and for better or worse it will shred many current market practices."

http://www.informationweek.com/
The SEC voted yesterday to publish its reproposed version of Reg NMS for public comment. The revised regulation limits price-protection to automated quotes; prohibits sub-penny pricing; promotes uniform inter-market access via private linkages; and authorizes market centers to distribute their own data independently of the joint-industry plans.

The NYSE Revamps Floor Broker Technology
The NYSE is giving floor brokers new wireless handheld PCs to participate in a hybrid market subject to SEC approval. The project is a big win for IBM.

Phillips Says It One More Time: PeopleSoft Customers, We Love You
Oracle plans to port its database software to IBM's iSeries server in a bid to keep J.D. Edwards software users in the fold.

Think Like a CFO, Part II: Formulating Answers
After years of relative autonomy, senior IT executives at insurance companies are finding themselves increasingly under the thumb of tech-savvy CFOs charged with reducing costs. To succeed in this new environment, CIOs must prepare to address tough questions that go beyond the traditional IT domain.

Effective Agent Enablement
Providing the people who sell policies with tools that enhance their effectiveness is essential to carriers' success. And because these improvements make possible a higher level of customer service, they can also help to ensure increased customer retention and loyalty.

When you have the chops but lack the diploma
I do a job that, in many organizations, requires a master's degree. I do not have one, but I do have 25 years of experience doing this job. I've been at my new company about a month, and a few co-workers have made comments like, "So you're not really a [job title]" when they find out I don't have a...

Nation's jobless rate tops 10 percent
The jump in the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, reported Friday, suggests that the job market could take longer than expected to recover and deepens the pressure on President Obama to come up with more immediate solutions.

What is the true value of the United States' gold?
Buried in the Treasury's International Reserve Position report is an intriguing bit of math. The document details the total amount, by weight, of the Treasury's gold reserves, plus a dollar value for said metal. But some fast division reveals something interesting: The Treasury marks the value of...

Credit card reforms mean mailings to consumers may include big changes
Clear out the holiday catalogues, the Christmas cards and the coupons, and your mailbox may look less than festive. Now that the credit card industry is required to warn you about any changes they're planning, you should be scrutinizing what you think is only junk mail.

The Color of Money: MoneyGram settles charges of abetting fraud
In one of the largest consumer payouts of its type, MoneyGram International has agreed to fork over $18 million to the Federal Trade Commission to settle charges that it knowingly allowed con artists to use its operation to swindle U.S. consumers out of millions of dollars.

Limit loss by studying up on volatility
Want to avoid big fund losses the next time the stock market falls on its keister? Spend a few minutes learning about the concept of volatility.

Investing books that just keep paying dividends
Boost your investor IQ with a good book. Here are five to check out:

Featured Advertiser

Don't wire money to . . .
-- A stranger -- in this country or anywhere else.

Politics & The Nation
1 killed, 5 wounded in Orlando shooting A2 Painting a street green hasn't stimulated one new job A3

Corrections
-- Steven Pearlstein's column in the Nov. 6 Economy & Business pages incorrectly referred to "uncomfortably high employment." It should have read "uncomfortably high unemployment."

Democrats round up health bill votes
House Democratic leaders pushed with mounting confidence Friday toward a historic vote on expanding the nation's health-care system, and President Obama joined an intense last-minute lobbying campaign to pick up the last few votes needed to secure the measure's passage.

One killed, five wounded in Orlando shooting
ORLANDO -- To those who lived near Jason Rodriguez, the unemployed man charged with shooting six people, killing one, in an Orlando high-rise building Friday, the warning signs were there.

Chinese company to buy a stake in AES
AES, the Arlington-based power generating company, said Friday it would raise $2.2 billion for new projects by selling 15 percent of its stock and more than a third of its wind-generation business to a unit of China's sovereign wealth fund.

Cheery reports on productivity, jobless claims lift stocks
Stocks climbed Thursday as investors cheered improving economic data, including a surge in worker productivity and a stronger-than-expected weekly unemployment claims report.

Panel says evidence is insufficient to know effectiveness of abstinence programs
Sex-education programs that encourage teens to delay sexual activity and teach them about contraception cut risky sexual behavior, increase condom use and lower the chances of getting the AIDS virus and other infections, a panel of independent experts concluded in a report released Friday.

Basement condo? Busy road? It's a tough sell.
Gus Drakakis's single-family brick colonial didn't seem like it would be an easy sell. Yes, it was in good condition. And yes, it was remodeled.

Honor rules, CDC urges vendors of H1N1 vaccine
As the public clamors for the still-scarce H1N1 pandemic flu vaccine, a top federal health official on Thursday urged state and local health departments to be on the lookout for the possible diversion of the vaccine to people who don't yet qualify for it.

Featured Advertiser

Recession roommates
A one-bedroom apartment is not a lot of space for Julie Beers, her 2-year-old daughter, a golden retriever and a black Lab.

Putting 'good faith' back in closing
Remember the bad old days of 11th-hour mortgage settlement cost shocks and mystery junk fees? Remember when the "good-faith estimates" your lender gave you upfront said closing costs would be about $2,000, but somehow they ballooned to $3,500 on the final settlement sheet?

Holiday sales could launch e-book readers as mass-market must-haves
Technology is stalking your bookcase. It has already taken over your photo albums and emptied your film canisters. It overwhelmed your music collection and flooded Goodwill with CD towers. It canceled your newspaper subscription. (Sniff, tear.) And now, digital evangelicals believe technology is ...

Fed stands by rock-bottom interest rates for near future
Federal Reserve leaders are sticking with their policy of very low interest rates for some time to come, they indicated Wednesday, but gave new details of the factors they will use to decide when to change course.

Companies sitting on piles of cash
In the summer of 2008, steel giant Nucor decided to raise some cash. It issued new shares of stock and floated some corporate bonds. As financial markets crumbled, the company ignored pleas from some investors and analysts that it buy back shares, which are now selling for about half their peak.

House votes to extend jobless benefits, expand home buyers' tax credit
Congress gave final approval Thursday for an additional $24 billion to help the jobless and support the housing market as climbing unemployment poses a growing liability for elected officials.

Retailers post best sales month since July 2008
The retail industry posted solid sales increases last month compared with the previous year, according to data released Thursday, but performance among chain stores was uneven as shoppers become increasingly picky about where they spend their money.

SBA bailouts draw little attention despite high expected default rate
A federal bailout of AIG last year attracted angry protesters who for weeks gathered outside the insurance giant's headquarters in New York and stalked company executives at their homes.

Senate Democrats disregard GOP boycott to pass greenhouse gas emissions bill
Disregarding a Republican boycott, Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed legislation Thursday that would impose a mandatory curb on greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmental groups debate new tack in climate-change fight
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- A curious debate has broken out among American environmental groups, as the Senate balkily starts to focus on the threat of climate change.

Allied Capital posts 7th straight quarterly loss
Allied Capital reported a third-quarter loss of $140.7 million (79 cents a share) as the publicly traded investment firm took a $117 million expense to restructure its debt in a tight borrowing climate.

14 charged with insider trading
NEW YORK -- The largest insider-trading case in a generation intensified on Thursday as federal authorities charged 14 people on Wall Street, including hedge fund executives, a lawyer and company insiders, with netting more than $20 million in illegal profits.

Color of Money: Adult children's finances can be parents' business
I'll be the first to admit that I'm a hovering parent, especially when it comes to the money my children get and spend.

FHA delays the release of disputed audit of its finances
The Federal Housing Administration abruptly delayed the release of a long-awaited independent audit of the financial soundness of the agency, citing potential problems with the accuracy of some of the study's economic models.

As Black & Decker chief steps aside, he declines golden parachuteNo golden parachute as Black & Decker chief takes next step
As head of Black & Decker for 24 years, Nolan D. Archibald was due a little parachute in case of severance. When the Maryland power-tool maker decided to merge with its rival Stanley Works this week, Archibald was entitled to open it and float away with $20.5 million.

Inability to lower taxes helped cost Gov. Corzine his job
TOMS RIVER, N.J. -- In the end, Republican Chris Christie was propelled into the New Jersey governorship by the same force that pushed him so far ahead in early polls in the year-long campaign: angry, widespread resentment over the state's finances, especially the property taxes that incumbent Jo...

Local Digest: AOL income fell 50 percent in quarter
AOL's operating income fell 50 percent in the third quarter, as the Time Warner unit continued to face declines in the number of subscribers and revenue.

House leaders prepare for rare Saturday vote on health-care bill
House leaders put in motion the machinery to hold a rare Saturday vote on the most far-reaching expansion of the health-care system in more than 40 years.

Business Digest: Verizon Wireless to double its cancellation fees
With a whole new line of smart phones coming onto the market, Verizon Wireless said that starting November 15 it is doubling to $350 the penalty fees for subscribers who leave their contracts early.

Pick to be U.N. point man on financial reform seeks to reassure lawmakers
Jide J. Zeitlin, a former Goldman Sachs executive nominated to be the U.S. point man on financial reform at the United Nations, told a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee Wednesday that financial and legal troubles he faced as a private investor would have no bearing on his ability to impose fi...

Featured Advertiser

Senate votes to renew tax credit for first-time home buyers
The Senate voted Wednesday to renew the government's $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers through the first six months of next year as part of a broader bill designed to extend unemployment benefits.

J.P. Morgan settles SEC case over Alabama municipal bonds
J.P. Morgan Chase agreed to a $722 million settlement with federal regulators over accusations that the bank and two former executives made illegal payments to win municipal bond business from Jefferson County, Ala.

Republican victories in Va., N.J. hinged on economic worries
Voters worried about jobs and the shaky economy helped drive Republican gubernatorial victories in Virginia and New Jersey, according to exit polls, adding political urgency to Democratic efforts to combat the nation's surging unemployment rate.

GM decision to keep Opel angers German government, unions
German government and labor union leaders Wednesday blasted General Motors' decision to cancel the sale of a majority stake in its Opel division, but GM assured them that its own restructuring plan for Opel would closely resemble the one that would have been carried out if auto parts giant Magna...

Obesity, poor education big obstacles to military recruiting
It's tough enough selling military service to teenagers who might not be so keen on getting their heads shaved or buy the whole "we do more by 9 a.m." line. And the fact that enlisting today could very well mean a visit to the front lines doesn't help, either.

Buffett places big bet with $34 billion railway purchase
Berkshire Hathaway chairman and world's second-richest man Warren Buffett said Tuesday that his $34 billion purchase of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is a bet on America's future.

Chrysler 'intertwined' with Fiat as it lays out recovery plan
AUBURN HILLS, MICH. -- After coming closer to annihilation than either of its U.S. rivals earlier this year, Chrysler laid out its recovery plan Wednesday, with company officials saying they intend to repay the government bailout loans by 2014 and restore to glory this "great American brand."

N.Y. files antitrust lawsuit against Intel
NEW YORK -- New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo filed an antitrust suit against Intel on Wednesday, accusing the world's largest chipmaker of illegally threatening computer makers and paying them billions of dollars in kickbacks to stop using chips made by rivals.

Steven Pearlstein: Business v. labor story getting old
In the American narrative on global competitiveness, there are two enduring story lines.

Policies sought to add jobs without piling on the deficit
NEW YORK -- With the nation's unemployment rate at its highest point in 26 years and projected to rise, the Obama administration is intensifying its search for policies that can stoke job creation without adding significantly to the nation's crippling budget deficit.

Airport board raises rates for Dulles Toll Road
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board voted Wednesday to double rates on the Dulles Toll Road by 2012, setting aside objections from commuters.

Senate moderates wield influence to seek changes to health-care reform
Moderate lawmakers are exerting their outsize influence in the divided Senate to secure changes to health-care reform legislation, potentially adding more delays to a bill that has already missed several announced deadlines.

Some experts worry that cost controls in health-care reform are too cautious
Democrats in Congress are embracing the spirit of President Obama's call to slow the runaway rise of health-care costs but are shying away from some of the most aggressive techniques for achieving that.

Bolling wins reelection in race for lieutenant governor
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) cruised to reelection Tuesday in Virginia, proving the wisdom of an early decision to step aside for Robert F. McDonnell's bid for governor and run a campaign that moved the GOP closer to the middle of the ideological spectrum.

GM backs out of Opel sale
The General Motors board voted Tuesday to keep its Opel division, abruptly reversing an earlier decision to sell a majority stake in the European automaker to Magna International and its Russian partner, Sberbank.

Digest: Madoff's auditor pleads guilty to fraud
LEGAL Bernard L. Madoff's longtime auditor pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges Tuesday, saying he failed to do his job to verify the disgraced money manager's records but did not know Madoff was running a massive Ponzi scheme.

Featured Advertiser

Obama nominee on U.N. financial reform has faced business and legal problems
UNITED NATIONS -- Jide J. Zeitlin, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker who has been nominated as the U.S. point man for financial reform at the United Nations, has faced some financial setbacks and clashes as a private investor, including legal complications involving a telecommunications...

Small public firms win audit exemption with White House help
A House committee, under pressure from the White House, voted Tuesday to exempt small public companies from part of a federal law designed to prevent financial fraud, despite objections from regulators and key Democratic leaders.

Federal Diary: Praise for the Thrift Savings Plan
During these highly partisan and contentious times, it's not every day that Democrats and Republicans, labor and management, and workers and retirees find themselves on the same side of an issue. But that was generally the situation Tuesday when the Thrift Savings Plan for federal workers was mos...

Shinseki cites plight, plan to help homeless veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs laid out Tuesday an ambitious five-year goal of curbing the number of homeless veterans, pledging $3.2 billion to an issue that is more rapidly affecting those who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars than by any from past conflicts.

German Chancellor Merkel urges U.S. to act on climate change
German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Congress and the Obama administration Tuesday to take bold steps to address global warming, even as Senate Democrats and Republicans feuded over whether to press ahead with a climate bill.

Mall fair packs in unemployed shopping for jobs
Hundreds of people thronged a job fair at the Westfield Wheaton shopping mall on Tuesday in hopes of finding employment before the holiday season -- and the accompanying bills -- set in.

Local Digest
LEGAL

Health Care Rx panelists debate the costs of Congress's reform bills
Excerpts from Health Care Rx, where experts debate their policy prescriptions for the health-care system. For the full discussion, go to http://views.washingtonpost.com/healthcarerx.

Ford Motor Co. reports $1 billion profit for third quarter
Ford, the only major American automaker to avert bankruptcy and spurn a government bailout, signaled its growing strength Monday, posting a third-quarter profit of about $1 billion and lifting hopes that the U.S. industry can recover.

Featured Advertiser

Dodd to go alone with draft for financial reform
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) plans to circulate a draft bill of sweeping financial reforms as soon as next week that breaks with the Obama administration and the House on two key issues, officials said.

British government moves to downsize bailed-out U.K. banks
LONDON -- The British government is moving to break up parts of major financial institutions bailed out by taxpayers, with a restructuring plan expected to be unveiled as soon as Tuesday. The move highlights a growing divide across the Atlantic over how to deal with the massive banks partially...

Crisis culprits helping lead recovery
Two sectors that led the collapse of the economy over the past two years -- manufacturing and housing -- are now emerging as among the biggest drivers of growth, which was underscored by new data published Monday.

Black & Decker to merge with Stanley
Black & Decker, struggling amid a sales slump resulting from a dramatic slowdown in construction, said Monday it would merge with rival Stanley Works in a $4.5 billion deal joining two of America's best-known tool manufacturers.

British government downsizes bailed-out U.K. banks
LONDON -- The British government announced Tuesday that it will break up parts of major financial institutions bailed out by taxpayers, highlighting a growing divide across the Atlantic over how to deal with the massive banks that were partially nationalized during the height of the financial...

Will the Supreme Court protect your money from excessie mutual fund fees?
Yesterday the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case on excessive compensation in the financial services industry. Commentators looking for a news hook are analogizing the case to the current debate about excessive pay on Wall Street and the legality of government measures to regulate compensati...

Army contractor in Iraq is warned to cut workforce
The Army's primary support contractor in Iraq has been warned by Pentagon auditors to cut its workforce there or face nearly $200 million in penalties for keeping thousands too many on the payroll.

Value Added: A small niche in collectible coins grows into a $5 million mini-empire
Jeffery Morin's memorabilia business in Stafford probably isn't the next Google or eBay, but I love the 27-year-old's story because it's about a regular guy who saw an online opportunity and went for it.

Deal for schizophrenia drug Fanapt 13 years in making for Vanda Pharmaceuticals
Early next year, if all goes according to plan, doctors will be able to prescribe a new antipsychotic drug for patients with schizophrenia. When that happens, investors in a local pharmaceutical firm will surely breathe a sigh of relief.

Lender CIT Group files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
NEW YORK -- CIT Group, a major lender to small and medium-size businesses, filed for bankruptcy protection Sunday afternoon, a process that almost certainly will wipe out the federal government's $2.3 billion investment in the company.

North Korea military asserts command over nation's economy
SEOUL -- North Korea's military, whose nuclear program vexes the Obama administration, has grabbed nearly complete command of the nation's state-run economy and staked out a lucrative new trade in mineral sales to China to make money for its supreme commander, Kim Jong Il.

Politics digest: Health care, climate change
After months of criticizing Democrats' health-care proposals without offering one of their own, House Republicans are preparing to unveil a reform bill this week to compete with the majority's ideas.

Some Democrats concerned over abortion provision in health bill
While House leaders are moving toward a vote on health-care legislation by the end of the week, enough Democrats are threatening to oppose the measure over the issue of abortion to create a question about its passage.

Supreme Court to hear NLRB case
The Supreme Court said Monday that it will decide whether two people can do the work of five when it comes to resolving labor-management disputes in the workplace.

Local Digest
EARNINGS

Business Digest: U.S. auto investment probably lost, GAO says
AUTOMOTIVE Taxpayers are unlikely to recover their full investment in General Motors or Chrysler, U.S. government investigators said Monday in the latest review to cast doubts that the government will recoup the $80 billion it poured into the two automakers.

Featured Advertiser

Deals: Davis mutual fund firm lowers fees
It's fun writing about Wall Street's greedheads and tax dodgers. But every once in a while, I get to write about something positive -- and unpublicized -- that some Wall Street types have done. Today's reversal of the Street's natural order involves Davis Advisers.

Report says aid kept, added 7,000 D.C. area education jobs
Federal economic recovery aid for education has created or saved more than 7,000 jobs in the District, Maryland and Virginia, according to a report by the government board assigned to keep track of stimulus spending, part of about 400,000 jobs preserved nationwide.

Goldman seeks to buy Fannie Mae assets
Goldman Sachs is proposing to buy millions of dollars in assets from struggling mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae, an offer a recent Treasury Department analysis found would not be advantageous for taxpayers, people familiar with the matter said.

Justices tackle case on investment fees
Several Supreme Court justices on Monday seemed reluctant to make the courts arbiters of whether mutual fund investment advisers are charging excessive fees for their work on what has become an essential investment tool for Americans.

U.S. sees shortage of ammunition
In a year of job losses, foreclosures and bag lunches, Americans have spent record-breaking amounts of money on guns and ammunition. The most obvious sign of their demand: empty ammunition shelves.

Fed gives Wall Street a deadline on pay plan
NEW YORK -- Summoned to the ornate Lower Manhattan headquarters of the New York Federal Reserve building on Monday, Wall Street's top bankers were given a Feb. 1 deadline to submit proposals for how they plan to improve their pay practices, people with knowledge of the meeting said.

Lupus drug headed to FDA
Rockville-based Human Genome Sciences announced Monday that its experimental lupus drug has completed its final round of testing at a higher dose and will be headed to the Food and Drug Administration for approval.

Despite Bloomberg's lead, New Yorkers have misgivings
NEW YORK -- As Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg campaigns for reelection, some of his steadiest supporters include people like Freddy Batista: a man with mixed feelings.

Senate climate bill faces challenges
The climate-change bill that has been moving slowly through the Senate will face a stark political reality when it emerges for committee debate on Tuesday: With Democrats deeply divided on the issue, unless some Republican lawmakers risk the backlash for signing on to the legislation, there is al...

Retirement can be only as secure as your retirement home
Is your retirement secure? For some people who thought they had taken care of everything, the answer may be riding on another question: Is your retirement community secure?

Frank says overdraft protection should be 'opt-in'
Bank overdraft fees as high as $39 on debit card transactions aren't "favors" for consumers if they haven't asked for them, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank said.

Keep pet expenses on a short leash
Pet owners spent $43.2 billion on their animals in 2008, according to the American Pet Products Association. This year, despite the recession, they are expected to spend 5 percent more. But your furry (or scaly, slimy or feathery) loved one's health and happiness doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Numbers big (joblessness) and small (interest)
This week is as big as they come for economic news.

Larry Prior
Position: President and chief operating officer of ManTech International, a provider of technologies and services for national security programs.

INSIDER TRANSACTIONS

Appointments
The Washington Group of MassMutual of Bethesda named Adolph W. Ebersberger Jr. to its financial services agency.

Bankruptcies
These firms recently filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court's local court clerk's offices.

Depression diary: When the banks went dark
Eighty years ago this week, the United States experienced the worst meltdown of the stock market in the nation's history. As the effects of the crash rippled through the broader economy, banks began closing their doors in record numbers.

FACE TIME
MONDAY Increasing Audience Engagement. A seminar for nonprofit organizations and agencies on strategies for creating user-focused Web sites to increase audience engagement. 8 to 11 a.m., National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th floor, Washington. Sponsor: Forum One Communications. Cost: $75....

CIT Group files for bankruptcy
NEW YORK (Reuters) - CIT Group Inc, a lender to hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses, filed for bankruptcy on Sunday, as the global financial crisis left it unable to fund itself and the recession clobbered its loans.

Help File: Bungled bundled software on a Dell; yet another phishing fraud
Q: My Dell Windows XP laptop keeps showing the same "Windows Installer" prompt telling me to insert a disc I don't have to run some Sonic program. How do I stop it?

Consumer spending falls as Clunkers program ends
The end of the popular "Cash for Clunkers" program sank consumer spending in September, according to new government data released Friday, but economists say shoppers remained resilient.

Uncertainty over election puts life in Kabul on hold
KABUL -- Traffic in Afghanistan's congested capital is worse than ever this month, with carloads of religious pilgrims arriving from the provinces to take flights to Saudi Arabia for hajj, and wedding parties scheduled back-to-back in ornate halls to beat the approaching winter weather.

Scrutiny scant as D.C. paid felon millions in AIDS contract
In 2005, Robin Beale was convicted in federal court of taking part in a local mortgage fraud scheme that bilked lenders out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Featured Advertiser

Rep. Barney Frank supports requiring financial companies to pay ahead of time into a fund the government could use to wind down large, troubled firms
Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, indicated Friday his willingness to change gears and support a provision that would require financial companies to pay ahead of time into a fund that the government could use to wind down large, troubled financial firms.

CIT preparing to file for bankruptcy protection
NEW YORK -- CIT Group, a major lender to small businesses, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as early as this weekend, sources familiar with the matter said Friday, which would likely wipe out the federal government's $2.3 billion stake in the company.

Lurking doubts launch a sell-off
Wall Street recorded its sharpest drop in six months Friday as investors, who have been groping for evidence that an economic recovery is gaining steam, responded to renewed signs of weakness calling into question how vigorous the rebound might be.

Erase Bad Credit Legally - Sponsored Link
Ad - www.Repair-Credit-Today.com Nov 7 2009 10:58AM GMT

Secretive firm wins huge Libya contracts
Telegraph Nov 7 2009 10:58AM GMT

UK urges divided G20 to reach climate finance deal
Reuters Nov 7 2009 10:44AM GMT

Edison International profit falls 8.2% on lower sales, rates
Los Angeles Times Nov 7 2009 10:22AM GMT

China Offers Africa More Trade, Investment
ABC News Nov 7 2009 6:34AM GMT

No quick answers as local players size up search deal
Sydney Morning Herald Nov 7 2009 5:33AM GMT

IPhone sales in China are nothing to call home about
Los Angeles Times Nov 7 2009 5:09AM GMT

Seeking to Grow Jobs, Not the Deficit
BusinessWeek Nov 7 2009 4:21AM GMT

Federal prosecutors investigating Abbott about Depakote sales practices
Chicago Tribune Nov 7 2009 4:03AM GMT

Edison profit falls 8.2% on lower sales, rates
Los Angeles Times Nov 7 2009 3:38AM GMT

Qantas CEO's $11m flight
Sydney Morning Herald Nov 7 2009 3:36AM GMT

How to Grow Jobs, Not the Deficit
BusinessWeek Nov 7 2009 3:22AM GMT

Stock Market Shrugs Off Jobs Report
BusinessWeek Nov 7 2009 2:37AM GMT

Patience is key to running a business, Lisle CEO says
Chicago Tribune Nov 7 2009 1:59AM GMT

US jobs data pushes London gold to record
South China Morning Post Nov 7 2009 1:53AM GMT

Mesa Air Says United Didn't Extend Deal
ABC News Nov 7 2009 1:37AM GMT

Colo. Gov Proposes Sales Tax on Soda, Online Sales
ABC News Nov 7 2009 1:09AM GMT

Windows 7 tops Vista in early consumer sales by more than 200%
Los Angeles Times Nov 7 2009 12:48AM GMT

Stimulus Measures Lifted Oct Sales Of Hybrid Cars, Subcompacts
Nikkei Net Interactive Nov 7 2009 12:36AM GMT

Japan's Carmakers Lift FY09 Sales Targets
Nikkei Net Interactive Nov 7 2009 12:36AM GMT

Are these Heir Hunters the real deal?
Guardian.co.uk Nov 7 2009 12:35AM GMT

Mississippi Woman Sentenced for Bankruptcy Fraud
ABC News Nov 7 2009 12:19AM GMT

Berkshire to borrow billions for Burlington deal
MarketWatch Nov 7 2009 12:09AM GMT

Sun Micro Sales Fall, Oracle Deal Delay Stings
ABC News Nov 6 2009 11:38PM GMT

Lockheed Martin Gets $143.2M Air Force Deal
ABC News Nov 6 2009 11:29PM GMT

Sun Micro sales fall, Oracle deal delay stings
CNN Money Nov 6 2009 11:11PM GMT

Revlon Announces Bank Amendments and Launch of Cash Tender Offer for Outstanding 91/2% Senior Notes
CNBC Nov 6 2009 11:05PM GMT

FirstFed Financial Corp. Announces Extension of Expiration Date and Consent Payment Deadline for Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations
CNBC Nov 6 2009 11:04PM GMT

Dollar falls on weak jobs data
Globe and Mail Nov 6 2009 11:04PM GMT

Contractors scramble for revenue sources
Nikkei Net Interactive Nov 6 2009 10:45PM GMT

Japan offers helping hand in mastering job skills
Nikkei Net Interactive Nov 6 2009 10:44PM GMT