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.

ECB slows emergency cash support
The European Central Bank says it will scale back emergency monetary support for fear of fuelling inflation.

Japan says deflation has returned
The Japanese government warns that deflation has returned to the country's economy for the first time since 2006.

Shoppers give muted VAT response
Shoppers have given a muted response to the lower rate of VAT although a majority want it extended, a BBC poll finds.

Trade deal agreed in East Africa
Leaders from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi sign a common market trade agreement.

Korea says no to US trade talks
South Korea dampens speculation the country is willing to re-negotiate a free trade agreement with the US.

World economy 'heads for growth'
Growth and recovery are expected in 2010 in most world regions, but the upturn will be modest, the OECD says.

Rise in public sector borrowing
UK public sector net borrowing reached £11.42bn last month, the highest for the month of October since records began.

Seasonal rise in mortgage lending
UK mortgage lending rose by 5% in October compared with the previous month, according to a lenders' group.

UK retail sales growth picks up
UK retail sales in October rose at the fastest annual pace since May 2008, government figures show.

Computer glitch hits US flights
A computer glitch affecting aircraft flight plans causes cancellations and delays across the eastern US.

Bank split over stimulus package
Bank of England rate-setters were split three ways on this month's decision to pump £25bn more into the economy.

Oil price up as US reserves fall
The price of crude oil rises to $80 a barrel after figures showed a sharp fall in US stockpiles last week.

Surprise fall in US home building
Construction of new homes and apartments in the US unexpectedly fell in October, to the lowest level in six months.

Festive sales 'will start early'
Festive sales will start early this year - including price cuts on Christmas Day - as VAT is set to rise, an expert says.

Trade talks end Obama China trip
US President Barack Obama meets Premier Wen Jiabao on the last day of his much-watched visit to China.

Credit card security breach fear
Visa and Mastercard are warning all banks about a suspected leak of credit card security information in Spain.

Canada records inflation of 0.1%
Canadian inflation rose at an annual rate of 0.1% last month, as increases in the price of food and consumer goods offset a fall in petrol prices.

Timeshare conmen jailed
A judge tells two men jailed for a £460,000 timeshare scam they had "tainted" the reputation of north Wales tourism.

PM 'broke pledge to world's poor'
The Lib Dems accuse Gordon Brown of breaking his "promise to the world's poorest people" in the Queen's Speech.

Universities 'bail out students'
Three quarters of universities in England have had to bail out students because of delays to loans, suggests a BBC survey.

Negative equity escape deal
The Coventry Building Society offers existing customers in negative equity a mortgage escape route if they need to move.

Unexpected surplus for eurozone
The 16 countries that use the euro post an unexpected trade surplus in September, due to a sharp rise in exports.

UK inflation rate starts to rise
The UK's CPI inflation rate rose to 1.5% in October, up from 1.1% in September, largely due to fuel cost changes, figures show.

Small rise in US producer prices
US producer prices rose less than expected in October as a weak economy largely kept inflation in check, official figures show.

Crackdown on mobile services
Websites mis-selling mobile ringtones and other services are forced to clean up their acts, following a European Union crackdown.

'No growth' for Scots economy
The Scots economy is forecast to achieve almost no growth during 2010, according to Strathclyde University analysis.

£50m revamp for 'worst stations'
Ten railway stations in England, including Manchester Victoria and Clapham Junction, are to get £50m to carry out urgent improvements.

Nigeria's president delays budget after row over where to host it
Nigeria's president postpones his budget - because senators and representatives disagree on which chamber should host it.

Are Poles moving to the UK again? Tesco's Polish food sales rise
The supermarket chain Tesco says demand for Polish food is on the rise again as the Poles return to the UK.

Malawi's miracle
Subsidised seeds and fertiliser allows nation to feed itself

Carbon trading
Future of the global market is clouded in uncertainty

Stephanomics
Why did Bank chief answer me so forcefully?

Born for business
Can anyone be a successful entrepreneur?

Novel inspiration
Business leaders reveal the books that inspired them

Full steam ahead
Fresh signs of life for the US railroad industry

Decline in car output rate slows
UK car production fell by 6.7% in October compared with a year earlier - the smallest annual decline of the year, figures show.

Match-fix probe targets 200 games
About 200 football ties are under investigation in what one Uefa official calls Europe's biggest match-fixing scandal.

Shoppers give muted VAT response
Shoppers have given a muted response to the lower rate of VAT although a majority want it extended, a BBC poll finds.

Easyjet sorry for Holocaust error
Easyjet apologises after fashion photographs shot at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin were published in its in-flight magazine.

More job cuts at Threshers owner
A further 381 stores are to close at off licence group First Quench, with the loss of 1,908 jobs, the firm's administrators announce.

Low rates hit Nationwide profit
Nationwide reports a big slump in profits and delivers a gloomy forecast for the UK economy and the housing market.

ECB slows emergency cash support
The European Central Bank says it will scale back emergency monetary support for fear of fuelling inflation.

Thousands of Vicks spray recalled
Procter & Gamble is recalling 120,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex nasal spray after small traces of bacteria were found.

Good weather boosts Fuller profit
Brewer Fullers reports a 26% rise in half-year profits as the good early summer weather boosted beer sales.

Will Ferrell is Hollywood's most overpaid actor, says Forbes
Hollywood actor Will Ferrell tops a list of film stars whose returns offer the least value for money.

The Royal Mint quadruples gold production as demand sparkles
The Royal Mint has more than quadrupled its production of gold coins in recent months, as the record price of the metal causes demand to soar.

Q&A: Floods
How the deluge affects all our insurance premiums

In pictures
BT marks 25 years since the firm was privatised

Beefing up
How Botswana is putting more meat on its beef industry

Homeward bound
Why many Nigerian entrepreneurs are returning home

Purring pussycat
Is the famous MGM lion about to lose its roar?

Ginger binger
How a snail in ginger beer made legal history

Union cancels next Iberia strike
Unions representing staff at Spanish airline Iberia call off planned strike action after a preliminary agreement with management.

Korea says no to US trade talks
South Korea dampens speculation the country is willing to re-negotiate a free trade agreement with the US.

Japan says deflation has returned
The Japanese government warns that deflation has returned to the country's economy for the first time since 2006.

Trade deal agreed in East Africa
Leaders from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi sign a common market trade agreement.

Dell sees quarterly profits fall
US computer giant Dell reports another decline in its quarterly profits, sending its shares 7% lower.

Ex-smoker wins $300m damages
Tobacco firm Philip Morris is ordered to pay out $300m in damages to a former smoker.

Google shows operating system
Internet search giant Google previews its Chrome OS operating system, to be available to users by the end of 2010.

World economy 'heads for growth'
Growth and recovery are expected in 2010 in most world regions, but the upturn will be modest, the OECD says.

Rise in public sector borrowing
UK public sector net borrowing reached £11.42bn last month, the highest for the month of October since records began.

Seasonal rise in mortgage lending
UK mortgage lending rose by 5% in October compared with the previous month, according to a lenders' group.

FTSE firms 'failing women bosses'
The percentage of women on the boards of FTSE 100 companies has stalled in the past year, a report shows.

UK retail sales growth picks up
UK retail sales in October rose at the fastest annual pace since May 2008, government figures show.

ABN Amro gets new Dutch bail-out
The Dutch government announces it will inject a further 4.4bn euros into bailed-out bank ABN Amro.

M&S Christmas TV ad 'offensive'
Some viewers accuse the High Street retailer of sexism in its latest ad featuring Ashes to Ashes actor Philip Glenister.

'Fee-free' bank account unveiled
A current account that does not charge for unauthorised overdrafts is unveiled days before a major court judgement.

Credit card security breach fear
Visa and Mastercard are warning all banks about a suspected leak of credit card security information in Spain.

Festive sales 'will start early'
Festive sales will start early this year - including price cuts on Christmas Day - as VAT is set to rise, an expert says.

Computer glitch hits US flights
A computer glitch affecting aircraft flight plans causes cancellations and delays across the eastern US.

Bank split over stimulus package
Bank of England rate-setters were split three ways on this month's decision to pump £25bn more into the economy.

Oil price up as US reserves fall
The price of crude oil rises to $80 a barrel after figures showed a sharp fall in US stockpiles last week.

Volkswagen to increase production
Volkswagen, Europe's biggest car company, plans to invest 26bn euros over the next three years to create new vehicles.

'Record' customers at Morrisons
Morrisons says a record 10.8 million customers visited its stores during the August to October period.

AOL to cut one-third of workforce
Internet company AOL announces plans to lay off about a third of its workforce once it is spun off from media giant Time Warner.

BMW becomes 2012 Olympics sponsor
Car manufacturer BMW becomes the 24th sponsor for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

MCC rules out renaming of Lord's
The owners of Lord's say they are not planning to sell the stadium's naming rights to fund a £400m redevelopment of the famous venue.

Mercedes takes over Brawn F1 team
Mercedes buys and renames the Brawn F1 team, which won both world titles in their debut season in 2009.

Guidelines for financial journalists

Fears of ‘Lost Decade’ Grow for British Economy
Even as the British economy seems to be improving, some analysts worry that its underlying structural flaws could mean the country won’t be able to sustain its recovery.

European Central Bank to Be Pickier on Loan Collateral
In a move to prepare the ground to unwind emergency liquidity measures, the European Central Bank has tightened rules for collateral it accepts against loans.

Off the Charts: An 11-Year Journey From Leader to Laggard
Since 1998, the dollar’s weakness has been a major contributor to the United States stock market’s fall from global grace.

Stocks Finish Lower on Economic Concerns
Investors are increasingly wondering about the speed of the economy recovery and they are questioning the fast-paced rise of technology stocks.

Your Money: Financial Advice From the Divorce Trenches
Some advice from those with firsthand experience of divorce may help you avoid the financial pitfalls of a split.

Shortcuts: When ‘Customer Service’ Seems Anything But
Sometimes it is hard to remember that the person on the other end of the phone line is not the enemy, but staying calm can help.

Attention Shifts to China for Private Equity Industry
Global private equity firms are seeking to raise capital from China’s wealthy individuals and institutions, even as the nation works to create a private equity industry of its own.

Bank of Japan Sets Itself Up for Clash With Government
The central bank upgraded its economic assessment, setting itself up for a confrontation with a government pressing for a policy response to deflation.

South Korea Trade Pact Is Revived by Obama
President Obama pledged to complete a long-stalled trade agreement with South Korea that he inherited from former President George W. Bush.

As Recovery Spreads, Greece Is Bypassed
New concerns are being raised about Greek banks as the country’s budget deficit swells and its sovereign credit rating has come under renewed threat.

Back to Business: With F.H.A. Help, Easy Loans in Expensive Areas
An effort by the F.H.A. to prop up real estate prices amid rising defaults has put taxpayers at risk.

Geithner Hopes to End Bailout Fund
Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said on Thursday that the government would close the $700 billion program “as soon as we can,” and that part of it would be used to lower the federal debt.

Google Offers Peek at Operating System, a Potential Challenge to Windows
Computers using Chrome, which uses “cloud computing,” will not arrive for a year, but it is already seen as a potential challenger to Microsoft.

A Tearful Winfrey Explains Her Departure
Oprah Winfrey confirmed to viewers what she told her staff members on Thursday afternoon: that she is ending her successful daytime talk show in September 2011.

Ohio Sues Credit Rating Agencies
In the suit, the state’s attorney general asserted that Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings provided misleading ratings that led to hundreds of millions of losses for state funds.

Patient Money: How to Find Mental Health Care When Money Is Tight
Hot lines, online groups and organizations that charge fees on a sliding scale are options for finding help.

Winfrey Bets on Her Future With Cable
Oprah Winfrey will end her daytime talk show in 2011 as she prepares to start a cable channel of her own.

AOL to Cut One-Third of Its Staff
AOL said on Thursday that about 2,500 jobs will be lost after it is spun off from Time Warner next month.

Google to Add Captions, Improving YouTube Videos
The move is the first major step toward making millions of videos accessible to deaf and hearing-impaired people.

Panel Votes to Broaden Oversight of the Fed
Rejecting warnings by the Obama administration, a committee approved a plan by Representative Ron Paul to carry out sweeping new audits of the central bank’s policy decisions and operations.

U.S. Mortgage Delinquencies Reach a Record High
The Mortgage Bankers Association’s quarterly survey found that one in seven homeowners was either late on payments or was already in foreclosure.

French Weigh $52 Billion Bond Issue
A report commissioned by President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed new spending on research and growth industries despite concerns about rising debt levels.

Media Mogul's Battle With Deutsche Bank Escalates
German prosecutors said they filed fraud charges against the former chairman of Deutsche Bank in the latest development in Leo Kirch’s legal battle against the bank.

JPMorgan Buys the Rest of a British Bank Partner
The American bank paid $1.7 billion for the rest of Cazenove to strengthen its investment banking unit in Britain.

Dutch Bank Gets Another Cash Injection
The Dutch government said that it would spend another 3 billion euros to clean up ABN-AMRO, as it seeks to put the problems at the collapsed lender behind it.

Moody’s and S&P Scale Back Business in Australia
Standard & Poor’s has joined Moody’s in withdrawing its application to supply ratings of corporate bonds and other debt-based securities to retail investors after new rules were announced this month.

Trade Agency Opens Inquiries on Livestock Complaints
The World Trade Organization will investigate U.S. labeling rules on cattle and swine and European poultry restrictions.

Japanese Bank Plans $11.2 Billion Share Sale
The sale, announced despite a jump in profit in the July-September quarter, would be the biggest ever by a financial institution in Japan.

Dueling Alliances Make Aid Offers to Japan Airlines
Delta offered $1 billion in aid to Japan Airlines, a proposal that American Airlines said it would top as the world’s biggest air carriers escalated a war for influence.

News Analysis: A Small Step to Bridging the Taiwan Strait
The final details were minor compared with the substance of the financial cooperation deal between China and Taiwan, but carried significance of their own.

Money Trickles North as Mexicans Help Relatives
Some Mexican families are scraping together what they can to support unemployed relatives in the United States.

Bubbles at a Discount for Consumers Trading Down
Conspicuous spending on luxury items like Champagne is not considered fashionable during a global recession.

O.E.C.D. Cautious in Economic Forecast
Stimulus spending in countries like China have helped bolster member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, but the economic outlook remains weak, it said.

Inside the Global Gold Frenzy
Amid a global frenzy fed by hedge funds, speculators and governments all rushing to stock up, the price of gold briefly surpassed $1,100 an ounce on Friday, a record high.

High & Low Finance: U.S. Teaches Carmakers Capitalism
The U.S. takeover of G.M. and Chrysler isn’t an unqualified success, but rising auto prices may be more than a statistical fluke.

I.H.T. Special Report: Business of Food: Dutch Cooperative Blurs Food Prejudices
In a Europe where conservative attitudes to farming are entrenched and hostility to genetically modified crops is sometimes obsessive, Food Valley is different.

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. 

Match-fix probe targets 200 games
About 200 football ties are under investigation in what one Uefa official calls Europe's biggest match-fixing scandal.

ECB slows emergency cash support
The European Central Bank says it will scale back emergency monetary support for fear of fuelling inflation.

Japan says deflation has returned
The Japanese government warns that deflation has returned to the country's economy for the first time since 2006.

Trade deal agreed in East Africa
Leaders from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi sign a common market trade agreement.

Valero shuts another oil refinery
Valero Energy announces it is permanently closing its oil refinery in Delaware City, with the loss of 550 jobs.

Sani Abacha son 'must pay $350m'
A Swiss court orders the seizure of $350m in assets from the son of Nigeria's ex-ruler Sani Abacha after a 10-year investigation.

Volkswagen to increase production
Volkswagen, Europe's biggest car company, plans to invest 26bn euros over the next three years to create new vehicles.

Korea says no to US trade talks
South Korea dampens speculation the country is willing to re-negotiate a free trade agreement with the US.

Union cancels next Iberia strike
Unions representing staff at Spanish airline Iberia call off planned strike action after a preliminary agreement with management.

Thousands of Vicks spray recalled
Procter & Gamble is recalling 120,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex nasal spray after small traces of bacteria were found.

EU gives Nigeria $1bn 'for peace'
Europe signs a $1bn deal with Nigeria, aimed at tackling corruption and promoting peace in the troubled Niger Delta.

Dell sees quarterly profits fall
US computer giant Dell reports another decline in its quarterly profits, sending its shares 7% lower.

Nigeria's president delays budget after row over where to host it
Nigeria's president postpones his budget - because senators and representatives disagree on which chamber should host it.

Disgraced financier Madoff's luxury items auctioned for $2m
An auction of luxury goods that once belonged to the disgraced financier Bernie Madoff, his wife and an adviser has raised $2m (£1.2m) in the US.

BMW becomes 2012 Olympics sponsor
Car manufacturer BMW becomes the 24th sponsor for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

MCC rules out renaming of Lord's
The owners of Lord's say they are not planning to sell the stadium's naming rights to fund a £400m redevelopment of the famous venue.

Mercedes takes over Brawn F1 team
Mercedes buys and renames the Brawn F1 team, which won both world titles in their debut season in 2009.

Guidelines for financial journalists

Homeward bound
Why many Nigerian entrepreneurs are returning home

Purring pussycat
Is the famous MGM lion about to lose its roar?

Beefing up
How Botswana is putting more meat on its beef industry

Hard choices
Should food or education be Malawi's priority?

Singing for Coke
Will buskers on the Tube sing for their sponsor?

Pipe dream
EU hoping Russia will stabilise energy supplies

Shoppers give muted VAT response
Shoppers have given a muted response to the lower rate of VAT although a majority want it extended, a BBC poll finds.

World economy 'heads for growth'
Growth and recovery are expected in 2010 in most world regions, but the upturn will be modest, the OECD says.

Rise in public sector borrowing
UK public sector net borrowing reached £11.42bn last month, the highest for the month of October since records began.

Seasonal rise in mortgage lending
UK mortgage lending rose by 5% in October compared with the previous month, according to a lenders' group.

Decline in car output rate slows
UK car production fell by 6.7% in October compared with a year earlier - the smallest annual decline of the year, figures show.

More job cuts at Threshers owner
A further 381 stores are to close at off licence group First Quench, with the loss of 1,908 jobs, the firm's administrators announce.

Low rates hit Nationwide profit
Nationwide reports a big slump in profits and delivers a gloomy forecast for the UK economy and the housing market.

Good weather boosts Fuller profit
Brewer Fullers reports a 26% rise in half-year profits as the good early summer weather boosted beer sales.

'Fee-free' bank account unveiled
A current account that does not charge for unauthorised overdrafts is unveiled days before a major court judgement.

UK retail sales growth picks up
UK retail sales in October rose at the fastest annual pace since May 2008, government figures show.

Credit card security breach fear
Visa and Mastercard are warning all banks about a suspected leak of credit card security information in Spain.

Festive sales 'will start early'
Festive sales will start early this year - including price cuts on Christmas Day - as VAT is set to rise, an expert says.

Super-jumbo flights to seat 840
Budget flights using the world's largest aircraft are planned, carrying up to 840 people on each flight.

Congo gold 'still funding' rebels
A senior UN official tells the BBC sanctions breaking is still rife in DR Congo, with rebels using smuggled gold to fund arms.

Ex-smoker wins $300m in damages
Tobacco firm Philip Morris is ordered to pay out $300m in damages to a former smoker.

Computer glitch hits US flights
A computer glitch affecting aircraft flight plans causes cancellations and delays across the eastern US.

Business rebounds at China Mobile
The world's biggest mobile operator, China Mobile, says its business has returned to levels seen before the global downturn.

Sony aims to return TVs to profit
Sony says it aims to make its LCD TV operations profitable in the financial year starting next April as it continues to cut costs.

ABN Amro gets new Dutch bail-out
The Dutch government announces it will inject a further 4.4bn euros into bailed-out bank ABN Amro.

Germany in 'credit card recall'
Thousands of German credit cards are being replaced as banks fear data theft, German press reports say.

Oil price up as US reserves fall
The price of crude oil rises to $80 a barrel after figures showed a sharp fall in US stockpiles last week.

Intel in Jerusalem 'Sabbath deal'
US company Intel will stop employing Jewish workers at its Jerusalem plant on Saturdays, following a large protest rally by Orthodox Jews, reports say.

Reliance to expand oil business
The Indian energy firm Reliance is planning an "aggressive" oil and gas exploration campaign.

Air India losses more than $1bn
Troubled national carrier Air India reports a net loss of 55.5bn rupees for the full-year to the end of March.

Beaujolais nouveau hot in Japan - literally
Japan's craze for Beaujolais nouveau has beaten the global recession, with tourists taking a dip Thursday in a hot mountain spring coloured red with the fruity wine. The Hakone Kowakien Yunessun spa resort celebrated the annual uncorking of the seasonal drop by having a sommelier pour a few bottles into an open-air hot spring bath as holiday-makers enjoyed soaking themselves. (AFP)

Ichihashi lawyers slam interrogation methods
Lawyers for Tatsuya Ichihashi urged prosecutors and police Thursday to improve their interrogation methods, arguing that a prosecutor had told the suspect during a grilling that he could be hanged for the 2007 murder of Briton Lindsay Ann Hawker. "It is illegitimate to investigate by making up scenarios," one of the lawyers told a news conference, during which they quoted Ichihashi as saying he was told by a prosecutor at the Chiba District Public Prosecutor's Office that the death sentence is a possibility. (Japan Times)

Talks to free Japanese abducted in Yemen stall in final stage
Negotiations to release a Japanese engineer kidnapped by armed tribesmen in Yemen have fallen into difficulty in the final stage, sources close to the talks said Thursday. The negotiations moved closer to an agreement, with local tribal leaders pledging to the captors that they will ask the Yemeni government to free a jailed relative, as demanded by the tribesmen, in exchange for the Japanese engineer and his driver, the sources said. (AP)

Japan embarks on annual whale hunt--can Sea Shepherd be far behind?
Whaling ships from Japan left today for Antarctic waters on an annual five-month voyage in pursuit of about 1,000 minke whales and a small number of endangered fin whales. The seasonal hunts, during the Antarctic summer, are highly controversial. They're carried out in the name of research but the meat is sold in Japanese markets and restaurants and whatever research is conducted has been deemed questionable and unnecessary by many scientists outside Japan. (Los Angeles Times)

New hope for plucky Japanese asteroid mission
Japanese engineers have devised a plan to combine parts from two partially-failed ion engines to resume the Hayabusa asteroid probe's journey back to Earth. In a press release Thursday, officials said they will use the neutralizer of Thruster A and the ion source of Thruster B to provide enough power to guide the 950-pound spacecraft home next June. (spaceflightnow.com)

Baseball: Tough times for Japanese baseball
Facing losses of US$3.3 million in 2010, Japanese professional baseball is considering a series of international games involving Japan's national team to bring in revenue. Under the proposal being discussed, Japan's national team would play as many as 20 international exhibition games in February, March, July and November. (canoe.ca)

Woman linked to Tottori deaths, partner indicted on fraud charges
A 35-year-old woman with links to six men whose suspicious deaths were recently uncovered in Tottori Prefecture and her 46-year- old male roommate were served fresh arrest warrants Friday for fraud after previously being indicted on separate fraud charges. The six deceased had been acquainted with or had financial troubles with the woman, who was an employee of a bar in the city of Tottori, and police are investigating their deaths with a view to building murder cases. (AP)

Maria Ozawa, other acclaimed AV actresses on auction as stagnation sticks
Buried in the back of Weekly Playboy (Nov. 23) is a report claiming that the lingering recession is resulting in popular adult video (AV) actresses increasingly being auctioned off at top-class sex establishments with none other than starlet Maria Ozawa appearing on the block. A conventional deri heru (out-call) sex service, the tabloid explains, has an image of being inexpensive, but one staffed with AV ladies is quite the opposite, commanding fees between 30,000 and 50,000 yen a pop for run-of-the-mill actresses and three or four times those figures for top-name talents. (Tokyo Reporter)

Japan's obesity association may revise controversial metabolic gauge
Japan's obesity research association is considering revising as early as next year the waistline threshold, a key gauge used to diagnose obesity and metabolic syndrome, to better reflect the reality of health conditions among the Japanese, sources close to the association said Wednesday. The Japan Society for the Study of Obesity currently sets the benchmark waist size at 85 centimeters or more for men, and 90 cm or more for women to diagnose obesity. Japan's health ministry has been using the criteria in metabolic syndrome check-ups. (AP)

Acid mishap on Tokyo train injures passengers
Several people were injured when a stone worker riding on a Tokyo subway train accidentally broke a container of hydrochloric acid he was carrying, the fire department and media said Wednesday. Television showed emergency vehicles and rescue workers in protective gear at Nihonbashi station in the crowded center of the Japanese capital. The fire department said three people had been taken to hospital, while media reports said four were injured. (Reuters)

Japanese curry, snubbed by Michelin, finds fans
The Michelin Guide's list of top Tokyo restaurants features French eateries, sushi shops and even blowfish specialists. Left entirely unrepresented is one of Japan's favorite foods: curry. Yet this gooey, affordable culinary transplant regularly tops surveys as the favorite food among Japanese school kids and adults. Introduced from India by way of English traders in the 19th century, curry has been adapted to local taste and has become as much a part of Japanese popular culture as baseball. (Bloomberg)

Ichihashi given nutrient shot after staggering on way to questioning
Tatsuya Ichihashi, the prime suspect in the 2007 murder of British woman Lindsay Hawker, received a nutritional supplement shot Monday after staggering on his way to an interrogation room, his lawyer said Wednesday. Ichihashi, 30, who is believed not to have eaten anything since his arrest on Nov. 10, lost his balance when he was heading to the room from his cell, prompting the police to give him the injection, the lawyer said after meeting with him. (AP)

Police determine U.S. serviceman involved in fatal Okinawa hit-and-run
Police have determined that a U.S. Army serviceman was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident in Okinawa Prefecture and are seeking the U.S. military's cooperation in urging him to present himself to the Japanese authorities, police sources said Wednesday. The 27-year-old staff sergeant at the Torii communication station in Yomitan, Okinawa, has refused to face Japanese investigators, claiming their investigation is not being carried out fairly. (AP)

Fewer Korean residents seek Japanese citizenship
Four out of five Koreans in Japan have no desire to become naturalized Japanese citizens, a straw poll suggests. Japanese Justice Ministry statistics show around 10,000 Koreans became naturalized between 2003 and 2009. Around 62,000 North Koreans and around 486,000 South Koreans have settled in Japan with permanent residency status as of July 2009. (chosun.com)

Man barred from China lives in Japanese airport
Feng Zhenghu's life resembles a movie, but it's not quite as glamorous. For one thing, he's an awful lot smellier than Tom Hanks was when he played the part of an airline passenger caught in the no man's land of an international airport. The environmentally friendly washrooms at Tokyo's Narita Airport are so stingy with the water they apportion at each sink that Feng says he has not been able to have anything resembling a bath for the two weeks he's been living in the international arrivals area, in the space between the airline gates and the immigration booths. (canada.com)

Miss Universe 3some sex scandal
Cyberspace has erupted with talk of two Miss Universe contestants involved in a threesome with a fine arts photographer. Miss Universe Japan 2008 Hiroko Mima and Miss Universe Trinidad and Tobago 2008 Anya Ayoung-Chee are said to have had sex with Anya's boyfriend Wyatt Gallery, and with each other. Some websites even claim to have an intimate video of the alleged sexual escapades of the trio. One website claimed it had four videos, along with pictures, of the two girls and Wyatt "having a really good time." (AsiaOne)

'Nobu' fever: Japan falls for a blind piano prodigy
As Nobuyuki Tsujii finished the last note of Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante by Chopin, the packed audience in Tokyo's Kioi Hall broke into an emotional applause. Executing each piece with energy and concentration, the 21-year-old classical pianist, who has been blind since birth, mesmerized the typically reserved Tokyo crowd in a two-hour solo performance on his latest tour. Kumi Araki, a 25-year-old from downtown Toyko, gushed. "I am so moved. Before I knew it, I was standing to applaud!" she says, wiping at tears. (Time)

Lindsay Ann Hawker suspect attracts support from Japanese women
Tatsuya Ichihashi, the man suspected of killing the British teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, has become a bizarre object of admiration among a number of online communities of Japanese women. Posting on social networking sites such as Mixi and 2Channel, some have even taken to referring to Ichihashi as The Fugitive Prince or Lord Ichi. Others have claimed that he could not possibly have committed the crime because he looks so kind. (telegraph.co.uk)

Scant welcome for refugees in Japan
In a cramped apartment in Tokyo, volunteers are teaching Burmese asylum seekers how to make clothes combining Japanese fashion with their own traditional embroidery. They hope the project will give women like Lu [not her real name] a way to make ends meet. It has been three years since Lu fled Burma, leaving her husband and children behind. She claimed asylum on arrival in Tokyo and was sent straight to an immigration detention centre where she spent almost a year. (BBC)

Abducted Japanese man still held by Yemeni tribesmen
A Japanese man held hostage in Yemen was not released late on Tuesday because of a last-minute dispute between Yemeni tribesmen and mediators, a provincial official said on Wednesday. The same official had told Reuters on Tuesday night that the tribesmen had handed the hostage to mediators and that the man, an engineer abducted in an area northeast of the capital Sanaa, was expected to arrive soon in Sanaa. (Reuters)

Users of Net cafes on dangerous ground
From high school girls to foreign nationals, a growing number of people in downtown Tokyo are taking advantage of the anonymity of certain Internet cafes in dangerous ways. Some people want to conceal their identities and these cafes have given their tacit approval. Others just want to feel safe when using Internet cafes. Will confirming users' identities really become standard at Internet cafes? (Yomiuri)

Internet cafes to name names / Anonymity leads to increased crime, hinders police investigations
Anonymous use of Internet cafes may soon be a thing of the past, partly due to the case of recently captured fugitive Tatsuya Ichihashi. Customers are not currently required to provide proof of identity at some Internet cafes--a situation that can hinder police investigations, as seen in the case of Ichihashi, who was arrested on Nov. 10 on suspicion of abandoning the body of an English language teacher. Ichihashi was on the run for more than two years and is believed to have used Internet cafes during that time. (Yomiuri)

Suspect in murder of British woman administered nutrition
Tatsuya Ichihashi, the prime suspect in the 2007 murder of 22-year-old English language teacher Lindsay Hawker, was administered nutritional supplements Tuesday as he has not eaten anything since his arrest on Nov. 10, investigative sources said. The Chiba prefectural police called a doctor to Gyotoku police station in Chiba where Ichihashi, 22, is being held to administer nutritional supplements to him, fearing that he may become ill if he continues to eat nothing, the sources said. (AP)

Soldier decries hit-and-run probe
A U.S. Army sergeant suspected of being involved in a fatal hit-and-run in Okinawa has claimed the investigation by Japanese police is not being carried out fairly, his lawyer said Tuesday. The 27-year-old staff sergeant at the Torii communications station in Yomitan has also refused to face Japanese investigators unless a video recording of the interrogation is permitted, his lawyer, Toshimitsu Takaesu, said. (Japan Times)

Record student suicides in 2008
A record 972 students, from elementary school age through university level, took their lives in 2008, the highest number since the government began compiling data in 1978. The figure was an increase of 99 over the previous year. According to an annual government white paper released Tuesday, student suicides rose 11.3 percent from 2007. The number of such suicides has been on the rise since 2003. (Asahi)

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.

Reckitt Benckiser is talk of town
LONDON FTSE 100 CLOSE 5,267.7 -74.4

Waiting on new deal
Capita 716.5p -4.5p Scotsman says SELL

Terry Murden: M&S hopes for Morrisons magic from its new chief
AFTER sorting out the mess of Morrisons' merger with Safeway, the new Marks & Spencer chief executive, Marc Bolland, has taken on perhaps a bigger task: satisfying the

Jeff Salway: Indiscriminate regulation may be final nail in coffin for mutuals
THE Building Societies Association's annual lunch last week was a subdued yet defiant affair, by all accounts. The sector is shrinking and it must have been tempting to sp

M&S and ITV take centre stage
LONDON FTSE 100 CLOSE 5,342.1 -3.8

One to Watch: Cornering its market
Avacta 1.88p unch Scotsman says BUY

Berlusconi divorce impacts empire
Business News: Fate of business holdings in the balance -- The Italo premier and media mogul's estranged spouse, Veronica Lario, has just moved into her mother's palatial Swiss retreat, from which the former actress and her lawyers are reportedly plotting an acrimonious divorce that could become Italy's new spectator sport, somewhat like the current "Dodgers divorce" case between Frank and Jamie McCourt in L.A.

Fox means business
Business News: Network pacts with Cablevision for N.Y. carriage -- Fox Business Network has pacted with Cablevision for carriage in the New York metropolitan area.

Virgin buys NBC U shows
Business News: British cabler picks up ‘Warehouse 13,' ‘Trauma’ -- Virgin1, the flagship entertainment web of U.K. cabler Virgin Media, has acquired sci-fi hit "Warehouse 13" and medical saga "Trauma" from NBC Universal.

ORF ups film funding
Business News: Austrian pubcaster settles with local industryites -- Austrian pubcaster ORF has calmed the fears of local filmmakers following months of intense wrangling by agreeing to raise film subsidy contributions by 30%, from E5.9 million ($8.8 million) to $11.9 million a year.

Garth Ancier to exit BBC post
Business News: Former topper will become a non-executive director -- Garth Ancier will exit his post as president of BBC Worldwide America in March.

California bans power-hungry TVs
Business News: State regulators move to become energy efficient -- Power-hungry TVs will be banned from store shelves in California after state regulators Wednesday adopted a first-in-the-nation mandate to reduce electricity demand.

Mediaset takes aim at Sky Italia
Business News: Reports company to anti-trust authority -- Mediaset has reported Rupert Murdoch's paybox Sky Italia to the anti-trust authority for introducing a "digital key."

BBC Worldwide ups Latin America exec
Business News: Jurado named sales, distribution exec VP in region -- BBC Worldwide has promoted Helen Jurado to Latin American sales and distribution veep, overseeing programming, digital media and home entertainment efforts in the region.

SAG’s 2008 pay dips 2.5%
Business News: Writers strike largely to blame for the downturn -- Unemployment and under-employment are as much a problem for thesps as they are for workers in nonpro sectors, according to the latest earnings stats from the Screen Actors Guild.

Time Warner sets AOL share swap
Business News: Company lays groundwork for structural separation -- Nearly a decade after they were married, Time Warner is less than month away from divorcing AOL.

German Sky shares fall due to report
Business News: New campaign, program costs led to loss -- Sky Deutschland's losses tripled in the third quarter to $132 million from $40 million a year ago

Vivendi silent on sale of NBC U
Business News: Comcast offer hinges on company’s 20% stake -- U.S. cable operator Comcast is negotiating a deal to take a 51% stake in NBC U.

Staggs, Rasulo switch gigs at Disney
Business News: Execs to swap jobs by the end of the year -- The Mouse House is playing musical chairs.

Marvel Studios ups D’Esposito
Business News: Exec named co-president of the studio -- Marvel Studios has promoted president of physical production to the co-president of the studio.

Ross shuffles Disney execs
Business News: Restructuring hits marketing, distribution, operations -- Rich Ross' new team is taking shape at Disney.

CTC files suit against Rodnyansky
Business News: Media company takes aim at former CEO -- Russia's CTC Media has launched legal proceedings against its former CEO Alexander Rodnyansky.

ABC drops in coverage scope
Business News: Since digital switchover, coverage is down -- ABC execs are trying to figure out why their network is in just 97 percent of U.S. TV households.

Mark Zoradi steps down at Disney
Business News: Exec exits post as worldwide marketing topper -- Rich Ross is starting to put his stamp on the Mouse House's feature operations.

Peter Dunn named to top post at CBS
Business News: Exec to top CBS Television Stations group -- CBS Corp. has made a change at the top of its O&O division.

UTA signs 'Bond' guys Purvis, Wade
Business News: Duo's credits include 'Solace,' 'Casino Royale' -- UTA has signed Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who've co-written four James Bond films and are working on the fifth with Peter Morgan.

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.

U.S. part of global crackdown on counterfeit medicines
NEW YORK -- In highly orchestrated raids around the world this week, Interpol officers in Europe, drug agents in the United States and task forces from Sweden to Singapore hunted down counterfeit prescription drugs in an effort to stem a rapidly growing criminal business preying on financially pr...

American Express to enter market for online payments
American Express on Wednesday said it had agreed to buy the online person-to-person payment provider Revolution Money for $300 million, the latest move by one of the credit card giants to add a service that has been increasingly in demand by consumers, especially younger ones.

Discount retailer Forman Mills to open pair of new area stores
Capitalizing on consumers' growing desire to "trade down," no-frills retailer Forman Mills is making a bigger foray into the Washington area with two new stores, one opening in New Carrollton on Friday and another in the District on Nov. 27.

Bailout program could be extended
The Obama administration is poised to extend the life of the highly unpopular $700 billion financial bailout and, to display a commitment to fiscal responsibility, is planning to use much of the leftover funds to reduce the national debt, government sources said.

Housing starts take unexpected tumble, fall 10.6 percent
New home construction took an unexpected tumble last month, reflecting the bumpy nature of a tentative housing recovery.

At home with work
When Michael Gibbs and Hope Katz Gibbs moved this August, one house in Arlington rose to the top of their wish list: a remodeled and expanded ranch home. The big selling point? The house had enough flexible space that both of them could both set up their own home offices.

Housewatch: How to pick the most environmentally friendly countertops
Want the greenest countertop on the market? You're going to have to do a bit of research.

Expect tightening from the FHA
For the past several years, the Federal Housing Administration has been the go-to financing resource for cash-strapped home buyers who can't come up with a big down payment. It has zoomed from barely a 3 percent market share to nearly 30 percent of home-purchase loans. But now, wildly popular...

Business Digest: Judge backs revised Google Books deal
A federal judge granted preliminary approval Thursday to a revised settlement between Google and authors and publishers over the Internet giant's effort to create a vast digital library.

Nation Digest: FEC eases restrictions on candidates' luxury jets
The Federal Election Commission on Thursday eased restrictions on the use of luxury jets by many candidates for federal office, ruling that Senate and presidential candidates can pay discounted prices for private air travel as long as they do not do so on behalf of their own campaign.

Local Digest: AES agrees to increase pollution disclosures
Arlington-based AES, which operates several coal-fired power plants in the United States, has agreed to put more information about global warming in its public financial disclosures.

General Growth strikes deal with lenders
Mall operator General Growth Properties, which filed the largest U.S. real estate bankruptcy case in history earlier this year, said Thursday that its lenders have agreed to restructure some $8.9 billion in shopping mall mortgage loans.

Peter Orszag: Bills offer clear path to better health care
The bills under discussion will put us on a path to a high-quality, low-cost system.

Alan Blinder: Danger lies in threat to Fed independence
Why the Fed needs its independence from Congress.

Carlyle to run roadside service stops in Connecticut
The Carlyle Group said Thursday that it has signed a deal with Connecticut to refurbish and run the state's 23 highway service stops in return for a share of the revenue over the next 35 years.

Reid pushes for votes on health-care bill
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid worked Thursday to nail down the votes needed to move to a final debate on health-care legislation, but a tepid assessment of the public insurance plan he crafted emerged as the latest potential obstacle to the passage of the far-reaching changes.

Foreclosure, delinquency rates spike amid growing unemployment
The share of homeowners delinquent on their mortgage or in foreclosure hit a new record during the third quarter, according to industry data released Thursday, which also indicates that the problem is likely to get worse through next year as unemployment rates continue to rise.

AOL plans to cut a third of workforce
AOL said Thursday that it plans to reduce its workforce by a third over the next several months.

House proposal would empower regulators to break up 'too big to fail' firms
A key House Democrat introduced a contentious proposal Wednesday that would give federal regulators power to dismantle financial firms before they grow so large that their failure could endanger the entire financial system, even if those firms appear to be healthy and well capitalized.

Corn-based ethanol producer says it will soon compete with gasoline
The nation's largest producer of corn-based ethanol said it has slashed the cost of producing cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs and that it will be able to compete with gasoline in two years.

FAA: Computer system restored, delays persist
Federal Aviation Administration officials say a failed computer system that affected flights across the country Thursday morning is working again, but they cautioned travelers to expect residual delays.

Business Digest: California requires TVs to be more energy efficient
HOUSING New-home construction took an unexpected tumble in October, falling to its lowest level in six months, according to government data released Wednesday, reflecting the tentative nature of the housing market.

Senate announces $848 billion health-care bill
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid presented an $848 billion health-care overhaul package on Wednesday that would extend coverage to 31 million Americans and reform insurance practices while adding an array of tax increases, including a rise in payroll taxes for high earners.

Lithuania investigates possible CIA 'black site'
ANTAVILIAI, LITHUANIA -- Residents of this village were mystified five years ago when tight-lipped American construction workers suddenly appeared at a mothballed riding stable here and built a large, two-story building without windows, ringed by a metal fence and security cameras.

Ambitious bills could remake financial regulatory landscape
As lawmakers on Capitol Hill inch closer toward overhauling the nation's fractured financial regulatory system, each hour of debate, each tweak of legal language, each tedious roll call carries the potential to generate colossal changes in the relationship between Washington and Wall Street.

Local Digest:
Consumers in the Washington area are more confident in the region's economy than they were seven or eleven months ago, according to a survey released Wednesday, but they still are reluctant to make major purchases such as cars and appliances.

In Louisville, Nth/works plant sees few signs of recovery, holds off on hiring
LOUISVILLE -- Small manufacturers like Tom Hudson keep hearing that the recession is over, and every day they await a sign telling them it's time to gear up and start hiring back some of the workers they have laid off. The news Tuesday was hardly encouraging: Factory production fell in October, the...

Marriott to shuffle its holdings
The luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel chain will cease to be a stand-alone division under the Marriott International umbrella as part of a reorganization that the Bethesda-based company plans to complete by 2011.

Signs point to a lukewarm recovery
The economic recovery continues to be weak, as data released Tuesday show that the expansion of the nation's industrial sector slowed to a crawl in October.

Task force to take up financial fraud cases
Top Obama administration officials on Tuesday announced a new federal task force to combat financial fraud after deciding that the number and complexity of investigations linked to the economic crisis require a more coordinated response from government agencies.

CapitalSource selling nursing home business
CapitalSource announced Tuesday that it is selling its nursing home business to Omega Healthcare Investors of Hunt Valley, Md., for $860 million, helping relieve CapitalSource of heavy debt acquired during the recession.

Low-emission locomotives a boost to public health
A new crop of "ultra-low emission" short-haul locomotives could have significant public health benefits, according to rail industry officials and federal health experts, who suggest that they could help decrease the risk of cancer and heart and respiratory disease for people living near rail yards.

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IRS divulges criteria for targeting UBS accounts
If your secret Swiss bank account was small enough, you can breathe easier: A landmark deal between the United States and Switzerland to expose American tax dodgers does not call for the Swiss to blow your cover.

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Makers of electric cars address shortage of recharging station
As their manufacturers see it, the electric cars entering U.S. showrooms as early as next year will be engineering marvels: stylish, battery-operated, zero-emission wonders.

In Seoul, Obama will confront trade and security issues
SEOUL -- President Obama, who arrived here Wednesday night on the final stop of his East Asia tour, will grapple with two long-standing U.S. concerns on the Korean Peninsula, one in the nuclear-armed North and the other here in the trade-dependent South.

Counseling helps borrowers avoid foreclosure, study finds

Goldman Sachs, Buffett team to empower small businesses
NEW YORK -- Goldman Sachs announced Tuesday that it would spend $500 million to help small businesses as part of a program offering education, mentoring and access to capital to 10,000 firms. The effort also involves billionaire investor Warren E. Buffett, community colleges and other organizati...

Digest
REGULATION Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said Tuesday that a House vote on legislation to overhaul the financial regulatory system probably will be delayed until at least the second week of December.

Local Digest: Verizon laying off 1,000 in D.C. area, union says
EMPLOYMENT

Analysis: Outrage over stimulus jobs misguided
Another day, another flurry of outrage over the jobs numbers claimed by the government for the administration's $787 billion economic stimulus program.

In the Loop: C Street house no longer fully tax-exempt
The famous rowhouse on C Street SE where disgraced South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford sought counseling after his affair -- as did Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) after his affair -- has begun paying D.C. real estate taxes, according to city officials.

Russian lawyer who alleged police corruption dies in prison
A Russian lawyer jailed after uncovering evidence of police involvement in the theft of $230 million from the government has died in prison, officials said Tuesday, and his American partner is accusing the authorities of killing him.

Faster Forward: 'Unfriend' goes into the books
Yesterday, the Oxford University Press announced its 2009 Word of the Year: "unfriend."

Fed criticized for not negotiating harder with AIG creditors
Federal Reserve officials made only a passing attempt to negotiate discounts from the creditors of American International Group last fall before directing the company to fully pay what it owed on its troubled derivatives contracts, according to a report from the special inspector general overseei...

GMAC replaces chief executive as it negotiates for more aid
The troubled auto and home lender GMAC Financial Services said Monday that chief executive Alvaro de Molina is stepping down and that Michael A. Carpenter, a member of the company's board of directors, has been named his successor.

Withholding errors could cause millions of taxpayers to repay part of stimulus tax credit
Some 15.4 million taxpayers could receive smaller refunds than they expected or owe taxes next year because they did not have enough money withheld from their paychecks as part of the Making Work Pay tax credit program, according to a report issued Monday.

Obama, Hu vow to continue to strengthen partnership
BEIJING -- President Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, emerged from two hours of talks Tuesday morning pledging to continue efforts to strengthen the growing partnership between the two countries, and to work together to address global challenges such as climate change, nuclear prolif...

Poll finds deep divisions on health-care reform
As the Senate prepares to take up legislation aimed at overhauling the nation's health-care system, President Obama and the Democrats are still struggling to win the battle for public opinion. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Americans deeply divided over the proposals under consideratio...

$29 billion Treasury program to prop up local housing finance agencies
A Treasury Department program aimed at propping up local housing finance agencies will help inject $29 billion into these groups over the next year, according to government data scheduled to be released Tuesday.

Some Irish residents of rural coastal town continue fighting pipeline
As the road approaches the Shell gas terminal at Ballinaboy, on Ireland's Atlantic west coast, only the posters pinned to the telegraph poles give any hint of the country's longest-running environmental protest.

Bernanke offers grim job outlook, help for dollar
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke waded Monday into the debate among policymakers over the vigor of the economic recovery, offering a sobering view of what lies ahead in his most detailed comments on the economy in months.

Pioneering gay weekly newspaper Washington Blade abruptly closes
The Washington Blade, the weekly newspaper that chronicled the coming-out of the capital's gay community, was born amid the idealism of 1960s street protests. Monday, the paper died, victim of the unforgiving realities of the nation's sagging newspaper industry.

Genetic research center to be built in Fairfax County
A $200 million genetic research facility planned for Fairfax County could bring with it thousands of jobs over the next decade and spur spinoff businesses that would focus on the fast-growing field of personalized medicine, Virginia officials and researchers said Monday as they announced the move.

Business Digest: Lowe's profit falls as housing slowly improves
EARNINGS Lowe's reported a 30 percent drop in third-quarter profit, saying the housing market, on which it depends for sales, is slowly improving.

Kuwait-based military contractor accused of inflating food prices
A major Kuwait-based military contractor was indicted Monday for allegedly defrauding the U.S. government by submitting inflated bills and false claims under contracts through which it has supplied $8.5 billion in food and other products to the American military in Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan over the...

Lockheed to realign unit; job cuts possible
Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin said Monday that it is revamping its missile-making Electronic Systems unit and appointing a new person to head it -- moves that could result in an undisclosed number of job losses after the giant defense contractor lost two lucrative deals at its facility in Owego,...

Nabi makes deal for smoking vaccine
The Rockville maker of an experimental nicotine vaccine has signed a licensing deal with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline that could produce a huge payday if the anti-smoking drug can be successfully brought to market.

Local Digest: Chamber's Donohue wanted off Sunrise board
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Tom Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, should be voted off the board of Sunrise Senior Living for failing in his oversight duties during an accounting scandal, two shareholder advisory companies said.

USPS posts $3.8 billion loss as volume plummets
The U.S. Postal Service posted a $3.8 billion net loss during the fiscal year that ended in September, despite $6 billion in cost-cutting moves. Total mail volume fell more steeply than ever -- by 25.6 billion pieces, or almost 13 percent, more than double any decline in postal history. Worse, the...

FDA questions delay approval of Human Genome Sciences anthrax drug raxibacumab
Human Genome Sciences said Monday that approval of its experimental anthrax drug hit a delay as regulators asked the firm for more information about the treatment.

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Hunger a growing problem in America, USDA reports
The nation's economic crisis has catapulted the number of Americans who lack enough food to the highest level since the government has been keeping track, according to a new federal report, which shows that nearly 50 million people -- including almost one child in four -- struggled last year to g...

Obama-themed items no longer for sale in China
BEIJING -- President Obama spent the second day of his state visit to China in the capital Monday, and the government adopted a two-track policy toward Obama memorabilia for sale here: Obama dressed as Superman was in, and Obama dressed as a Red Guard was out.

Revamped GM loses $1.2 billion
General Motors lost $1.2 billion in the first 83 days after it emerged from bankruptcy protection in July, the company announced Monday.

THIS WEEK, Nov. 16-20
This week should offer both some important reads on the state of the economic recovery -- and what policymakers think of the road ahead.

Value Added: Terrapin Adventures in Howard County makes owner Matt Baker's ‘heart sing'
Entrepreneur Matt Baker's outdoor Terrapin Adventures in Howard County has a 43-foot climbing tower, a 2-G-force giant swing and an adrenaline-pumping, 330-foot-long cable "zip line" that slings you along at 20 mph, 30 feet above the forest floor.

GM to start repaying debt to U.S. government next month
General Motors is expected to announce on Monday that it will begin repaying its debt to the United States next month, years earlier than required.

CIT's bankruptcy raises new questions about bailout
NEW YORK -- A year ago, the financial system was tottering and government officials arranged a $2.3 billion emergency cash infusion into CIT Group, a troubled lender to small businesses.

TD Bank plans major move into area
The financial meltdown that left many big banks reeling has created opportunities for others, including one Canadian-owned giant that has set its aim on Washington as one of its major new markets.

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On eve of Obama visit, an uneasy co-dependency between U.S. and China
BEIJING -- The U.S. and Chinese economies -- the world's largest and the fastest-growing major economy, respectively -- have become inextricably intertwined, locked in a kind of co-dependency that neither side thinks is particularly healthy, but which for the moment neither will move to break.

Opponents of health-care effort look to fund a critical economic study
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an assortment of national business groups opposed to President Obama's health-care reform effort are collecting money to finance an economic study that could be used to portray the legislation as a job killer and threat to the nation's economy, according to an e-m...

Study questions Vytorin and Zetia in heart disease treatment
A widely prescribed and expensive cholesterol drug is not as effective as niacin, a cheap vitamin, in helping to unclog coronary arteries in people already taking statins, the standard medicines used to lower cholesterol, according to a new study.

FACE TIME
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Eastern Virginia District Alexandria Division
These firms recently filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court's local court clerk's offices.

Position : Chief executive of SOC Enterprises, an Alexandria-based nonprofit assisting people with disabilities to obtain employment.

New at the Top: Linda Chandler of SOC Enterprises
After graduating from college with a degree in chemistry, most of the jobs I qualified for involved working in laboratories. But I like people much more. So I went to business school to broaden my skills so that I could prepare to work in management for a large organization. I found that studying...

Already under fire, long-term-care insurer sends bad data to workers
The already beleaguered long-term-care program for federal employees has mailed out more than 70,000 forms with mistakes about potential premiums, and as a result, it is pushing back the selection deadline for those workers to March 15, 2010.

French town cannot let bookstore die
POLIGNY, FRANCE - Just off the town square, a few hundred feet down La Grande Rue, a bookstore has been dispensing culture and entertainment to the people of Poligny for 150 years. Over the generations, residents said, it has become part of the landscape, a place where children tarry on the way h...

That upward stock market arrow may be about to burst your balloon
With a close over 10,270 on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average had its best showing of 2009. Like the day a few weeks earlier when it broke the five-figure mark for the first time since October 2008, the market's achievement was greeted not by champagne and celebration, but by introspection...

Research pays before you lay money down
With each tick higher in the market, more and more investors are working up the courage to get back in. But that's been hard for some who, burned by big losses and rattled by so many reports of financial scandal, still struggle with fundamental questions:

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Overdraft fees: Finally, fair warning
It only took a deep recession but finally the need to protect consumers is outweighing the almighty concern for business to make a buck.

For job seekers, it's still dress to impress
Whenever Eddie VanArsdall ventures out to sell himself in a job interview, he errs on the side of being too dressy instead of not dressed up enough.

Obama to Asia: Don't rely on debt-laden U.S. consumers
SINGAPORE--Declaring the world at "one of those rare inflection points in history," President Obama told the leaders of China and other Asian countries Sunday that they can no longer rely on debt-laden American shoppers to fuel their economies and that the United States must consume less and expo...

On Obama trip to seal economic ties with Asia, trade policy threatens a rift
SINGAPORE -- Hours after declaring that China's growing economic muscle doesn't pose a threat, President Obama traveled Saturday night to this usually pro-American city-state to wrestle with another tricky issue: Is the United States itself the troublemaker?

Google relents with revised digital books settlement
In a move to allay its critics and the Justice Department, Google filed in federal court a revised legal settlement that would allow it to distribute millions of digital books online.

Nonpartisan agency says House bill would reduce senior care
A plan to slash more than $500 billion from future Medicare spending -- one of the biggest sources of funding for President Obama's proposed overhaul of the nation's health-care system -- would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens and could jeopardize access to care for millions of ot...

Retailers tighten belts to bring numbers up
Retailers cut costs and slashed inventory to reach better-than-expected profits during the third quarter but warned that consumers remain reluctant to shop.

Europe emerges from recession
LONDON -- Buoyed by strengthening rebounds in Germany and France, the 16-nation euro zone has officially climbed out of its worst recession since World War II, fueling hopes that a lasting global recovery is beginning to take shape.

Drug firm Emergent to expand
Rockville pharmaceutical firm Emergent BioSolutions announced on Friday that it has acquired a building in Baltimore where it intends to expand the development and testing of its drugs.

U.S. trade gap widens
A weaker dollar may boost the nation's economy by increasing exports and narrowing the trade gap -- but that won't happen anytime soon.

Health-care reform and abortion coverage: Questions and answers
After the House passed its health-care bill last weekend, debate exploded over an amendment by Reps. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) that restricts abortion coverage.

Health insurers could be allowed to bypass some key reforms
Nobody wants to spend a lot of time and energy -- and taxpayer money -- and end up where they started. But that's what could happen with one of the principal elements of health reform, the "exchange" or "gateway."

Résumé Rx: At entry level, strong verbs and descriptions are key
Jeffrey Look, who holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, is looking for a job or internship in human resources, botany or psychology before returning to school for a graduate degree. He's not sure what types of experiences to include on his résumé.

8 lines of questioning for your broker
SOURCE: SEC's investor education Web site, Investor.gov

How market contrarians win their bets
In his classic book "The Money Masters," John Train recounts how just after the start of World War II, a young John Templeton placed an order to buy $100 worth of every stock that traded on a U.S. exchange for $1 per share or less. After the broker reported that he'd bought every such stock except...

Strict refund policies may offend but are ethical
Q: Recently I tried to get a refund on some merchandise for which I no longer had the sales receipt. But I was told that I was out of luck and that I couldn't even get a store credit. I was offended. Do you think this policy is ethical?

Get creative to land a holiday job
Q: How can I find a job for the holidays, and when and where should I start looking?

Regulators seize 3 more banks
Regulators shut down two banks in Florida and one in California on Friday, boosting to 123 the number of U.S. bank failures this year as loan defaults rise in the worst financial climate in decades.

Bank repossessions down in D.C. area
Bank repossessions of homes in the Washington area declined last month but are on pace to surpass last year's total in most parts of the region by the end of the year, according to data released Thursday by RealtyTrac.

Obama calls summit on job creation
President Obama plans to hold a White House forum on job creation next month, an attempt to signal his concern about the growing ranks of the unemployed and build consensus on future action to stoke the economy.

Banks to prepay FDIC for failures
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will collect $45 billion from the banking industry to cover the rising cost of bank failures, an unprecedented assessment that reflects the agency's projections that the current round of failures will not peak until next year.

Fed takes aim at overdraft penalties
The Federal Reserve will begin banning banks from charging many overdraft fees unless customers sign up for the service, an unprecedented move that comes as a wave of consumer reform sweeps Washington.

Downturn stalls U-Md.'s plans for upscale East Campus district
The University of Maryland has suffered a setback in its plan for East Campus, a proposed district of upscale restaurants, shops and housing that it hopes will build a stronger sense of a college town in College Park.

Local Digest

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.'s deficit nearly doubles to $22 billion
The government-chartered company that insures the pensions of one in seven Americans said Friday that its deficit this year nearly doubled to $22 billion.

Erase Bad Credit Legally - Sponsored Link
Ad - www.Repair-Credit-Today.com Nov 20 2009 7:02PM GMT

Company debt sales top annual record already
MarketWatch Nov 20 2009 7:02PM GMT

Western companies use rock music to tap into China's youth market
Telegraph Nov 20 2009 7:00PM GMT

Federation of Small Businesses throws lifeline to floodhit companies
Telegraph Nov 20 2009 6:59PM GMT

San Francisco Hotel Group Urges Unite Here Local 2 to Negotiate Throughout the Holidays to Reach New Contract Resolution Sam Singer, Singer Associates, Appointed for Hotel Council Communications
CNBC Nov 20 2009 6:33PM GMT

Texas Jobless Rate up, but So Is Number of Jobs
ABC News Nov 20 2009 6:23PM GMT

Brazil Offers Tax Incentives For Local Ford Unit To Expand
CNN Money Nov 20 2009 6:23PM GMT

Porsche board okays merger contract with Volkswagen
Reuters Nov 20 2009 6:16PM GMT

Foot Locker sees sales falling in final quarter
CNN Money Nov 20 2009 5:39PM GMT

New Nexus Solution Center in Irvine Offers Advanced Technologies to Enable Virtualization and Cloud Computing Leading enterprises turn to Data Center 3.0 approach to protect, optimize and grow their organizations
CNBC Nov 20 2009 5:37PM GMT

Buffett Cuts Sweet Deal for Burlington Northern Loan
New York Times Nov 20 2009 5:33PM GMT

EU Picks Unknowns for Top Two Jobs
BusinessWeek Nov 20 2009 5:28PM GMT

US Carriers' Passenger Revenue Down in October
ABC News Nov 20 2009 5:25PM GMT

10 companies for leaders
Fortune Nov 20 2009 4:52PM GMT

Sony, Nintendo Focus On Emerging Nations For Game Console Sales
Nikkei Net Interactive Nov 20 2009 4:38PM GMT

Smucker profit soars on benefits of Folgers deal
MarketWatch Nov 20 2009 4:29PM GMT

Gartmore plans IPO to cut H&F stake, debt
Reuters Nov 20 2009 4:25PM GMT

Trade deal agreed in East Africa
BBC Nov 20 2009 3:49PM GMT

Altera Signs Distribution Agreement with Newark Newark offers Altera's programmable solutions and introduces an online Altera community to support products including the new Cyclone IV FPGA family through www.element-14.com
CNBC Nov 20 2009 3:40PM GMT

Geospatial Holdings' Subsidiary Enters Into Three Year Contract with Xcel Energy to Locate Underground Utilities in New Mexico
CNBC Nov 20 2009 3:40PM GMT

Ladbrokes to cut UK jobs and call centre
Guardian.co.uk Nov 20 2009 3:37PM GMT

Wall Street Jobs Slow to Return Despite Record Profits
CNBC Nov 20 2009 3:15PM GMT

Northrop Grumman Gets Contract With National Guard
ABC News Nov 20 2009 2:58PM GMT

AnnTaylor Revenue Misses; Cautious on Holiday
ABC News Nov 20 2009 2:56PM GMT

Valero Energy cutting 550 jobs in refinery closure
MarketWatch Nov 20 2009 2:38PM GMT

Capella University Announces New Bachelor of Science in Psychology Online university also offers convenient, cost-saving Combined BS/MS in Psychology Option
CNBC Nov 20 2009 2:31PM GMT

Threshers group axes almost 2,000 more jobs
Times Online Nov 20 2009 2:30PM GMT

Ann Taylor swings to profit; sales miss mark
MarketWatch Nov 20 2009 2:30PM GMT

GE Oil & Gas Supports European Growth with New Global Services Facility $5 Million Site Upgrade Offers Additional Services and Capacity to Expanding Customer Base
CNBC Nov 20 2009 2:28PM GMT

CP Rail reaches tentative deal with police union
Reuters Nov 20 2009 2:23PM GMT

JFE Steps Up Overseas Sales Drive
Nikkei Net Interactive Nov 20 2009 2:17PM GMT