Category Archives: Business

Happy New Year? Gas prices on the rise again

By doris | Published: January 9, 2012

Full Story at money.cnn.com ATLANTA (CNN) — Gas prices in the United States increased by more than a dime over the past three weeks, the first increase seen since mid-October, according to a survey published Sunday. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.35 as of Friday, the Lundberg Survey found. That’s [...]

Also posted in America, Family, Financial, Gas or Oil | Leave a comment

Boeing to close Kansas defense plant by end of 2013

By doris | Published: January 8, 2012

Full Story at msnbc.com WICHITA, Kan. — The Boeing Co., for decades the brand that helped support Wichita’s claim as the aviation capital of the world, announced Wednesday it will shut down facilities in the city by the end of 2013 and send work to plants in three other states as it deals with defense [...]

Also posted in Airlines, Closing, Defense, Jobs, Layoffs, Manufacturing | Leave a comment

Bailout concerns mounting for federal housing agency

By doris | Published: January 4, 2012

Full Story at money.cnn.com NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Concerns are growing that the Federal Housing Administration will need to be bailed out by taxpayers. The agency’s latest monthly outlook report revealed a spike in serious delinquencies for FHA-insured loans, posing a further threat to the agency’s already depleted cash reserves. According to the report, the [...]

Also posted in Bailout, FHA, Financial | Leave a comment

‘Hillbillies” Elly May settlin’ suit over Barbie

By doris | Published: January 3, 2012

Full Story at msnbc.com The actress who played tomboy Elly May Clampett on 1960s television show “The Beverly Hillbillies” has settled her lawsuit against Mattel over a Barbie doll based on her character. Actress Donna Douglas, now 78, sued the toy company in May as well as the consumer products division of CBS Corp. seeking [...]

Also posted in Corporate, merchandising, Money, Retail, Sue | Leave a comment

In a first, gas and other fuels are top US export

By doris | Published: December 31, 2011

Full Story at msnbc.com NEW YORK — For the first time, the top export of the United States, the world’s biggest gas guzzler, is — wait for it — fuel. Measured in dollars, the nation is on pace this year to ship more gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel than any other single export, according to [...]

Also posted in America, Gas or Oil | Leave a comment

Sears releases partial list of store closings

By doris | Published: December 30, 2011

Full Story at money.cnn.com NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Sears Holdings has released a partial list of the Sears and Kmart stores set to close as a result of the company’s poor sales this holiday season. Sears (SHLD, Fortune 500) said earlier this week that it planned to close between 100 and 120 stores at an [...]

Also posted in Closing, Financial, Holiday, Unemployment | Leave a comment

Shoplifters taking bigger piece of holiday pie

By doris | Published: December 24, 2011

Full Story at msnbc.com More than spirits are being lifted this holiday season. During the four weeks leading up to Christmas this year, an estimated $1.8 billion in merchandise will be shoplifted from U.S. retailers, according to The Global Retail Theft Barometer, a survey of retailers worldwide. That’s up about 6 percent from $1.7 billion [...]

Also posted in Financial, Holiday, Lose, Shoplifters | Leave a comment

Wendy’s about to unseat Burger King

By doris | Published: December 22, 2011

Full Story at BottomLine.msnbc.msn.com Wendy’s is about to unseat Burger King in the burger chain wars, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Sales at Wendy’s U.S. restaurants — both franchised and company-owned — are on track to be $8.42 billion or $53 million higher than Burger King’s this year, the article said. [...]

Also posted in Money, Wall Street | Leave a comment

Toymakers aggressively court mommy bloggers

By doris | Published: December 21, 2011

Full Story at msnbc.com Emily Vanek is not buying up a bunch of LeapPad Explorers herself, but she may be at least partly to blame for some stores selling out of the $99 children’s tablet this holiday season. “The LeapPad is incredible,” the Denver mother of three boys wrote to the 6,000 readers of her [...]

Also posted in merchandising, Mom, Toy | Leave a comment

Simple’s pitch: A no-fee, no hassle bank account

By doris | Published: December 20, 2011

Full Story at money.cnn.com NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Thousands of dissatisfied customers broke up with their megabanks this fall, and many more say they would leave if they can find a decent alternative. Enter Simple.com, a new online service that wants to replace your bank. Formerly known as BankSimple, the two-years-in-the-making venture opened last month [...]

Also posted in Banking, On line | Leave a comment

Last chance to buy paper savings bonds

By doris | Published: December 19, 2011

Full Story at money.cnn.com NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — This holiday season is your last chance to stop by the bank and buy a paper savings bond, either for yourself or your loved ones. Starting Jan. 1, you’ll no longer be able to purchase paper savings bonds at banks or other financial institutions. Instead, the savings [...]

Also posted in Banking, Financial, Government, Money | Leave a comment

SEC charges former execs of Fannie, Freddie

By doris | Published: December 17, 2011

Full Story at money.cnn.com NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with securities fraud on Friday for misrepresenting their holdings of high-risk mortgage loans. The SEC is targeting three former executives of Freddie Mac (FMCC, Fortune 500), including chief executive officer Daniel Mudd, [...]

Also posted in CEO, Financial, Foreclosure, Scheme | Leave a comment

First Solar stock plunges 20%

By doris | Published: December 14, 2011

Full Story at money.cnnl NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Shares in solar power company First Solar fell over 20% in early trading Wednesday after the firm lowered its sales forecast for 2011. The Arizona-based company, which is a leading maker of thin-film solar panels and also a developer of solar power projects, predicted net sales in [...]

Also posted in environment, Financial, Market, Power, Solar | Leave a comment

Postal Service delays closings until May 15

By doris | Published: December 13, 2011

Full Story at money.cnn.com WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) — The U.S. Postal Service has agreed to hold off on closing any more post offices or mail facilities until May 15, 2012, to allow Congress time to work on a plan to save the service. The U.S. Postal Service agreed to voluntarily enact a moratorium on closures, after [...]

Also posted in Closing, Economy, Financial, Government, Post Office | Leave a comment