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Monthly Archives: February 2010

FHA Numbers Indicate Rise In Foreclosures

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 7:19 am

By Douglas A. McIntyre The percentage of mortgages backed by the FHA that are in default has risen by a third over the last year. According to a report in ...
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China Economic Indicator: Largest Oil Company To Up Output 28%

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 6:29 am

If there was any question about how quickly the Chinese think their economy will grow this year, the production targets for Cnooc, its largest off shore oil and gas exploration company, ...
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Why Ever Buy A Toyota Again?

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 6:06 am

The news media is filled with stories about the eight million or more vehicles that Toyota (NYSE:TM) has recalled in the US, China, and Europe. These have gas pedals that can stick, ...
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A Dying DVD Business Causes Layoffs At Sony (SNE)

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 5:50 am

Sony (NYSE:SNE) has had enough problems in the three years since Howard Stringer became CEO. The company's PS3 has been a disappointment, regularly underselling the Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSF) Xbox 360 and ...
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The 192-Page Federal Budget: Drilling Down

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 5:18 am

The news media covered all the top line information about the new White House budget. Expenditures will be $3.8 trillion, if the package is approved. The deficit will be $1.6 trillion ...
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Goldman Sachs: Lloyd Blankfein’s Missing Paycheck

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 5:13 am

The Times of London wrote that Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) CEO Lloyd Blankfein would be paid $100 million for his work as the head of the bank during 2009. Goldman’s public ...
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Media Digest 2/2/2010 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 4:01 am

Reuters:   Volcker will testify that banks should curb risky trading. Reuters:   The US sees "no reason" to challenge the Toyota (NYSE:TM) plan to fix cars it has recalled for pedal ...
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Asia Markets And Europe Open (2/2/2010)

Posted: February 2, 2010 at 3:26 am

Markets in Asia were mixed. The Nikkei rose 1.6% to 10,371. Toyota (NYSE:TM) rose as it shipped parts to complete its recalls. The Hang Seng rose a fraction to 20,251. ...
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SIRIUS XM Snags Yet Another Upgrade (SIRI)

Posted: February 1, 2010 at 7:07 pm

SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) may have some risks for new Pandora web radio to the car and over Howard Stern's contract expiration at the end of 2010, but ...
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A Hostile Takeover Bid For Barnes & Noble As The Company Loses Ground To Amazon

Posted: February 1, 2010 at 7:06 pm

Ron Burkle, a financier who is fond of raiding retail companies, plans to take a 37% stake in the nation's largest bricks-and-mortar book seller, Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS). Burkle's Yucaipa ...
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Federal Reserve Survey: Consumers Don’t Want A Loan

Posted: February 1, 2010 at 4:42 pm

Today the Federal Reserve released its  survey of senior loan officers covering the fourth quarter of 2009.  The survey covered delinquency rates on commercial and industrial loans made to both ...
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Wrestling for Control of Barnes & Noble (BKS)

Posted: February 1, 2010 at 4:40 pm

A war is beginning to take place over Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS).  Ron Burkle, a well-known activist investor who heads various activist investor funds under the name Yucaipa, ...
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Technical Alert: JPMorgan Vs. Key Banks (JPM, BAC, C, WFC, XLF, FAS)

Posted: February 1, 2010 at 1:58 pm

The recent trading days have been more than interesting in the market and in the financial sector.  The big change came right at the same time that the banks looked ...
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Analysts Warming to Oracle More and More (ORCL, IBM, SAP)

Posted: February 1, 2010 at 12:36 pm

Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL) has just completed its acquisition of Sun Microsystems, and so far we are seeing analysts overwhelmingly in favor of the stock based on the most recent ...
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Ethanol Boom in Brazil

Posted: February 1, 2010 at 12:05 pm

Since the beginning of the year, Brazil's ethanol industry has generated more than its share of news. Today brings the announcement of a joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell ...
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