ThinkstockWhat government shutdown woes? Oh, wait. That was not until October 1. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) showed that its Manufacturing Index grew for the 52nd consecutive month as its Report on Business…
Wikimedia CommonsNike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) has several things going for it. It is a newly added Dow Jones Industrial Average component. We also expect the company to raise its dividend in the next few…
ThinkstockAutomakers report September sales throughout the day Tuesday, and we will be following the reports and posting results as they come in. Based on analysts’ estimates, the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate for 2013…
ThinkstockDrugmaker Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) announced Tuesday morning that it will fire another 8,500 employees in an effort to “sharpen” the company’s focus on R&D and returns to shareholders. The 8,500 job…
ThinkstockWhen you see reports of thousands of layoffs, it has to be a stark reminder that this recovery’s continuation likely will have to depend on the growth and success of small businesses in America.…
ThinkstockLess than 10 years ago, just about everybody had a cell phone. However, at that point nobody had a smartphone. The smartphone revolution grew out of the ill-fated Palm idea for a personal digital…
courtesy of WalgreenWalgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG) posted fourth-quarter and fiscal-year 2013 results before markets opened Tuesday morning. The drugstore chain reported adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.73 on revenues of $17.94 billion.…
ThinkstockWhen Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) ignited the smartphone revolution in 2007, it continued its ongoing policy of using a fairly heavy hand on its suppliers to contain costs and keep its margins at the…
Now that volatility is back in stocks and now that a government shutdown is taking hold, investors and traders alike have to be wondering whether they should be buying stocks. It turns out that…
Jon OggVolatility has resumed in stocks, and investors are looking for bargains. They also are looking to see where they need to protect their portfolios. Investors often get to see analyst reports with Buy ratings…
ThinkstockThe conventional wisdom says that U.S. manufacturing jobs are disappearing. That’s really not arguable. What is arguable is the reason for and the impact of that disappearance on U.S. workers and gross domestic product.…
courtesy of Nokia Corp.The press hit the high points of new research about smartphone sales in Europe. The data were analyzed as part of the Kantar Worldpanel. Largely lost in the tidal wave of…
courtesy of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.As the holiday season approaches, retailers are preparing for the busiest shopping time of the year by increasing their workforces. Five of the nation’s largest retailers will add nearly 300,000…
ThinkstockOne strike and you’re out. That was the decision made by Gen. James F. Amos, the Marine Corps commandant. He essentially dismissed two major generals for allowing weak security at a base in southwest Afghanistan…
courtesy J.C. Penney Co. Inc.How long is too long before the shutdown of the federal government begins to batter U.S. gross domestic product and the fortunes of a number of industries? In the case…