ThinkstockOver the past 12 months, more small businesses have fired employees than hired new ones, according to the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup small business index. The January index reading of -10 is slightly higher than…
ThinkstockZoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS), a spin-off of the animal health business of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), held its initial public offering this morning. The company offered 86.1 million shares at $26 a share, $1.00…
ThinkstockWe have two important readings out this morning, after the key unemployment report from earlier. We have seen the University of Michigan consumer sentiment reading. This report was immediately followed by the ISM Manufacturing…
Courtesy Chrysler Group LLCAutomakers will be reporting January U.S. sales today, and based on the two already out, it appears that it was a very good month. Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) reported sales…
courtesy of Chevron Corp.Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2012 results before markets opened this morning. For the quarter, the oil and gas supermajor posted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.70…
ThinkstockAccording to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than one-third (35.7%) of all adults in the United States are obese or very overweight. Obesity-related medical conditions include heart attack, stroke, type-2 diabetes and…
Wikimedia CommonsOil and gas supermajor Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2012 results before markets opened this morning. For the quarter, Exxon posted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.20 on…
Ed Brown, via Wikimedia CommonsThe Labor Department is out with its critical monthly employment situation report. Wall St. will not exactly be cheering, although the news is not exactly awful. The unemployment rate is…
Jon OggThese are some of this Friday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen from Wall St. research calls. Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A./N.V. (NYSE: BUD) cut to Hold at Soc-Gen. Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD)…
ThinkstockThe Dow Jones Industrial Average has just seen a major move in January 2013, with gains of nearly 6%. That was even after two days of light profit taking at the end of the…
ThinkstockIn an Securities and Exchange Commission filing this morning, wireless network company Clearwire Corp. (NASDAQ: CLWR) filed a preliminary proxy statement related to the company’s “definitive agreement” to be acquired by Sprint Nextel Corp.…
ThinkstockNational Oilwell Varco Inc. (NYSE: NOV) reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2012 results before markets opened this morning. For the quarter, the oil field services and drill rig technology firm posted adjusted diluted earnings per…
ThinkstockThe maker of the “The King of Beers” will not be expanding its kingdom. Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A./N.V. (NYSE: BUD), itself a creation of a merger, probably will be blocked from buying Grupo Modelo of Mexico. The…
courtesy of Sony Corp.Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE), one of the most battered large companies in the world, may launch the next in the line of its PlayStation models — the PS4. Sony has been…
ThinkstockThe United Kingdom’s PMI showed a 3% year-over-year rise last month, marking a tiny recovery from what has been a terrible period for its economy. The data were reported by Markit. According to Bloomberg:…