The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported this morning that existing home sales rose by 2.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.47 million units in July compared with 4.37 million units in…
Since the beginning of July, gasoline pump prices have been on a steady march higher, following rising crude prices, which are rising primarily because traders are betting on more government stimulus in Europe, China,…
With the addition of a one-game playoff between the two best runners-up in each league, Major League Baseball made an offer that one of its biggest advertisers could not refuse. Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (NYSE:…
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE: AEO) reported an adjusted second fiscal quarter EPS of $0.21 on $740 million in sales before markets opened this morning. In the same period a year ago, the teen…
Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the world’s largest maker of wind turbines, reported second-quarter results early this morning. The company posted revenue of €1.61 billion ($2.0 billion), a year-over-year rise of 15%. Order backlog,…
Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) reported third fiscal quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $0.36 on $543 million in sales before markets opened this morning. In the same period a year ago, the country’s…
The Mortgage Bankers Association released its weekly report on mortgage applications this morning, noting a 7.2% decline in the group’s composite index compared with last week’s total. Applications for refinancing fell 9% (seasonally adjusted),…
The three major US stock indexes opened higher this morning but by early afternoon all three had gotten stuck solidly in the red. The higher opening reflected little data and some new optimism about…
Just over a month ago the US Treasury Department threatened sanctions against any country allowing crude oil tankers belonging to Iran’s National Iranian Tanker Company to be registered (flagged) with that country. Tanzania and…
The drought that has put a severe dent in the US corn crop is now threatening to do the same kind of damage to the soybean crop. Corn, which is planted and harvested earlier…
The UK lost a skirmish in its July battle with the country’s current recession. The country’s tax collections came in £557 million (about $880 million) short. Less than $1 billion doesn’t seem like a…
The financial condition of US small businesses continue to show signs of improvement according to data from Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE: COF). Hiring is improving as well: Small businesses started the year off…
Shares of First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) are up about 12% in the past five days, including jump of more than 6% yesterday and a similar-sized rise this morning. The company opened an operating…
U.S. economic confidence remained relatively stable at a rate of -28 in the week ended last Friday, according to the latest survey from Gallup. In the previous week, the reading was -27. Gallup’s confidence…
Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Dennis Lockhart spoke to an audience of Latin American businesspeople this morning, and without really stating the issue in such stark terms, compared the economic experience of some Latin…
The rule proposed by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that would require automakers to achieve a miles-per-gallon average of 54.5 across their fleets by 2025…
Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) reported adjusted 2013 second fiscal quarter EPS of $0.20 and $10.55 billion in sales before markets opened this morning. In the same period a year ago, the consumer…
Medtronic Inc. (NYSE: MDT) reported adjusted 2013 first fiscal quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $0.85 on $4 billion in sales before markets opened this morning. In the same period a year ago, the…
Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) reported a second quarter net loss of $1.30 per ADS on $346.1 million in sales before markets opened this morning. In the same period a year ago, the solar-power products…
The three major US stock indexes opened lower this morning following a negative reaction by a government official to a weekend report that Germany would support a sovereign bond-buying plan for the European Central…