ThinkstockSame-store retail sales from many of the country’s largest chains are scheduled to hit the tape tomorrow. Sales in February and March rose just 2% and 1.4%, respectively, so the most recent projection from…
ThinkstockPrivately held Oreck Corp., maker of upright vacuum cleaners and other cleaning products, has filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code. The company may reach an agreement within days to sell…
ThinkstockThe U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its weekly petroleum status report this morning. U.S. commercial crude inventories increased by 200,000 barrels last week, bringing the total U.S. commercial crude inventory to 395.5 million…
courtesy Chesapeake Energy Corp.The second largest U.S. producer of natural gas, Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK) has prevailed in a challenge by Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (NYSE: BK), which sought to prevent…
courtesy of McDonald'sComparable-store sales at McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) fell 0.6% year-over-year in April, with sales down in two of the company’s three geographic regions. Only U.S. sales grew, up by a slim 0.7%.…
ThinkstockT-Mobile US Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) reported first-quarter 2013 results before markets opened this morning. The wireless provider is the U.S.-listed combination of Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile USA unit and MetroPCS Communications Inc. Because the combination…
courtesy of AOL, IncAOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) reported first-quarter 2013 results before markets opened this morning. The online media and brand company posted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.32 on revenues of $538.3…
ThinkstockThe Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its weekly report on mortgage applications this morning, noting an increase of 7% in the group’s seasonally adjusted composite index, following a rise of 1.8% for the previous…
via Wikimedia CommonsThe 2009 agreement between Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) is scheduled to run for 10 years, but the agreement contains provisions to allow the two companies to make…
U.S. equity markets opened higher this morning following an unexpected 0.25% cut in Australia’s key interest rate to a new level of 2.75%. Japan’s Nikkei reopened today after a two-day holiday and buyers were…
courtesy Wal-Mart Stores Inc.Since founder Sam Walton stepped down as the company’s CEO in 1988, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) has had three CEOs, all of whom had long experience with the company before…
ThinkstockThe U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) today released the latest version of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, and the agency made some changes to its previous forecasts. The EIA now expects WTI spot prices to…
Courtesy of Boeing Co.In addition to the compensation claims against Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) for the three months that its 787 Dreamliner spent grounded due to a battery problem, the aircraft maker is also…
Thinkstock When First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) reported first-quarter 2013 results after the markets closed last night, investors did not know whether to cheer or boo. Share prices rose and fell and rose again…
ThinkstockFollowing a dip to a year-to-date low of -22 in early March, Gallup’s weekly U.S. Economic Confidence Index has risen to match a five-year high posted in February of -8. The prior week’s index…
thinkstockState and local authorities have provided a recommendation to the California Public Utilities Commission that PG&E Corp. (NYSE: PCG) should pay $2.25 billion for a natural gas pipeline explosion in September 2010 that killed…
Wikimedia CommonsYesterday’s announcement by Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) that it would begin selling its blockbuster Viagra drug online directly to patients is a genuinely ground-breaking deal. The big drug companies like Pfizer, Abbot Laboratories…
Home prices rose 10.5% in March, compared with the same month a year ago, the largest monthly increase since March 2006, according to research firm CoreLogic Inc. (NYSE: CLGX). The firm had previously forecast…
thinkstockDirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) reported first-quarter 2013 results before markets opened this morning. The satellite TV provider posted adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.43 on revenues of $7.58 billion. In the same period…
ThinkstockFirst Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) reported first-quarter 2013 results after the markets closed today. The solar panel maker posted quarterly adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.69 on revenues of $755 million. In…