ThinkstockThe U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its weekly petroleum status report this morning. U.S. commercial crude inventories increased by 2.7 million barrels last week, bringing the total U.S. commercial crude inventory to 388.6…
ThinkstockToday’s launch of real-money gambling in the United Kingdom has sent shares of Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ: ZNGA) soaring this morning. The anticipated launch in a partnership with Bwin.party Digital Entertainment is viewed as the…
ThinkstockHome prices rose 10.2% in February, compared with the same month a year ago. That was the largest monthly increase since March 2006, according to research firm CoreLogic Inc. (NYSE: CLGX). The firm had…
thinkstockMonsanto Co. (NYSE: MON) reported second-quarter fiscal 2013 results before markets opened this morning. The fertilizer and seed maker reported adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.73 on revenue of $5.47 billion. In…
ThinkstockConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) reported fiscal third-quarter 2013 results before markets opened this morning. The food processor and packager reported adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.55 on revenues of $3.85 billion.…
courtesy of Verizon WirelessShares of Vodafone Group PLC (NASDAQ: VOD) are down more than 3% this morning following a denial from Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) that it and AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) were…
ThinkstockThe Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its weekly report on mortgage applications this morning, noting a decrease of 4% in the group’s seasonally adjusted composite index, following a rise of 7.7% for the previous…
thinkstockHere are today’s five biggest gaining stocks at closing: BGC Partners Inc. (NASDAQ: BGCP) is up 48.3% at $5.71. B.O.S. Better Online Solutions Ltd. (NASDAQ: BOSC) is up 20.3% at $3.85. Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.…
U.S. equity markets opened higher this morning following better-than-expected reports on eurozone PMI. The improvements still did not push eurozone country PMI readings into the expansion area, and the EU’s statistical branch, Eurostat, reported…
ThinkstockIt’s that time of year again. Yup, U.S. farmers are getting started on planting corn, but cool weather and wet ground are slowing down an early start, at least in some states. Louisiana and…
ThinkstockOne of the transportation methods commonly offered as an alternative to crude oil and refined product pipelines is rail transport. Last weekend’s 10,000 gallon rupture in an Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) pipeline in…
courtesy of General MotorsNew car sales at General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) rose 6% year-over-year in March to a total of 245,950 vehicles. That is up 10% from the 224,314 vehicles the company sold…
courtesy Ford Motor Co.Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) reported this morning that its sales in March rose 6% year-over-year to 236,160 units sold. In March 2012. the company sold 223,262 units. Sales in February…
courtesy of Verizon WirelessA tie-up between Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone PLC (NASDAQ: VOD) is once more making news. A report today at the Financial Times’ Alphaville blog cites “usually reliable people”…
Courtesy Chrysler Group LLCU.S. monthly sales numbers are due out from most U.S. and foreign automakers today, and March was another good month for car sales. Chrysler Group, which is controlled by Italy’s Fiat…
ThinkstockThe closing of the merger between Glencore International and Xstrata has been pushed out to May 2, according to a statement this morning from Glencore. In early March the company said the deal was…
thinkstockHere are today’s five biggest gaining stocks at closing: Mecox Lane Ltd. (NASDAQ: MCOX) is up 25.6% at $3.34. Security National Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: SNFCA) is up 24.4% at $8.93. North American Palladium Ltd.…
U.S. equity markets opened slightly lower this morning, rose briefly above the break-even line, and then slipped following a weaker-than-expected report on U.S. manufacturing PMI (more coverage here). In Asia, China’s PMI reading fell…
courtesy of AppleApps analytics firm Flurry said today in a blog post that mobile devices known as “phablets” — that is, a device with a screen size larger than 5 inches but smaller than…
ThinkstockThe battle for what was once the integrated oil & gas company Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES) took another turn this morning after the company said it has signed a deal to sell its 90%…