Fiscal Cliff Worries Year-End Markets
Frank Golhen, via Wikimedia CommonsOnly a few days remain for the U.S. markets to sell off because of fiscal cliff worries. There are actually just two. Volume will be light because so many traders…
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Trey Thoelcke
Apple Loses Copyright Suit in China
ThinkstockApple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) was hit with a copyright penalty in China. The Xinhua news agency reports: A Beijing court ruled against Apple Inc. in a copyright dispute on Thursday, saying the company must…
France Teeters on the Brink of Recession
ThinkstockIt may not seem like much, but France’s INSEE reported that third-quarter gross domestic product was higher by 0.1%, not the 0.2% preliminary number. GDP contracted in the second quarter. France’s economy continues to…
Looming Longshoremen’s Strike Raises Alarms
ThinkstockA strike by the The International Longshoremen’s Association’s (ILA), which would begin Sunday, appears very likely. A number of companies that rely on the ports for their inventory have expressed alarm. Matthew Shay, the…
Google Extends Free Phone Calls via Gmail
courtesy of Google Inc.Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) has upped the ante in the competition among major e-mail suppliers, which would include, at least, Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) and AOL Inc.…
Support Grows for Mario Monti
ThinkstockMario Monti, who recently resigned his post as the prime minister of Italy, may be back again. For proponents of the current austerity plans, his return would be good news. The balance of Europe…
Google Apps Increases Pressure on Microsoft Windows
courtesy of Google Inc.Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) has increased its push to take away low-end business customers who use Microsoft Corp.’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows products. Google Apps has been available for several years, and it…
China Turns Pessimistic on Global Economy
ThinkstockChina’s Institute of World Economy and Politics has turned pessimistic on the world’s economy. And the institute’s analysts believe that the U.S. fiscal cliff problem could cause a sharp recession that would affect the…
Year-End Storms Across the U.S.
ThinkstockThe weather will not much help U.S. gross domestic product over the course of the final week of the year. Storms currently cover about half the nation, and heavy rain, wind and snow are…
Peugeot Walks Away from Opel Merger
courtesy of General MotorsPeugeot, though in desperate need for a cash infusion, will not try to bolster its fortunes through a merger with General Motors Co.’s (NYSE: GM) Opel division, according to Autogazette. Its…
Hope for Fiscal Cliff Compromise Rests with the Senate
ThinkstockNow that the House of Representatives and White House have bungled fiscal cliff negotiations, some experts believe that the Senate is the only body that can reach a compromise to set new laws to…
Expected Longshoreman Strike Could Be Another Blow to the Economy
ThinkstockJust a few days ago, the possibility of a strike of longshoreman at major East Coast and Gulf ports was nowhere in the news. Now the chance of a work stoppage has been called…
U.K. on the Brink of Another Recession
ThinkstockAdd the United Kingdom to the long line of countries that have gotten into more economic trouble that expected. The Office for National Statistics cut its figure for third-quarter GDP growth to 0.9%, in…
Facebook Introduces Message Fees
courtesy of Facebook Inc.Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) has scrounged up another way that might make it money. So far, Wall St. has been disappointed about the revenue Facebook has managed to derive from its one…
Dell Is Dropped from the S&P 100
courtesy of DellDell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) has been kicked out of the S&P 100. The PC company has struggled to remain relevant, and successful, for years. Perhaps Standard & Poor’s finally has acknowledged that Dell does…
Gun and Ammo Sales Surge Amidst Calls for Assault Weapons Bans
Gun and ammo sales have surged, so say several surveys. This is happening at the same time as politicians start to offer gun control legislation and many Americans press for assault rifles to be…
Google Sells Motorola Set-Top Business
ThinkstockGoogle Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) dumped the part of Motorola Mobility it did not want when it bought the company. Motorola’s cable set-top business may still make money, but the older boxes have been pushed out of…
RIM’s and Nokia’s Irrational Rallies
thinkstockWall St.’s uncanny new love of battered handset companies Research In Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ: RIMM) and Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) continues. The stocks in each firm are up more than 40% in the past…
German Business Climate Brightens Despite Weakness in Trade
ThinkstockThe business climate in Germany reversed a bit last month after several months of decline. The news comes as a surprise as the balance of the continent slips into recession. According to Ifo: The…
TheStreet.com Settles with the SEC
ThinkstockSecurities and Exchange Commission problems with TheStreet Inc. (NASDAQ: TST) were worse than previously reported — much worse. According to the New York Post: TheStreet.com and three former executives settled a Securities and Exchange…