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…
All Work
Trey Thoelcke
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…
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to Dump New CEO
ThinkstockThe train wreck that is Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (NYSE: MSO) continued as the firm probably will dump its new chief executive. The New York Post reports: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia CEO Lisa Gersh is…
IBM Predicts Digital Taste Buds, Sense of Smell by 2018
IBM has put out its "5 in 5" report, detailing five important features computers will have in five years. The forecast indicates computers could be nearly human by 2018. That means millions of jobs…
Many McDonald’s Will Open Christmas Day
courtesy of McDonald'sSome people have objected to the fact that McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) will keep many of its locations open for Christmas. Apparently, this breaks with a tradition of giving people the day off.…
Boeing Hikes Dividend, Renews Buybacks
courtesy Boeing Co.Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA), increasingly unloved by Wall St. because of problems with its 787 that might make the plane dangerous to fly, has decided to entice holders to keep their shares,…
Gasoline Prices Likely to Fall Well into 2013
ThinkstockGasoline prices continue to fall, which could be a small counterweight to fiscal cliff effects. The national average price of a gallon of regular dropped to $3.248 yesterday, according to AAA Fuel Gauge. That…
Republican Tax Proposal Likely to Be Rejected
ThinkstockThe Republicans offered a new deal on taxes, and the White House likely will reject it. The proposal seems attractive. It would levy new taxes on people who make more than $1 million a year.…
2012 to Be the Warmest Year on Record
ThinkstockAnother factor in energy costs that may keep oil and gas prices low is the prevalence of unusually warm weather. Daytime temperatures will not be below freezing anywhere in the United States today, with…
Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (ADBE, BV, BP, BKW, CIEN, CL, CVS, DVA, DE, EQR, XOM, KMB, MRO, MSFT, PG, RIGL, RDS-A, S, TIVO, WYNN, YOKU, ZUMZ)
Jon OggThese are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen in Wall St. research calls this Friday. Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) cut to Neutral a Janney. Bazaarvoice Inc. (NASDAQ: BV)…
German Manufacturing Dwindles in December
ThinkstockIn a sign that Germany is on the cusp of a recession that would harm the overall recovery of the European Union, its manufacturing sector suffered a severe blow. The flash PMI measurement slipped…
iPhone 5 Launched in China — Is It Too Late?
courtesy of Apple Inc.Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) finally has released the iPhone 5 in China. Most press and many analysts believe that the American company’s market share in the People’s Republic has dropped so…
Silicon Valley Critic Takes a Poke at Google Android
courtesy of Google Inc.One of Silicon Valley’s most ancient and least successful critics attacked the profit model of the Google Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android OS. But Roger McNamee has arrived late to the debate.…
European Central Bank to Become True Central Banking Authority
ThinkstockEurope finally has a central banking authority, a move that many politicians and economists believe will help pull the region out of its financial crisis. It is hard to argue definitely this will happen.…
Google Maps Returns to the iPhone
courtesy of Apple Inc.The owners of Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 5 are rejoicing. The awful map product made by Apple for its devices can now be replaced by the one from Google Inc.…
Facebook’s New, Simpler Privacy Controls
ThinkstockFacebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) has released what it says are better privacy controls for its customers. With the company’s one billion members, it should not take long for a vocal reaction to tell whether…
Surface Tablet Coming to More Retailers
courtesy of MicrosoftMicrosoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has decided to let a number of retailers, including Staples Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS), offer its Surface tablet, perhaps to offset sales that never reached any real volume. Microsoft…
Pessimism Among Small Business Owners Increases
ThinkstockSmall business confidence, as measured by the Research Foundation of the National Federation of Independent Business, imploded in November. If small businesses account for most hiring in the United States, then the American economy is…
OPEC Oil Production Unchanged into 2013
ThinkstockMost OPEC leaders said they plan to keep oil production unchanged in the new year. Demand may be off because of slowing economies around the world. That means crude prices may have a ways…