Apple (AAPL) says customers have already downloaded 60 million software applications for its iPhone. That number seems phenomenal, but from a revenue standpoint it is not. According to The Wall Street Journal," If sales…
China’s producer price index moved up over 10% last month. According to MarketWatch, this is the largest increase since 1996. This level of inflation makes it almost certain that China can no longer be…
Russia has its own mysterious reasons for invading Georgia, one of its neighbors to the South, and there is some speculation that it would like to take on other small nation states to secure…
With the domestic deal market looking pretty dry at the moment, the private equity kings who made billions taking company after company private over the last few years are seeking new ways to make…
The special rules designed to curb "abusive naked short selling" in 19 prominent financial stocks are set to expire on Wednesday, and no one’s quite sure what will happen if the SEC doesn’t extend…
Reuters reports that UPS (UPS) is trying to buy Dutch rival TNT Reuters writes that credit unions are being hit by mortgage market problems. Reuters reports that GATX (GMT) is offering over $3 billion…
Markets in Asia were mostly higher, but Shanghai fell 5.1%. The Nikkei rose 2% to 13,431. Fuji Heavy Industries was up 6.9% to 278. Nissan rose 4.3% to 879. The Shanghai Composite moved up…
Intel (INTC), which for years has spent hundreds of million of dollars on branding, is launching a new series of chips. The branding plan for these is more complex than the processors themselves. The…
Corporations often start a business that becomes a famous brand, or buy companies that already have highly recognized brand names. Over time these brands often lose their earnings power. Corporations who find themselves in…
Now that Citigroup (C), UBS (UBS), and Merrill Lynch (MER) have agreed to buy back a total of about $40 billion in auction-rate securities, Wall St. will have to hazard a guess as to…
MBIA’s (MBI) corporate slogan "Wisdom In Action" presents a monumental irony. Management’s gamble that derivatives were a good way to pop earnings nearly ruined the company. The firm was, after all, supposed to be…
The SEC informal investigation of Bank of America’s (BAC) recently acquired Countrywide Financial has been in progress for months and now there’s a new development. And it’s not good for Bank of America: the…
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A) has published its earnings after the close. Unfortunately, traders maybe looking more forward to the new list of public company holdings than anything. Net earnings were listed as $2.880…
Coeur d’Alene Mines (CDE) Company posts loss in most recent quarter. Drops to $2 from 52-week high of $5.18. Par Pharmaceutical (PRX) Cuts full-year guidance. Drops to $12.82 from 52-week high of $24.50. Nextwave…
Russian shares in ETF’s, closed-end funds, and ADR’s are taking a little beating this morning after Russian forces have rolled in with tanks, troops, and air raids into Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia region. Deciding…
On June 3, 2008, Smith International (NYSE:SII) and W-H Energy Services (NYSE:WHQ) entered into a definitive merger agreement that would have Smith paying $56.10 in cash and 0.48 common share for each W-H share…
Usually rumors on new technology items create buzz or create hype for shareholders, but they can also create unrealistic expectations that ultimately hurt the stock. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has been under the cloud…
McDonald’s (MCD) may be raising the prices on its "Happy Meals" and offering less attractive "Dollar Menus" None of that seems to matter. In July, same-store sales moved up 8%. Sales at worldwide restaurants…
Why should Freddie Mac (FRE), the big banks and large brokerage firms have all the fun losing billions of dollars. Fannie Mae crashed the party today by announcing mind-boggling losses and cutting its dividend.…
After Wal-Mart (WMT) announced its outstanding June numbers, Wall St. said the company was actually “recession proof”. Consumers, beat down by high gas and commodities prices, could turn to Wal-Mart to get relatively high…