ThinkstockGermany did not join the parade of European Union (EU) nations which showed very, very modest improvements in manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI). France, Spain and Italy continue to post contractions, albeit at a…
ThinkstockMarkit issued manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) numbers for June for France, Italy and Spain. The figures painted a picture of a region still in recession with some modest improvements in pockets. Markit reported…
ThinkstockIt’s official. The manufacturing sector of China has reached a dead halt. June purchasing managers index (PMI) was 50.1%, just a tad above the point of contraction. The number is inaccurate enough the contraction…
courtesy of Google Inc.Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) lead in consumer electronics would have allowed it to launch an armada of new devices. It could look at the largest selling devices in the industry and…
ThinkstockFrance’s stat operation INSEE reported that French consumer confidence cratered in June. The region’s second largest economy may not be in as much trouble as Italy or Spain, but its citizens believe otherwise, at…
ThinkstockThe Boston Globe is barely there anymore. Its circulation has fallen so far that it is below those of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Honolulu Star Advertiser. And Boston, the home to one of…
Wikimedia CommonsIn a sign that Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) has more cash on hand than the sense to use it wisely to create new drugs, its board approved a $10 billion share buyback. Pfizer…
ThinkstockThe signs that the German economy is in a recovery instead of a period of stagnation have continued to grow. Retail sales data for May confirmed this. The Germany consumer has become an engine…
ThinkstockAn increasingly long list of private economists, credit firms and investment banks have downgraded China’s growth prospects. The latest comes from Fitch, one of the world’s largest credit rating agencies. And if such a…
ThinkstockThe dangers of putting a large portion of a brand’s marketing into the hands of a few athletes was highlighted again by the murder charges against Aaron Hernandez. Millions of dollars in corporate marketing…
courtesy of MicrosoftAlmost every product gives consumers a set of warnings about ramifications of its use. Windows 8.1 is no exception. Below is the list Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has released: Yes. Windows 8.1 Preview and…
ThinkstockThere is a debate, based on official government figures, private assessments and forecasts, about whether Germany is one of the few large nations in the world that has entered a true recovery. New information…
ThinkstockThe finance ministers of EU nations set rules for bank bailouts, which put the primary pressure on bond and stock holders. It sets up the kind of public/private war that already has happened with…
courtesy of NBN at German WikipediaSmoking may be bad for physical health, bad enough to cause dreaded diseases and death. It turns out the habit also causes psychological stress. And, all along, smoking was…
ThinkstockBarnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS), like rival book company Borders before it, will not survive as a standalone company. That leaves its board and investors with the challenge of where it may find…
courtesy of The Coca-Cola CompanySome politicians and doctors may want to curb Americans’ consumption of sugar, fatty food and other junk. Americans who are willing to brave obesity, Type II diabetes, heart attack and…
ThinkstockWhere do companies what to invest their money, outside of their own boarders? The United States. It is an odd conclusion, since the economy here has been relatively stagnant, and it even has faced…
ThinkstockA recovery of the overall German economy has been questioned, based on negative data from Eurostat and Markit. New information from GfK states that Germany has not only recovered from economic doldrums, but that…
courtesy Making Change at Walmart and UFCWSome retail analysts believe that if Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is to keep its presence as the largest retailer in the United States, it eventually will have…
ThinkstockGeorge Zimmer, founder and former executive chairman of Men’s Warehouse Inc. (NYSE: MW), likely can take back control of the retailer. And he does not have to look far for allies that can help…