In what is likely to be a shock to the system of EU austerity negotiations, Italy will move its balanced budget goal from 2013 to 2014. Reuters reports that a document from the office of Prime Minister Mario Monti shows…
Citigroup (NYSE: C) losses an investor vote on executive compensation. (Reuters) Many experts say Spain cannot avoid a bailout. (Reuters) Nestle is close to a deal to buy Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) baby food division.…
The war between Spanish oil company Repsol and the government of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez over controlling interest in YPF–the largest oil company in Argentina–has become a international political incident. Repsol rightly sees its…
Ford (NYSE: F) said it will not produce electric powered heavy trucks anytime in the near future. It has already begun to follow GM (NYSE: GM) and Nissan into the business of producing small…
Yahoo!’s (NASDAQ: YHOO) new CEO Scott Thompson said “We don’t need to reinvent who we are. We’re one of the leading media companies. But we do need to reinvent the experiences our users have.”…
Updated throughout the day on the 24/7 Wall St. Wire Research In Motion may hire a banker to seek strategic options, which could include a sale (Reuters) Deutsche Telekom may sell its UK and…
More evidence that the housing market’s recovery is waiving if it exists at all. The Commerce Department released data that showed an unexpected drop in housing starts. Builders are current worried about inventory. Several…
After years of weak housing markets, home sellers are hopeful that this spring’s home-buying season will finally lift prices. In positive news, RealtyTrac reported in March that national foreclosures fell to their lowest levels…
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association said sales reached a 14-year low in the region in March. Registrations in the European Union plus Switzerland, Norway and Iceland fell 6.6% to 1.5 million cars and light trucks.…
The rapid rise in the value of Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares has been credited with much of the improvement in the Nasdaq and S&P 500 over the past year. Apple’s market cap makes it a…
“All politics is local,” said U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill in 1982. Angela Merkel has begun her campaign to remain Germany’s chancellor. Her party must retake the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the country’s…
Spain may take over financial responsibility for some of its states. These crippled regions are one reason Spain’s finances are so badly hurt. The only other large OECD nation that has allowed the takeover of local…
Americans understand the benefits of a strong relationship between the United States and China. They also see the drawbacks of the growth in influence of the People’s Republic. That second sentiment may trump the…
The Republicans in the Senate killed the Buffett Rule, which is meant to tax Americans who earn more than $1 million, or some other large amount, depending on the version of the legislation. Critics claim the tax will…
Argentina may take control of huge energy company YPF. (Reuters) Spanish debt costs continue to rise. (Reuters) The International Monetary Fund will try to raise $400 billion, much less that previously planned. (Reuters) The Chinese…
Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) will release Q1 earnings today. They are expected to be dismal. The firm’s important display ad revenue will probably contract–again. Yahoo! once dominated inventory in this sector. Its piece has been…
Argentina’s government says it will nationalize YPF,the nation’s biggest oil company. This will push out Spain’s group Repsol–the majority shareholder. What is left now is to see if Repsol will have as recourse, or…
Despite brisk demand, the cost for Spain to raise money continued at levels the government cannot pay if it want to cut deficits. According to CNBC, “The yield on the 12-month bill was 2.623…
The Republican Senate killed the “Buffett rule” which is meant to tax the Americans who earn over $1 million, or some other large amount–depending on the version of the legislation. Critics claim the tax…
The wreck of Nokia (NYSE: NOK) is no longer the slow motion one which began when current CEO Stephen Elop, formerly of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), took the helm over a year ago. He must…