American Business Warns of Slowdown in China
American companies that do business in China are the latest group to warn that the economy there has become troubled. The American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China, or AmCham China,…
All Work
Douglas A. McIntyre
German Economy Expands Again
The Ifo Business Climate Index for trade and industry in Germany rose again in March. The index reached 109.8, rising from 109.7 in February. Germany joins the U.S., China and, to a lesser extent, Japan…
What’s Important in the Financial World (3/26/2012) Gas Nears $4, Tiger Woods Endorsements
It does not matter whether gasoline prices are measured by AAA Fuel Gauge or the carefully watched Lundberg Survey, the trend is clear. The average price for regular gasoline increased 11.49 cents to $3.9297 a…
Media Digest (3/26/2012) Reuters, WSJ, FT, Bloomberg
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) struggles with its Windows Mobile OS as app developers have been slow to adopt it. (Reuters) Smugglers find it more difficult to make money on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) products in China…
Troubled HTC Launches New Smartphone
HTC was the hottest smartphone company in the world not long ago. Its recent earnings and manufacturing figures show it has lost some of its competitive edge. It has been badly damaged by the success of…
Corzine Did Nothing Wrong On MF Transfer?
Maybe the media misjudged Jon Corzine, former CEO of bankrupt financial firm MF Global. Last week there were almost universal reports the he approved the transfer of client money to the firms books from…
Supreme Court And Obama Healthcare
The Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments over the constitutionality of the Obama healthcare package. The single most important section of the law involves whether Americans must carry health insurance or pay a…
New Endorsements For Tiger Woods?
Who will be Tiger Woods’ new endorsement partners now that he has won his first tournament in over two years, and is the new favorite for the Masters? He crushed the field at Arnold…
Microsoft Struggles With Apps Supply
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has had trouble in its efforts to get app developers to build products for its Windows mobile OS. Most developers continue to focus on the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) apps which run…
Gas Move Sharply Higher
Measured by AAA Fuel Gauge and the Lundberg Survey gas prices have accelerated higher. The average price for regular gasoline increased 11.49 cents to $3.9297 a gallon, according to Lundberg. The number is based on…
Fast-Food Chains with the Most Unhealthy Customers
While most Americans are happy with their family, friends and home life, more than one in five Americans are unhappy with their health. According to a new survey conducted by consumer-focused information site BIGinsight,…
A Mortgage Relief Plan Some Cannot Afford
Reports in the press say that Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) will allow some people whose homes are in foreclosure to rent them from the bank. Under the “Mortgage to Lease” plan, homeowners would…
American Airlines May Finally Be Sold
AMRBloomberg reports that US Airways (NYSE: LCC) has approached unsecured creditors of American Airlines parent AMR about buying the airline as its leaves bankruptcy. AMR management says it plans for the carrier to stay independent.…
Americans Begin to Abandon the Environment
The broad support that Americans have had for an improved environment has begun to erode as fuel prices have risen. Support of legislation for cleaner air and water may erode as well. This could change…
What’s Important in the Financial World (3/23/2012) Green Job Growth, T-Mobile Layoffs
The rise of “green” initiatives may finally have begun to help the U.S. economy. New Bureau of Labors statistics claim that 3.1 million Americans were employed in green jobs in 2010. The agency admitted that the…
Media Digest (3/23/2012) Reuters, WSJ, NYT, FT, Bloomberg
Members of Congress face new restrictions on insider trading. (Reuters) The UAW moves to organize a Volkswagen plant. (Reuters) A Brazilian oil regulator reports that the leak on a Chevron (NYSE: CVX) rig was…
Gas Prices Advance Yet Another Day
Gas prices seem to rise every day because they actually do. The carefully watched AAA Fuel Gauge showed the price of a gallon of regular gas, on average, reached $3.889 yesterday, up from $3.881 the…
Green Jobs Jump–BLS
The rise of “green” may finally have begun to help the US economy. New Bureau of Labors statistics claim that 3.1 million Americans were employed in green jobs in 2010. The agency itself admitted the…
T-Mobile Downsizes
US-based T-Mobile unit, part of Deutsche Telekom, has begun to look like Sprint. The No.4 wireless carrier in the US, has found it barely survive in a race dominated by AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon…
Oil Supply Cuts Rise–Reuters
Reuters has discovered another reason that oil prices are so high. The news agency reports worldwide supply outages robbed the market of 1.2 million barrels of crude a day in March . Among the causes were civil unrest…