"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

Nikkei Rallies on Japan GDP

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 07:21 PM PST

Asian stock markets were higher early, with Japanese stocks supported by better-than-expected economic growth in the third quarter. The Nikkei was up 0.5%.

Prudence Pays For Generali

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 05:51 PM PST

CEO Says Insurer Benefiting From Low Interest Rates, Limited Exposure Outside Italy

Irish Resist EU Push to Accept Bailout

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 07:28 PM PST

Europe's debt crisis entered a critical new phase as Ireland resisted pressure from the European Central Bank and national governments to seek a bailout amid growing concern that the currency bloc could unravel.

Goldman's Plan to Repay Berkshire Is Delayed

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 05:35 PM PST

Goldman has hit a delay in its efforts to win U.S. approval to repay a $5 billion investment from Berkshire Hathaway because the Fed first wants to hammer out guidelines on bank dividend increases.

Dividend Increases Spur New Interest

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 05:36 PM PST

U.S. investors have long been reluctant to embrace dividend stocks, but there are some signs investors are growing more attentive to payouts.

Toyota, Honda Lose U.S. Edge

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 07:30 PM PST

Both Honda and Toyota are likely to suffer drops in their U.S. market share. Through the first 10 months of 2010, Toyota's share is down 1.5 percentage points at 15.2%. Honda's U.S. share is down six-tenths of a point at 10.6%.

AMP Bids for AXA Asia

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 04:46 PM PST

AMP offered more than US$12.9 billion for AXA Asia Pacific in its second attempt to buy its wealth management rival, a person familiar with the matter said.

AIG's Benmosche: 'This Isn't Pie in the Sky'

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 07:40 PM PST

AIG CEO Robert Benmosche talks about what the insurer needs to accomplish before year-end to prepare for the government's exit, the head winds facing its insurance businesses, and how he is dealing with his cancer diagnosis.

White House: Obama Won't Back Permanent Cuts for Wealthy

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 04:44 PM PST

Senior White House adviser David Axelrod said the president won't support a permanent extension of tax cuts for wealthy Americans but declined to say whether the White House would support a temporary extension of such cuts.

Japan GDP Quickens

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 04:27 PM PST

Japan's economic expansion accelerated in the third quarter of 2010 but deflation and a strong yen may drag on future growth.

APEC Leaders Pledge Trade Deals

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 03:28 PM PST

Leaders of Asia-Pacific nations pledged to take concrete steps toward creating a regional liberalization pact, giving some modest momentum to long-stalled efforts at global economic integration.

China Cites Pollution for Rare-Earth Policy

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 03:33 PM PST

Chinese officials are signaling greater efforts to tie the export of rare-earth metals to tougher environmental standards, suggesting worries over supplies of the critical elements could continue.

Comcast NBC Deal Review Quickens

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 03:21 PM PST

Federal regulators have stepped up reviews of Comcast's $13.75 billion deal to acquire control of NBC Universal from General Electric in hopes of concluding them by the end of the year.

BHP Abandons Potash Bid

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 02:15 PM PST

BHP Billiton abandoned its $39 billion bid for Canadian fertilizer company Potash and promised to return $4.2 billion to shareholders through a previously suspended buy back program.

Australian State Offers Energy Assets

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 10:12 AM PST

New South Wales is seeking to raise $10 billion from the sale of its power-trading network.

Heart Device Cuts Death Rate

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 04:17 PM PST

An expensive pacemaker-defibrillator greatly improves the chance of survival among heart-failure patients with only mild symptoms, according to a major, multiyear clinical study.

Greece Expects Budget Pressure from EU, IMF

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 04:56 PM PST

Debt-ridden Greece expects "substantial pressure" from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund this week to adopt further austerity measures, amid expectations that the country will miss its deficit targets.

Drug Study Gives J&J Cold Comfort

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 06:21 PM PST

Results of a long-awaited clinical trial showed that J&J's drug nesiritide provided only limited relief for patients with acute heart failure.

Suu Kyi Vows to Push for Change

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 03:24 PM PST

Myanmar prodemocracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi signaled she intends to keep pressing for political change—a mission made more difficult by the military junta's tightened grip on power.

Wal-Mart Bargain Shops For Japanese Stores

Posted: 14 Nov 2010 03:22 PM PST

Having finally turned a corner in the notoriously difficult Japanese retail market, Wal-Mart is actively on the hunt for acquisitions in Japan as it focuses on creating greater scale to further reduce its cost base.