"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

J. Crew Nears Sale to Private Equity Investors

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 07:53 PM PST

A pair of private equity firms are close to deal to acquire clothing retailer J. Crew Group for $43.50 a share in cash, or about $3 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

Asia Slips on Europe Worries

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 07:27 PM PST

Asian shares were down as investors continued to worry over Europe's debt crisis. New Zealand Oil & Gas fell 29% on a mining accident.

Somalia Schools Its Former Pirates

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 07:00 PM PST

A $2.4 million rehabilitation program in Somalia aims to teach former pirates skills such as carpentry and construction through a government vocational school.

Malls Pin Hope on Holiday

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 06:37 PM PST

Like many struggling urban malls, Metrocenter in Phoenix, which has lost two of its five anchor stores and has a 20% vacancy rate, needs a strong holiday season to keep other tenants hanging on.

Aid Groups Seek Pacts With Taliban

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 05:46 PM PST

Independent aid groups in Afghanistan are increasingly distancing themselves from the U.S.-led coalition and forging safe-passage agreements with the insurgents.

Qantas to Seek Compensation From Engine Maker

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 07:34 PM PST

Qantas Airways will seek compensation from engine maker Rolls-Royce as it resumes flights of its A380 jetliner after a turbine blowout earlier this month grounded its fleet.

Europe Crisis Focus Turns to Portugal

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 05:30 PM PST

Hopes that the rescue plan for Ireland would stop pressure on other European governments were set back as markets turned the spotlight to Portugal.

Rules Eased for Some Health Plans

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 05:17 PM PST

Amid pressure from employers, the Obama administration loosened rules for bare-bones health-insurance policies.

GOP Takes On Consumer Agency

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 06:04 PM PST

House Republican lawmakers fired the opening salvo in a war they plan to wage against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created by this year's overhaul of financial regulations.

Assembly Pushes to Oust Iran President

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 06:20 PM PST

Iran's parliament pushed to impeach President Ahmadinejad but was blocked from doing so by the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Tea Parties Turn to Local Issues

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 06:27 PM PST

The leaders of many local tea-party activist groups plan to take their agendas of limited government and penny pinching to their hometown governments.

Foreclosure Detectives Hunt for Lies

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 05:07 PM PST

How a new breed of mortgage-loan detectives are combing for fraud to decide who pays for the foreclosure-paperwork debacle.

Oracle, SAP Still at Odds on Damages

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 07:42 PM PST

An Oracle lawyer said in closing arguments that billions of dollars were at stake for SAP when one of its business units illegally downloaded documents and software from Oracle.

Nissan Discloses Leaf's Range, MPG Equivalent

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 06:40 PM PST

Nissan Motor Co.'s Leaf electric car will be sold with a window sticker that says the vehicle has a range on a full battery charge of 73 miles and a 99-mile-per-gallon equivalent fuel-economy rating.

The Just-in-Time Consumer

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 06:51 PM PST

After 20 years of stocking up, more shoppers now buy goods just when they need them, forcing companies to overhaul the way they produce and distribute.

Colorado Puts Medical Pot Under Microscope

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 04:30 PM PST

Regulators are putting the final touches on rules aimed at monitoring every aspect of the medical-marijuana industry.

White House Loses Two Top Economic Aides

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 07:34 PM PST

Two more of the Obama administration's top economic advisers are departing, at a time when the White House is facing growing opposition to its economic policies on Capitol Hill.

New H-P CEO Gives Few Hints on Strategy

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 07:10 PM PST

Hewlett-Packard's quarterly earnings rose 5.2% on corporate demand and lower component costs. New CEO Apotheker gave few hints about how he intends to steer the world's largest technology company.

Shareholders Question M&A Fees

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 12:52 PM PST

The issue of "wasted" fees on aborted takeovers has shone the spotlight again on the fees paid by companies—and ultimately by shareholders—to investment banks for advisory, financing and underwriting work.

Potash Sells Bonds

Posted: 22 Nov 2010 03:48 PM PST

Potash Corp. sold $1 billion in bonds, in part to finance its efforts to appease disgruntled shareholders after BHP's bid collapsed.