"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

Aging Rigs Expose Gulf to Accidents

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 07:39 PM PST

The Deepwater rig blast set off a fierce battle over deep-sea oil drilling. But that debate has largely ignored another threat: The troubled state of offshore infrastructure that remains in place long after wells are drilled.

Tax Deal Shapes 2012 GOP Race

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 07:34 PM PST

The tax deal has kicked off the first real debate of the 2012 Republican presidential campaign, with several prospective candidates heralding the package as a victory and others criticizing it as a costly stimulus bill in disguise.

Asia Mixed; Tankan Hurts Japan

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 06:16 PM PST

Asian stocks were mixed, with the Nikkei down 0.1% after a report showed a weak outlook for the country's manufacturing sector.

China Surpasses Japan in R&D

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 05:50 PM PST

China is on the verge of overtaking Japan as the second-biggest spender on research and development after the U.S.

Drug Research Gets New Asian Focus

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 07:23 PM PST

Big drug makers from the West are making a new kind of push into fast-growing Asian markets: creating drugs for diseases that are more prevalent there.

GM Tries to Curb Debt Addiction

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 06:30 PM PST

GM's finance chief is engineering a radical shift in the car maker's strategy—to pay off virtually all its borrowing in a few years and keep debt at close to nothing.

Smartphone Makers Shift Focus

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 04:31 PM PST

This holiday season, the smartphone wars are going mainstream. Nokia and RIM, which lost market share and profit to Apple's iPhone, are leading the charge in pushing prices down.

Obama to Discuss Jobs, Economy With CEOs

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 04:43 PM PST

President Barack Obama plans to sit down with 20 corporate chief executives Wednesday morning to discuss jobs and the economy.

Shopping Spree Fuels Surge in Stocks

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 05:29 PM PST

Consumers went on their biggest shopping spree since before the recession, providing fresh evidence the economic recovery is gathering steam heading into 2011.

Steele Is Knocked on Fund Raising

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 06:05 PM PST

Republican National Committee members said they were worried the re-election of Michael Steele as chairman would hamper the GOP's fund raising for the 2012 election.

Dress to Impress, UBS Tells Staff

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 04:47 PM PST

Swiss bank UBS gave its Swiss retail banking staff a 43-page code on how to impress customers with a polished appearance.

Air Force Blocks Sites With Leaked Cables

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 01:53 PM PST

The U.S. Air Force is blocking its personnel from using work computers to view the websites of the New York Times and other major publications that have posted classified diplomatic cables obtained by Wikileaks.

GE Sees Growth Ahead

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 04:54 PM PST

General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt said the company's industrial arm will return to growth next year, with GE delivering "solid" earnings growth over the next two years.

Chrysler Recalls 76,000 Dodge Ram Trucks

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 12:56 PM PST

Chrysler Group LLC is recalling about 76,000 Dodge Ram pickup trucks to fix a power-steering problem that could make brake pedals return slowly after the driver applies them, according to a recall notice issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

New Party to Suits in Gulf Spill: The U.S.

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 06:02 PM PST

The Justice Department is expected to seek to join civil lawsuits stemming from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the first major federal legal action in the disaster.

Obama Meets With Gates, Buffett

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 01:31 PM PST

Obama met this morning in the Oval Office with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, his wife, Melinda Gates, and investor Warren Buffet to discuss "The Giving Pledge."

Pfizer's New CEO Shuffles Team

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 03:45 PM PST

New Pfizer CEO Ian Read shuffled his executive team Tuesday, installing associates he's worked closely with at the pharmaceutical giant while keeping key leaders in their posts.

Shareholders Elect Lions Gate's Slate of Directors

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 01:55 PM PST

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.'s shareholders voted to elect the company's slate of directors at its annual meeting Tuesday, an expected blow to billionaire investor Carl Icahn's takeover push.

Fed Sticks to Bond-Buying Policy

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 06:37 PM PST

The Fed stuck to its policy of buying $600 billion in Treasury bonds and keeping short-term interest rates near zero amid signs that the recovery is gathering steam.

Investors Weigh Plan for Lehman

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 05:20 PM PST

A group of investors including hedge-fund manager Paulson & Co. are weighing a competing reorganization plan for Lehman Brothers.