"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

SEC Questions Mutual Funds' Muni Pricing

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:55 PM PST

The SEC is investigating whether some mutual funds have overstated the value of risky municipal bonds that are thinly traded.

Financial Regulator Appoints Top Team

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:04 PM PST

White House adviser Elizabeth Warren named two former Wall Street bankers and a former Freddie Mac official to senior posts at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Union Fight Heats Up

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 06:28 PM PST

Democratic lawmakers fled Wisconsin in an effort to torpedo a vote on what would be the nation's first major overhaul of union laws in years, as protesters flooded the statehouse seeking to block passage of the bill.

Asian Shares Mixed; Exporters Weigh Tokyo

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 06:55 PM PST

Asian share markets were mixed Friday, as some exporters fell in Tokyo amid a firm yen in the wake of tensions in the Middle East, while ANZ Bank and James Hardie slipped in Sydney after their earnings reports.

Antitrust Enforcers Eye Apple Anew

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 06:37 PM PST

U.S. antitrust enforcers have begun looking at the terms Apple set this week for media companies who want to sell their content on the iPad and other devices.

Latinos Lead the Way as Texas Grows

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:20 PM PST

Data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show that Texas became more urban and more Latino from 2000-2010.

Bahrain's Crackdown Wins Support

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:36 PM PST

Bahrain's military sent tanks and armored personnel carriers into the streets to extend its control over protesters, while neighboring monarchies of the Persian Gulf endorsed the country's violent response.

Time Inc. CEO Fired

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:00 PM PST

Time Warner forced out Jack Griffin, the CEO of Time Inc., after just six months on the job, saying his management style didn't mesh with the media conglomerate.

Banks Find Loophole on Capital Rule

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:02 PM PST

Some foreign banks are moving to restructure their U.S. operations to avoid one of the most-burdensome requirements of the new Dodd-Frank law.

Nokia's Flirtations Put the Fear of Google Into Microsoft

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 06:24 PM PST

Microsoft knew it had far more at stake than Google as the two rivals competed to secure a tie-up with Nokia. So Steve Ballmer aggressively courted the cellphone giant in a series of globe-spanning meetings.

J&J Fights Back Over FDA Rejection

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 03:39 PM PST

J&J is tangling with the FDA over the agency's rejection last year of a medical device.

J.P. Morgan's Dimon Gets $17 Million Bonus, Tops on Street

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:57 PM PST

J.P. Morgan Chase Chief Executive James Dimon received a 2010 stock bonus valued at $17 million, the biggest bonus for a big-name Wall Streeter so far this year.

Cumulus, Citadel in Deal Talks

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 04:20 PM PST

The nation's third-largest radio broadcaster, Citadel Broadcasting, said it's in exclusive negotiations to sell itself to second-largest Cumulus Media in a deal valued at more than $2.4 billion.

Nordstrom Buys HauteLook

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 03:48 PM PST

Nordstrom agreed to buy HauteLook, a website that specializes in 'flash sales' of designer clothes.

Accel Targets $2 Billion for New Venture Funds

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:55 PM PST

Silicon Valley venture-capital firm Accel Partners, which has invested in Internet start-ups including Facebook and Groupon, is raising four new funds this year with an overall target of more than $2 billion.

Sarkozy's Push on Yuan Falters

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:42 PM PST

French President Sarkozy's ambitious plan to get the Chinese government to discuss its exchange-rate policy with other world leaders this year is getting off to a rough start, according to several international officials.

Bombardier Books Surge in Orders

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 12:37 PM PST

Bombardier booked significantly more aircraft orders in fiscal 2011, as the economy's gradual recovery spurred fourth-quarter demand for business jets.

Officials Question Debit Card Fee Limits

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:03 PM PST

Federal banking regulators, echoing an outcry from the financial industry, said small banks could be hurt by a controversial plan to curb the debit-card processing fees banks charge merchants.

Revlon Profit Soars

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:59 AM PST

Revlon profit soared, in part because of a tax benefit but also because the company was able to halt a decline in sales. Shares jumped more than 25%.

Court Orders U.S. to Decide on Drilling

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:56 PM PST

A federal judge ordered the Obama administration to decide within 30 days whether to grant a set of five permits for deep-water drilling projects in the Gulf of Mexico.