"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

Asia Weakens on Mideast Unrest

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:50 PM PST

Asian stock markets were weaker as signs of growing political instability in the Middle East and North Africa fueled fears of a spike in oil prices.

Amazon Severing Ties With Illinois Affiliates

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:58 PM PST

Amazon.com is ending its relationship with marketing affiliates in Illinois because of a new law aimed at making the online retailer collect sales tax in the state.

China Consumer Prices Rise 4.9%

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:48 PM PST

China said inflation remained high last month, fueling further doubt about the government's ability to tackle what officials have called their main economic priority this year.

Japan PM Admits Improper Donations

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:53 PM PST

A political fund-raising scandal with echoes of one that just days ago brought down Japan's foreign minister is now threatening the country's leader, dealing a fresh blow to the government as it struggles with low approval ratings and a divided parliament.

Beijing to Discuss Currency in Meeting

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:15 PM PST

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has staked his yearlong presidency of the G20 on getting China to talk about its foreign-exchange policy at international gatherings. After a rough start, it now seems the Chinese are prepared to meet him halfway.

The Journal Adds 200,000 Mobile-Device Subscribers

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:19 PM PST

The Wall Street Journal has added 200,000 paying subscribers who access the newspaper via mobile devices such as Apple's iPad and Amazon's Kindle.

Panel Presses SEC on Ethics

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:10 PM PST

SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro said she will manage future ethics questions differently after the controversy over her handling of the agency's former top lawyer who inherited money tied to Bernard Madoff's fraud.

FDA Set to Oversee J&J Plants

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:36 PM PST

J&J signed a consent decree with the FDA that puts three manufacturing plants under years of tight regulatory scrutiny.

Wal-Mart Attracts Allies Over Sex-Bias Suit

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:54 PM PST

More than 20 major companies, ranging from GE to Costco, have lined up to support Wal-Mart Stores ahead of a March 29 hearing at the Supreme Court on one of the largest sex-bias lawsuits in history.

Ashford Scores Highland's 28 Hotels in Debt Revamp

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PST

Hotel owner Ashford Hospitality Trust and Prudential Financial on Thursday took control of the Highland Hospitality chain of 28 upscale hotels in a restructuring that wiped $600 million of debt from Highland's books.

Banks Push Back on Foreclosure Pact

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:09 PM PST

Banks are pushing back on the proposed settlement of alleged mortgage-servicing abuses, predicting damage to the U.S. economy if penalties are too harsh. But advocates of tougher sanctions are scoffing.

AIG Offers to Buy Back Subprime Bonds

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:06 PM PST

AIG, once hobbled by its bets on the mortgage market, is trying to buy back a large portfolio of subprime mortgage bonds from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which acquired the securities as part of the insurer's massive bailout in 2008.

Judge Green-Lights Sale of Blockbuster

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:26 PM PST

Blockbuster won a judge's blessing to sell itself—and avoid liquidation—after lawyers hammered out a new deal to give better terms to movie studios.

Asset Managers Take Up the Pen

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:44 PM PST

Firms like BlackRock and Fidelity are writing to and meeting with regulators, prompted by the wave of regulation in the wake of the financial crisis.

Wal-Mart to Expand 'Express'

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 03:25 PM PST

Wal-Mart now plans to add hundreds of small stores to its chain, after previously forecasting a conservative launch of just 30 to 40 such outlets.

Jury Hears Galleon Wiretaps

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:21 PM PST

The U.S. government played two of its best cards in the insider-trading trial of Galleon's Raj Rajaratnam: testimony from its star witness and secretly taped telephone recordings of Rajaratnam allegedly receiving inside information.

Clearwire CEO Resigns In Shake-Up

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:51 PM PST

Clearwire said its CEO, Bill Morrow, and two other senior executives resigned in a management shake-up of the high-speed wireless service provider.

Hulu Plans to Shrink Its Board

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 03:11 PM PST

Hulu is planning to shrink its board, shaking up the Web-video venture's governance as it hashes out its future within the media business.

NYSE, Deutsche Börse May Pare Stake in Direct Edge

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 01:10 PM PST

Tie-up partners Deutsche Börse and NYSE Euronext may opt to dilute the German firm's stake in the U.S.-based Direct Edge stock exchange to help address antitrust concerns in the U.S.

Saudi Police Fire Rubber Bullets

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:11 PM PST

Saudi police fired rubber bullets Thursday to disperse about 200 Shiite protesters in Qatif, a town in the oil-rich Eastern Province, a human-rights activist said.