"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

Australian Dollar Rallies to New High on Jobs Surge

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:29 PM PDT

Australian employment growth surged in March, sweeping aside fears of a sharp slowdown in the economy and suggesting an interest rate increase may be closer than currently thought.

Asia Mostly Up; Seoul Steady After Samsung Guidance

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:50 PM PDT

Asia was mostly higher, with the Seoul market held together by an in-line earnings guidance from tech giant Samsung Electronics.

U.K. Data Stoke Worries on Growth

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 06:22 PM PDT

U.K. manufacturing suffered a sharp slowdown in March, stoking doubts about the sector's ability to lead Britain's fragile economy back to health.

Televisa Readies Move in Mexican Media Battle

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:24 PM PDT

Grupo Televisa plans to acquire a 50% stake in Mexico's mobile operator Grupo Iusacell for $1.6 billion, the latest move in a bitter battle between Mexico's two largest broadcasters and telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim.

Alliance Data Frets Over Data Theft

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 06:00 PM PDT

Alliance Data Systems said it fears losing some corporate clients as a result of a breach at an email marketing unit that allowed hackers to gain the names and email addresses of dozens of firms, including banks, retailers and telephone companies.

A Hot Idea Falls Short at Goldman

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:07 PM PDT

Goldman's private marketplace opened to institutions and ultra-rich investors with high expectations in 2007, aiming to avoid many of the disclosure and regulatory requirements of public stock markets, but investors never showed up and the market withered.

New Vale CEO May Face Heightened Scrutiny

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:30 PM PDT

The naming of Murilo Ferreira as the next CEO of Brazilian mining giant Vale surprised many people inside and outside the company. Both camps say the new boss quickly needs to show he is able to reconcile government and shareholder interests.

Concerns Emerge as a Fed Rate Falls

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:16 PM PDT

A sharp and unintentional decline in the Federal Reserve's key interest rate in recent days is raising eyebrows in financial markets and shining a light on the challenges the central bank could face steering monetary policy in the months ahead.

Enron's Skilling Loses Appeal

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:52 PM PDT

A federal appellate court dealt a blow to imprisoned former Enron Corp. president Jeffrey Skilling when it ruled that his 2006 conspiracy and fraud conviction hadn't been tainted by the use of a controversial criminal theory, known as "honest services" fraud.

Small Banks Feel Under Fire

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:22 PM PDT

Ex-Marine Buz Mills is no stranger to combat. But he reckons few potential adversaries are as fierce as the U.S. banking regulators.

Salzberg to Head Deloitte Globally

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:18 PM PDT

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is poised to name Barry Salzberg, the chief executive of its Deloitte LLP arm in the U.S., as its new global CEO.

Shutdown Has Perils for GOP

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:20 PM PDT

With Congress staring at a possible government shutdown, Republican lawmakers are caught between their tea-party base insisting they hold their ground on deep budget cuts and a broader electorate pressing for compromise, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.

Biofuels Battle Past Bumps in the Road

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:05 PM PDT

When Royal Dutch Shell announced a $12 billion joint venture with Brazilian ethanol producer Cosan last year, it was a vote of confidence in a sector that has taken a battering the last few years.

FDA Keeps Limit on Merck's Gardasil

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 02:42 PM PDT

Merck said the FDA failed to widen the indication of its Gardasil vaccine to prevent cancers linked to HPV in women over age 26.

US Air Upgrades Its Regional Jets

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 06:13 PM PDT

US Airways plans to bring first-class cabins to 110 of its larger express-service regional jets to cater to elite fliers, jumping on a trend started by its big hub-and-spoke rivals.

YouTube Will Get Major Revamp

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 06:54 PM PDT

Google is working on a major overhaul of its YouTube video site to organize its content around premium "channels" and spending as much as $100 million to commission original content.

Hearing Fails to End NFL Lockout

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:26 PM PDT

The NFL labor stalemate dragged on as a federal judge in Minnesota declined to issue an immediate injunction to end the lockout, leaving in question whether there will be a season later this year.

Heavy Truck Orders Hit Four Year High

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:34 PM PDT

March orders for heavy trucks were at the highest since May 2006, a sign that freight shipments are rising and trucking companies feel more comfortable spending money.

Colombia Trade Pact to Change Labor Law

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:20 PM PDT

The Obama administration unveiled a revised free-trade pact with Colombia that boosts the chances for congressional passage of three trade-opening agreements that have languished for more than four years.

LeBron James in Deal With Fenway Sports

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:45 PM PDT

Basketball star LeBron James is joining forces with Fenway Sports Group in a deal that will give Mr. James a minority interest in the soccer club Liverpool. Fenway will become the exclusive world-wide representative for Mr. James, working with his sports-marketing firm.