"Wallstreet" Reader

"Wallstreet" Reader

Skin-Deep Gains for Amazon Tribe

Posted: 04 May 2011 07:50 PM PDT

Aveda's partnership with the Yawanawá tribe in the Amazon is a cautionary tale about the enormous cultural and logistical obstacles that can prevent such link ups from functioning as advertised.

Greek Debt Talks Widen Divisions in the Euro Zone

Posted: 04 May 2011 06:44 PM PDT

Divisions in the euro zone are deepening over how to handle Greece's suffocating debt burden, with German officials open to a voluntary restructuring of Greek bonds but a majority of euro-zone policy makers fearful of the consequences.

Asian Shares Mixed; Sentiment Hit by US Fall

Posted: 04 May 2011 06:42 PM PDT

Asian stock markets were mixed and traded in tight ranges. Regional sentiment was hit by Wall Street's fall on Wednesday, poor U.S. economic data and weaker commodity prices.

Analysis: Will Costs Drive U.S. Firms Home?

Posted: 04 May 2011 07:54 PM PDT

For years, many U.S.firms have outsourced manufacturing to lower-cost venues such as China, India and Mexico, but that may be about to change.

Rare Fractures Tied to Drug

Posted: 04 May 2011 05:44 PM PDT

A class of widely prescribed drugs used to prevent and treat osteoporosis is indeed associated with an unusual type of thigh fracture, but researchers found the overall risk was so small that the benefit of the drugs outweighed the danger.

High-Speed Traders Exit

Posted: 04 May 2011 07:01 PM PDT

Companies that use fast-trading, computer-driven strategies, faulted for helping cause last year's 'flash crash,' have curtailed trading as stock volatility and volumes have waned.

Candle Maker Feels Burned

Posted: 04 May 2011 05:08 PM PDT

Chesapeake Bay Candle, a maker of $9.99 scented pillar candles, is facing significant cost overruns as it tries to open its first factory in the U.S.

GOP, White House Talk Deal on Debt

Posted: 04 May 2011 04:39 PM PDT

GOP leaders and the White House are discussing a deal that would enact strict deficit targets and some spending cuts to win Republican votes for lifting the federal debt ceiling. It would defer contentious decisions about Medicare, Medicaid and taxes until after the 2012 elections.

Freddie Signals a Turn

Posted: 04 May 2011 06:30 PM PDT

Freddie Mac reported net income of $676 million during the first quarter, its strongest performance since the company was taken over by the government in 2008.

A Lack of Supply Feeds Rise in Munis

Posted: 04 May 2011 06:10 PM PDT

The market for municipal bonds, which started the year in a tailspin, has improved as fears of widespread defaults have ebbed. But some see the rally being propped up by a lack of new issuance.

At Goldman Meeting, Pay Is Likely to Rule the Day

Posted: 04 May 2011 01:00 PM PDT

Goldman Sachs Group chief Lloyd Blankfein may have to defend the firm's compensation policies, including a combined $69.6 million 2010 payday for its top five executives, when he faces shareholders at the bank's annual meeting on Friday.

Profit Soars at Electronic Arts

Posted: 04 May 2011 04:16 PM PDT

Videogame maker Electronic Arts said fourth quarter earnings soared on an 11% revenue increase from a year ago and tax adjustments but shares fell in after-hours trading on a weak full-year forecast.

Hearst Strikes iPad Deal with Apple

Posted: 04 May 2011 04:19 PM PDT

In a big win for Apple, magazine publisher Hearst has agreed to sell subscriptions to the iPad editions of a range of its publications through iTunes, beginning with three of its popular magazines.

News Corp. Profit Drops 24%

Posted: 04 May 2011 06:08 PM PDT

News Corp.'s profit dropped 24% as weakness in film and publishing, coupled with a litigation charge, offset a strong performance in its TV business.

Lorillard Not Straying Far From Cigarettes

Posted: 04 May 2011 12:27 PM PDT

Lorillard Co. will work to keep its market leadership in menthol cigarettes while expanding into other cigarette segments but it won't overwhelmingly change its strategy, the company said after conducting a months-long operational review.

Madoff Trustee to Start Paying Out Funds

Posted: 04 May 2011 03:14 PM PDT

The trustee recovering money for Madoff's victims moved for the first time to distribute money he's collected in his investigation of the multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme.

Deutsche Börse-NYSE Deal Clears a Hurdle

Posted: 04 May 2011 12:53 PM PDT

The German financial regulator formally approved the merger documents, and Deutsche Börse shareholders have 12 weeks to tender shares.

Avon Bribe Probe Widens

Posted: 04 May 2011 04:35 PM PDT

Internal investigators at Avon have turned up millions of dollars of questionable payments to officials in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, India and Japan, widening a probe that had been centered on China. In addition, Avon sacked four executives in its China operations.

UBS to Pay $160 Million to Settle Muni Bid-Rig Case

Posted: 04 May 2011 07:17 PM PDT

UBS has agreed to pay $160 million to settle charges that it participated in a bid-rigging conspiracy to defraud state and local governments seeking to invest proceeds raised through municipal bonds, the Justice Department said.

Galleon Deliberations to Start Anew

Posted: 04 May 2011 07:27 PM PDT

Jurors were ordered to begin their deliberations from scratch in the insider-trading trial of Galleon founder Raj Rajaratnam after a juror was dismissed for "medical reasons."