Global Investment News Briefs

Freddie Mac CEO Quitting; HSBC Selling Shares, Cutting Jobs; Wendy's/ Arby's Loses $390 Million in 4Q; South Africa Unemployment Fell to 21.9% in 4Q; Venture Capital Investment Plummets; Dish Network Ups Profit, Loses Subscribers

  • Six months after becoming Freddie Mac (FRE) Chief Executive Officer, David Moffett is stepping down from his post, citing a desire to return to the financial services industry, Reuters reported. "Whatever the reason Mr. Moffett has determined to leave, the abrupt departure with no replacement in hand is a negative indicator for the company," said Jim Vogel, a strategist at FTN Financial Capital Markets.
  • Wendy's Arby's Group Inc. (WEN), the third-largest fast food chain in the United States, posted a fourth-quarter loss of $393.2 million, or 84 cents a share, largely a result of impairment charges and falling sales at Arby's, Reuters reported. In September, Arby's owner, Triarc, bought Wendy's International Inc. for about $2 billion in September to form Wendy's/Arby's.
  • According to a Bloomberg study, South Africa's unemployment rate for the fourth quarter clocked in at 21.9%, the highest of the 61 countries in the study. South Africa is the continent's largest economy, and it contracted for the first time in a decade, a result of plummeting manufacturing output, Bloomberg reported.
  • Dish Network Corp. (DISH) said yesterday (Monday) that its fourth-quarter profit rose 24%, but that higher prices and fees cost the nation's second-largest satellite-TV provider more than 100,000 subscribers. Dish Network earned $217 million, or 48 cents per share, for the three months ended Dec. 31, up from $175 million, or 39 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales rose 1% to $2.92 billion from $2.89 billion.