By Jennifer Yousfi Managing Editor One of China's most important traditional holidays, the Lunar New Year, begins today (Thursday) and millions will be celebrating the first few days of the Year of the Rat. China's bourses will be closed today and tomorrow (Friday) in honor of the holiday, providing investors who usually only follow the […]
Archives for February 2008
February 2008 - Page 13 of 15 - Money Morning - Only the News You Can Profit From
Microsoft Could Raise Bid to Further Tempt Yahoo!
By Jason Simpkins Associate Editor Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) is still examining Microsoft's (MSFT) unsolicited $44.6 billion takeover bid, and weighing its options. In an e-mail to employees, Chief Executive Officer Jerry Yang said the company had a "wide range" of options to consider before pursuing its "transformation strategy." However, in a note to clients, Citigroup […]
When Boring is Best: How to Ferret out Bargain-Basement Profit Plays
By Martin Hutchinson Contributing Editor Money Morning When stock market legends such as Warren Buffett, Jim Rogers or Sir John Templeton troll for investment plays, they hold out for bargains. The investing masses would do well to follow suit: All too often, investors fail in the markets because they pay Neiman-Marcus prices for Wal-Mart stocks. […]
The Drumbeat for a Downturn Deepens as Service-Sector Report, Richmond Fed Official Both Point to Recession
By Jason Simpkins Associate Editor U.S. stocks plunged yesterday (Tuesday) after a report said that January was the worst month for the American service sector in nearly five years and Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker said the chances of a U.S. recession had risen. All three of the key U.S. indices dropped […]
Home Equity Defaults Signal More Trouble for Homeowners, Lenders
By Jennifer Yousfi Managing Editor With default rates rapidly increasing, credit standards for home equity loans and revolving home equity lines of credits (HELOCs) have tightened, cutting off what was once a reliable source of capital for homeowners. Following the lead for first mortgage guidelines, lenders are tightening credit standards for home equity loans and […]
Yum! Brands Sales Are Strong in China, But Weak in the States
By Jennifer Yousfi Managing Editor Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM), owner of the familiar KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands, announced flat fourth-quarter earnings, with strong international growth – particularly in China – offsetting weak domestic results. "I am pleased to report that we ended our first decade as a public company in 2007 by […]
Global Investing Roundups
Whirlpool Beats Analyst Expectations; Flotek to Acquire Teledrift; GMAC Posts $724 Million Loss; Australia Raises Rates to 12-Year High; BP To Cut Jobs After Dismal Quarter; Nikon Snaps a 13% Profit; Keppel Inks $2.1 Billion Deal with Exxon. Whirlpool Corp. (WHR) announced fourth-quarter profits that beat analyst expectations on the strength of international sales and […]
Until the Fed Feeds Us More Salad and Fewer Twinkies, Speculative Bubbles Will Remain a Risk
By Peter D. Schiff Guest Columnist Although the U.S. Federal Reserve still believes that a recession is unlikely to occur, central bank Chairman Ben S. Bernanke & Co. last Wednesday cut interest rates by an additional half a percentage point, following up on the prior week's emergency rate reduction of three quarters of a percentage […]
Emerging Markets Drive Toyota's 7.5% Profit Growth
By Mike Caggeso Associate Editor Strong emerging market sales provided a huge boost for automotive titan Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), which posted a 7.5% rise in profit for the quarter ended Dec. 31. Quarterly operating profit – excluding joint ventures in China – rose 4.7% and revenue gained 9.2% in the company's fiscal third quarter. […]
Municipal Bonds Providing No Safe Haven From Stock Market Storm
By Martin Hutchinson Contributing Editor Whenever the stock market is down, and seems destined to drop further, wise investors naturally look for a safe haven. Municipal bonds are typically one such appealing haven, since they provide tax-free returns to individual investors in return for apparent safety of principal. Investors are soothed by the knowledge that […]