By Jennifer YousfiManaging Editor Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Royal Dutch Shell PLC (ADR: RDS.A, RDS.B) announced record quarterly income of more than $10 billion yesterday (Thursday). But continued production problems and declining output caused both companies to miss analyst expectations, and concerns about reduced U.S. consumer demand weighed on shares. Exxon Mobil reported that […]
Archives for July 2008
July 2008 - Money Morning - Only the News You Can Profit From
2Q GDP Buoyed by Exports and Rebate Checks
By Jason Simpkins Associate Editor U.S. economic growth accelerated in the second quarter, propelled by consumer spending and strong exports, but previous gross domestic product (GDP) estimates were revised down, indicating a soft economy that could easily sink once government stimulus checks wear thin. The economy grew at a 1.9% annual rate in the second […]
The "Bad Habit" Asian Firms Just Can't Seem to Shake
By Martin HutchinsonContributing Editor As investors, we can rejoice in the work ethic of Asian companies, as well as their inventive technology and presence in some of the world's greatest growth markets. But there's one "bad habit" that Asian management just can't seem to shake and it's one investors need to look out for: Trying […]
IPOs Dry Up in Developed World but Emerging Markets Show Promise
By Jason SimpkinsAssociate Editor Initial public offerings ground to a halt this year in most of the developed world, as a credit crunch and bear market forced private companies to either postpone offerings, or cancel them all together. But emerging market IPOs have flourished, accounting for 70% of the total value of public offerings worldwide […]
Global Investing Roundups
Crude Gains on Lower Supply; Comcast Earnings Boost; Garmin Shares Plunge on Lowered Outlook; United's Pilot Trouble; Private Employers Add Jobs; Nissan Buys Out TN Plants; ArcelorMittal's Strong Second Quarter; Nintendo Brings Its A-Game Crude oil for September delivery gained $4.58 yesterday (Wednesday) to close at $126.77 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, […]
Fed and ECB Extend Credit Terms in Hopes of Boosting Economic Growth
By Jennifer YousfiManaging Editor New measures aimed at boosting liquidity in the credit markets announced by the U.S. Federal Reserve yesterday (Wednesday) diminished chances that Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and the other members of the Federal Open Market Committee would vote to raise interest rates at its next meeting. The Fed will extend its emergency […]
Casual Dining Restaurants Suffer from Slackening Consumer Spending
By Jennifer YousfiManaging Editor Casual dining restaurants are being hit hard by a softening U.S. economy, as consumers tighten their household budgets to cope with high food and energy prices. While some fast food restaurants are benefiting from penny-pinching consumers at home and strong sales overseas, mid-level domestic casual dining restaurants are facing declining same-store […]
The Five Best Ways to Invest in Gold Today
By Mike Caggeso Associate Editor Editor's Note: With stock markets in a downward spiral, gold has emerged as one of the safest and most profitable investments. This free report put together by our Money Morning team contains the key steps to profiting in gold – including the five best "profit machines" to buy right away… […]
Why French Investments Are Worth Another Look
By Martin HutchinsonContributing Editor French investments might have seemed like a bad idea for the first nine months of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's term. After his election in May 2007, Sarkozy looked like a huge disappointment – unless you REALLY enjoy tabloid stories. He divorced his wife, married the spectacularly beautiful ex-model Carla Bruni, and […]
Global Investing Roundups
Another Coal Merger; Pickens Denounces Yahoo; Possible UK/Spain Airline Merger; Alcatel-Lucent Ousts Top Brass; Consumer Confidence Climbs from 10-Year Low; Home Prices Continue Collapse; Northrop Grumman Sees Second Quarter Profit Soar; U.S. Steel's Ironclad Earnings Teck Cominco Ltd. (TCK) yesterday (Tuesday) announced that it would purchase Fording Canadian Coal Trust (FDG) in a combination cash […]