EconoBlog

The euro continued its rapid climb to new highs against the dollar on Friday, hitting $1.5238 in early European trading before retreating slightly. Continued concern that the U.S. economy is headed into recession, further falls in equity prices and talk of the collapse of a U.K. hedge fund are all contributing to the latest wave […]

Toll Brothers Inc. reported a $96 million loss for its fiscal first quarter, along with $245.5 million in write-downs, amid a sluggish housing market that is starting to show what its CEO called “glimmers of hope” in some markets.
The Horsham, Pa., high-end home builder’s loss amounted to 61 cents a diluted share, compared with last […]

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke signaled the U.S. central bank is prepared to lower interest rates again even amid signs of accelerating inflation. The Fed “will be carefully evaluating incoming information bearing on the economic outlook and will act in a timely manner as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against […]

Cognex has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2007. The fourth quarter of 2007 was a very good quarter for Cognex,” said Robert J. Shillman, chairman and chief executive officer of Cognex. “I am pleased to say that revenue and earnings per share, excluding stock-option expense, were at […]

Alibaba Group, the Chinese Internet company part-owned by Yahoo Inc, has hired advisers to evaluate issues related to a possible purchase of its U.S. partner by Microsoft Corp after the Chinese government said it would scrutinize the deal. Alibaba executives believe Microsoft will succeed in its bid for Yahoo, and has hired lawyers and financial […]

Retail sales in the U.S. unexpectedly rose in January, easing concern that the world’s largest economy has already slipped into a recession. The 0.3 percent increase was led by spending on autos, clothes and gasoline, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. The figure followed a 0.4 percent decrease the previous month. Purchases excluding automobiles […]

Dean Foods Co.’s fourth-quarter net income dropped 55% amid higher interest costs from last year’s recapitalization, as fluctuating commodity prices continued to bleed margins. The company offered a dissapointing forecast for the first quarter and year, while predicting growth in the second half, citing instability in the milk market.
The nation’s largest dairy processor and […]

The current list of Dow components:
3M Co. (NYSE:MMM)
Alcoa Inc. (AMEX:AA.PR) (NYSE:AA)
American Express Co. (NYSE:AXP)
American International Group Inc. (NYSE:AIG)
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:SBT) (NYSE:T)
Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:BAC)
Boeing (NYSE:BA) Corp.
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)
Chevron Corp. (NYSE:CVX)
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C)
Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:KO)
DuPont (NYSE:DD PRB) (NYSE:DD PRA) (NYSE:DD) Co.
Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM)
General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE)
General Motors Corp. […]

Bank of America Corp. and Chevron Corp. will replace tobacco company Altria Group Inc. and manufacturer Honeywell International Inc. in the Dow Jones industrial average, giving the stock market’s best-known indicator bigger slices of the banking and energy sectors.
Bank of America, based in Charlotte, N.C., is the nation’s biggest bank by deposits. Chevron, the energy […]

Polaroid Corp. will close all its U.S. film plants in March and will get out of making film for the instant-picture cameras by the end of the year.
Polaroid wants to sale its technology to a third party making film for Polaroid products. The company has turned its focus to digital, where the film business has […]