EconoBlog

The Shanghai Composite Index rose 9.3%, or 304.7 points, to close at 3,583.0 after tax was cut from 0.3% to 0.1%.
It is a clear sign that the government wants to support share prices, which had fallen 50% from their peak levels in October 2007.

The Ford Motor Company said on Thursday that it earned $100 million in the first quarter, after a loss in the same quarter a year ago, a surprising improvement amid a slump in the United States market that has cut sales of lucrative trucks and sport utility vehicles. The company also warned of the possibility […]

In light of entering into an agreement to merge with JPMorgan Chase, The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (NYSE: BSC) will not be announcing its first quarter 2008 financial results on Monday, March 17, 2008, as previously scheduled.
And a cool one from their website:
“Bear Stearns
Founded in 1923, The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (NYSE: BSC) is a […]

Bear Stearns was bought by its competitor JPMorgan Chase for a bargain-basement price of $2 a share, or $236.2 million.
The stunning last-minute buyout was aimed at averting a Bear Stearns bankruptcy and a spreading crisis of confidence in the global financial system sparked by the collapse in the subprime mortgage market. Bear Stearns was the […]

FTI Consulting, Inc., the global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance their enterprise value, today announced that it has acquired TSC Brasil Limitada (TSC), the leading systems integrator and computer forensic and IT security consultant in the Brazilian and greater South American marketplace. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in […]

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 […]

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 […]