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The Energy Challenge: Energy Goals a Moving Target for States

By KATE GALBRAITH and MATTHEW L. WALD — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:43:34 +0000

States’ struggles to satisfy energy mandates offer lessons for the next administration.

Washington’s New Tack: Helping Homeowners

By EDMUND L. ANDREWS — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:40:19 +0000

The Treasury Department is working on a plan to boost the housing market by subsidizing 30-year home mortgages with rates as low as 4.5 percent.

Embattled, Fund Shifts Cost of Suits to Investors

By DIANA B. HENRIQUES — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:37:08 +0000

If shareholders continue to wage legal battles against the fund and its manager, they risk getting far less back, because more of their money will be used to pay the fund company’s outside lawyers.

High & Low Finance: Trump Sees Act of God in Recession

By FLOYD NORRIS — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:36:38 +0000

Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit maintaining that the current financial crisis provides him with a good reason not to pay $40 million owed to Deutsche Bank.

Factory Orders Fall Sharply; Decline Is Steepest in 8 Years

By The Associated Press — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:32:50 +0000

The 5.1 percent decline was the third consecutive drop in demand for both durable goods and nondurable goods.

Retail Sales Are Weakest in 35 Years

By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:31:19 +0000

Most of the nation’s stores kicked-off the critical holiday shopping season with double-digit sales declines, despite relatively strong sales in the few days after Thanksgiving.

Auto Executives Face a Hard Sell on Capitol Hill

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and BILL VLASIC — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:20:30 +0000

The Detroit automakers confronted the harsh politics of an economic downturn and the realization that there might not be the votes to save them.

Liechtenstein to Share Some Secrets of Its Bank

By LYNNLEY BROWNING — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:16:44 +0000

Under increasing scrutiny for its role as a leading offshore tax haven, the country will now in limited circumstances turn over the bank records of American clients suspected of tax evasion.

Merck Offers a Cautious Forecast for 2009

By REUTERS — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:10:47 +0000

The company cited a harsh impact from the stronger dollar and continuing sluggish sales of several big medicines.

Loss Narrows at Toll Brothers, but Outlook Is Cloudy

By REUTERS — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:10:42 +0000

The largest U.S. luxury home builder wrote down less inventory in the fourth quarter, but dire market conditions kept it from giving any kind of forecast.

U.S. to Auction Slots Soon at New York City Airports

By MATTHEW L. WALD and KEN BELSON — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:55:58 +0000

Airlines, which assert that they own landing slots at Kennedy, La Guardia and Newark Liberty airports, hate the idea of an auction.

S.E.C. Charges a Venture Capitalist With Fraud

By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:53:04 +0000

Federal authorities accused William Del Biaggio III of defrauding investors and using the money to buy his $25 million stake in the Nashville Predators hockey team.

Bratz rebuffed, but saga is far from over

L.A. Times - Business — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:53:00 +0000

The company that makes the popular doll may appeal, or seek compromise, in its legal battle with Mattel.

Day One: Bratz held hostage.

Energy Sector Suffers as Oil Falls to the Lowest Level in 4 Years

By JACK HEALY — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:51:24 +0000

Oil prices closed down $3 a barrel to $43.67 as the economy slowed and demand eased.

More Financial Jobs Are Cut in Europe

By JULIA WERDIGIER and BETTINA WASSENER — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:47:33 +0000

Investment banks across Europe announced job cuts, including 5,300 at Credit Suisse and 1,200 at Commerzbank.

AT&T to Cut 12,000 Jobs as Landline Losses Grow

By The Associated Press — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:35:58 +0000

Already struggling with a decline in its wireline telephone service, AT&T said that it would cut about 4 percent of its work force and spend less on equipment in 2009.

3 European Central Banks Cut Rates

By CARTER DOUGHERTY — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:31:12 +0000

The steep cuts are meant to lower borrowing costs as the global downturn worsens.

Advertising: A Wink to Theatergoers, and Nods to Broadway

By STUART ELLIOTT — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:23:00 +0000

A humorous campaign for the coming “Shrek the Musical” spoofs Broadway musical theater, poking fun at songs and song titles from other musicals.

A.M.D. Expects 25% Slide in Sales

By REUTERS — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:20:04 +0000

The chip maker warned that fourth-quarter revenue would be much weaker than expected because of sluggish demand.

Microsoft Names Ex-Yahoo Executive as Internet Unit Chief

By MIGUEL HELFT — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:19:51 +0000

Microsoft named Qi Lu to run its struggling Internet unit on Thursday, filling an important position that had been vacant since the departure of Kevin Johnson in July.

Breakingviews.com: Hedge Funds Need Makeover

By RICHARD BEALES and ROBERT CYRAN — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:18:16 +0000

The old hedge fund model has flaws to fix if they are to fight another day.

DuPont Cuts 2,500 Jobs and Warns of 4th-Quarter Loss

By REUTERS — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:06:31 +0000

With steep drops in housing construction and auto sales, the company moves to trim $600 million in costs.

Starbucks Issues a Warning on Profit

By The Associated Press — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:06:30 +0000

The warning came hours after the company’s chief executive tried to assuage concerns about the recession’s effect on the coffee retailer’s sales and profits.

Bank of England, European Central Bank Make Aggressive Cuts in Key Interest Rates

Howard Schneider — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0000

The Bank of England cut interest rates to World War II levels and the European Central Bank made the deepest rate cut in its 10-year history, as Europe's two main central banks moved yesterday to combat a deepening economic downturn.

Capital One Awoke To Its Dream Deal

Zachary A. Goldfarb and Michael S. Rosenwald — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0000

The vision of buying Chevy Chase Bank came to Richard Fairbank six weeks ago in a dream.

Wal-Mart Is Bright Spot In Retailers’ Deep Slide

Ylan Q. Mui — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0000

November retail sales reported yesterday reaffirmed that this is the season of Wal-Mart.

Steep Job Cutbacks Add To Bleak Economic Picture

Cecilia Kang — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Need more proof that the recession is real? An onslaught of grim unemployment and layoff reports yesterday should dispel any lingering doubts.

Bernanke Stirs Pot On Home Loan Help

Neil Irwin and Dina ElBoghdady — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0000

The government needs to move much more aggressively to help people avoid losing their homes to foreclosure, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said yesterday, trying to boost efforts that had stalled in recent weeks.

Stocks Plunge on Layoff News

Renae Merle — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Stocks tumbled yesterday, weighed down by a series of layoff announcements from large corporations and continuing signs that the economy's woes are far from over.

A Bank, and a Banker, Flush With Honor

Steven Pearlstein — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0000

With no disrespect meant to Capital One, yesterday's sale of Chevy Chase Bank was a sad day for Washington and the Washington business community.