Analysis: U.S. retailers brace for margin hit from holiday discounts
(Reuters) – Shoppers like stay-at-home mom Susan Sterling are American retailers’ worst nightmare this holiday season.
Home sales fall as prices rise
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. home resales fell in October to their lowest since June due to an inventory shortage and high property prices that have dampened buying power.
Shareholders raise surveillance concerns at AT&T, Verizon
BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Shareholders of telecom giants AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc are seeking more details related to their sharing of customer information with governments, showing investors starting to push back over the role of communications companies in spying operations.
Analysis: Slowing buybacks could spell trouble for U.S. stocks
NEW YORK (Reuters) – With just over a month remaining in a year that has seen the S&P 500 rocket to new records, one of the rally’s drivers could have peaked: stock buybacks.
J.C. Penney sees holiday quarter comparable sales improving
(Reuters) – Struggling retailer J.C. Penney Co Inc on Wednesday said it was encouraged by business so far in November and forecast higher comparable store sales in the current holiday quarter.
Devon strikes Texas oil deal, plans to sell assets
(Reuters) – Devon Energy Corp will buy oil-producing assets in Texas for $6 billion and plans to sell or otherwise monetize some of its natural gas-heavy holdings, in a response to criticism about its lack of exposure to higher-margin crude.
Trade war ‘unavoidable’ if EU airline emissions plan blocked: lawmaker
LONDON (Reuters) – Failure by the European Union to soften a law to charge foreign airlines for their emissions will make an international trade war unavoidable, a German lawmaker steering the plan through the European Parliament said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of Chinese Nokia workers protest at Microsoft deal
DONGGUAN, China (Reuters) – Hundreds of workers massed outside a Nokia factory in southern China on Wednesday to protest against what they called unfair treatment following the sale of the company’s mobile phones business to Microsoft Corp.
Fed’s Bernanke scores 8/10 from economists on his way out
LONDON (Reuters) – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who has steered the U.S. economy through the worst financial crisis and recession in many generations, has received a glowing review from economists for his overall performance two months before…
U.S. business inventories post largest gain in eight months
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. business inventories rose more than expected in September as sales advanced modestly, suggesting the government’s third-quarter growth estimate could be revised higher.
