10 income stocks it pays to know - 01/31/12 11:01 AM
  TICKERS IN THIS ARTICLE … (0 comments)

Stocks pull back on US economic data - 01/31/12 10:48 AM
stocks fell pared gains amid a batch of negative U.S. economic data Tuesday, despite a step from eurozone nations to  move closer to fiscal union.
 
 The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU -0.25%) was up 2.1 points at 12,655. The S&P 500 ($INX -0.20%) was up 1.3 points at 1,314 and the Nasdaq ($COMPX -0.19%) was up 4.6 points at 2,816.
 
A dip in consumer confidence for January cut short gains from the open. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index fell to 61.1, missing the forecast for 68. The level in December saw a slight upwards revision to 64.8 from 64.5 in December.
 
“The US consumer has still seen … (1 comments)

BEST PIZZA IN GILBERT AZ - 01/30/12 02:22 PM
 
                            Frankie’s Famous Pizza
                                      480-507-7777
                         Corner of Cooper & Baseline
                                                    
BEST PIZZA IN GILBERT AZ A brand new pizza concept hits the Valley... sandwiched between Sammy's Place and a Subway, this is a new "fast casual" pizza restaurant. It's not yet "famous" here in Phoenix, but they definitely aspire to be. BEST PIZZA IN GILBERT AZ  The owner - Frank - clearly spent a lot of time and money on this place, and he seems to be passionate about the business. That's always a good sign. The restaurant is sharp and clean and has a shiny new coat of paint. … (2 comments)

3 Bedroom Home for Sale in Tempe AZ - 01/30/12 01:02 PM
3 Bedroom Home for Sale in Tempe AZ … (0 comments)

Groupon holding up against stiff competition - 01/30/12 10:46 AM
 
Groupon's new ventures like Getaways and Groupon Now will be crucial for future growth, especially as the daily deals segment continues to saturate with more and more competitors. Unfortunately, Groupon Now has not yet managed to garner the position Groupon desired contributing just around 1% to the company's total value by our estimates.
 
While they may not have a material impact on Q4 2011 results, loyalty building programs like Groupon Rewards would increasingly assume importance as competitors like Google Offers expand further in 2012.
 
Source: Yipit Blog  
Meanwhile, Rue La La, an online retailer, shut down its … (0 comments)

Facebook's perfect IPO timing - 01/30/12 10:44 AM
 
Facebook is edging closer to its eagerly-anticipated IPO, according to The Wall Street Journal, which says that the social networking phenomenon may file its IPO documents on Wednesday. Experts say that now is the perfect time for Facebook to start out on its IPO path.
 
"We expected them to file in the third to fourth week of January because they closed their prior quarter Dec. 31," said Sam Hamadeh, CEO of research firm PrivCo. "Now they get a full 120 days runway to take off with the IPO without showing any other quarterly numbers and filing any amendments." <!--EndofExcerptMarker-->
… (0 comments)

Stocks mostly lower on GDP report - 01/27/12 11:19 AM
The first thought that came to my mind when GDP came in lighter than expected was whether this is what caused the more dovish sounding Fed on Tuesday," said James "Rev Shark" DePorre, founder and CEO of Shark Asset Management. "The issue now is whether hopes of QE3 offset any worries about a slowing economy. If you look at the action in the market since March 2009 the answer has been resounding: don't fight the Fed."
 
London's FTSE was slipping 0.86%, and Germany's DAX was down 0.38%. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei Average closed lower by 0.09%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index … (0 comments)

U.S. growth quickens in Q4, but speed-bumps ahead - 01/27/12 11:15 AM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace in 1-1/2 years in the fourth quarter of 2011, but a strong rebuilding of stocks by businesses and a slower pace of spending on capital goods hinted at softer growth early this year.
U.S. gross domestic product expanded at a 2.8 percent annual rate, the Commerce Department said on Friday, a sharp acceleration from the 1.8 percent clip of the prior three months and the quickest pace since the second quarter of 2010.
It was, however, a touch below economists' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 3 percent rate, … (0 comments)

TRADITIONAL SALE! 3b/2b with a bonus room co - 01/26/12 04:52 PM
3 bedroom home for sale in Tempe … (0 comments)

More seek unemployment aid, but trend is positive - 01/26/12 10:41 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to a seasonally adjusted 377,000, up from a nearly four-year low the previous week. But the longer-term trend is pointing to a healthier job market.
Applications have trended down over the past few months. The four week average has declined to 377,500. When applications fall consistently below 375,000, it tends to signal that hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate.
Some economists say the figures suggest further job gains ahead.
The nation has added at least 100,000 jobs for six straight months. And the unemployment rate … (0 comments)

Bernanke has "finger on trigger" for new bond buys - 01/26/12 10:39 AM
CHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve has moved closer to embarking on a new round of its controversial money-pumping after the central bank and its chairman Ben Bernanke highlighted a grim outlook for the U.S. economy.
Bernanke on Wednesday opened the door a bit wider for the Fed to return to buying securities in the months ahead to buttress a weak recovery and keep inflation from slipping too far below its newly adopted 2-percent target.
"It sounds like the finger is on the trigger," said Thomas Simons, a money market economist at Jefferies & Co.
The Fed's announcement that it … (0 comments)

Sales contracts for homes dip from 19-month high - 01/25/12 10:51 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell in December after hitting the highest level in a year and a half.
The National Association of Realtors says its index of sales agreements fell 3.5 percent last month to a reading of 96.6. That's down from November's reading of 100.1.
But the reading is still the second highest since April 2010, the last month that buyers could qualify for a federal home-buying tax credit.
A reading of 100 is considered healthy.
Contract signings typically indicate where the housing market is headed. There's a one- to two-month … (0 comments)

Fed set to push back timing of eventual rate hike - 01/25/12 10:44 AM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve looks set to keep monetary policy on hold on Wednesday, even as it releases forecasts expected to show interest rates will be near zero for at least two more years.
Given recent improvement in the U.S. economy, the central bank will probably remain non-committal regarding the prospect for additional bond purchases, but will leave the door open to further action if Europe's banking problems spill over into the United States.
As part of an effort to provide more insight on its thinking to financial markets and the public, the Fed will begin publishing individual policymakers' … (0 comments)

State of the economy: Showing some strength - 01/24/12 10:54 AM
When President Barack Obama climbs to the podium in the chamber of the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening, he will probably say that the state of the union is strong. Presidents always say it. And he will cite data that purport to show that the nation is of sound and constant purpose. Republicans will probably disagree.For our purposes, let's look at the state of the economy. The top line is this: It's OK -- at best. There are increasingly hopeful signs. There are also deep and troubling problems that have festered for years -- besides federal deficits.There are troubling problems … (2 comments)

More Predictions For 2012 Housing Market - 01/23/12 03:11 PM
 
… (2 comments)

All 2011 unemployment insurance benefits taxable - 01/23/12 10:55 AM
AP) - The jobless rate is dipping, but millions of people are still out of work. And that could have implications when they file their income tax returns.
Collecting unemployment insurance benefits? All that you received in 2011 is taxed as income. Unless you requested that federal taxes be withheld, you could be in for a big surprise when you calculate taxes owed.
"People tend to believe unemployment benefits are still not taxable," said Bob Meighan, a vice president at TurboTax. That was the case in 2009, for the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits. But that provision was not renewed by … (0 comments)

Stock Trading Is Lowest in U.S. Since 2008 - 01/23/12 10:50 AM
Trading (MVOLUSE) in U.S. stocks fell to the lowest level since at least 2008 amid mutual fund withdrawals and Wall Street job cuts.
An average of 6.69 billion shares changed hands on U.S. exchanges in the 50 days ended Jan. 18, the fewest on record in Bloomberg data starting three years ago that excludes over-the- counter venues. On the New York Stock Exchange, volume has tumbled to the lowest level since 1999, the data show.
The slowdown in trading shows that investors remain skittish after five years of withdrawals from mutual funds that buy U.S. equities and one of the most … (1 comments)

European banks prepare for worst, hoard cash - 01/20/12 11:13 AM
European Banks are preparing for a potential worsening of the region's sovereign and banking crisis, with many firms stockpiling cash and cutting back on loans to new clients as they seek to protect themselves against a possible seizing-up of financial markets.
Faced with 650 billion euros of debt coming due this year - almost 40 percent of which matures before the end of March - lenders are choosing to build up a cash cushion to ensure they can cover redemptions, creating a squeeze on the wider economy in the process.
Such hoarding illustrates the nervousness of lenders even after the European … (0 comments)

Home sales up at end of dismal year, offering hope - 01/20/12 11:06 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) - Home sales rose in December to the highest pace in nearly a year. The gain coincides with other signs that show the troubled housing market improved at the end of last year
Still, sales remain depressed and ended 2011 well below healthy levels.
The National Association of Realtors said Friday that sales increased 5 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.61 million, the best level since January 2011 and the third straight monthly increase.
For the year, sales totaled only 4.26 million. While that's up from 4.19 million the previous year, it's below the … (1 comments)

Unemployment claims at 352,000, fewest since 2008 - 01/19/12 11:00 AM
seeking unemployment benefits plummeted last week to 352,000, the fewest since April 2008. The decline added to evidence that the job market is strengthening.
Applications fell 50,000, the biggest drop in the seasonally adjusted figure in more than six years, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average, which smooths out fluctuations, dropped to 379,000. That's the second-lowest such figure in more than three years.
A department spokesman cautioned that volatility at this time of year is common. Applications had jumped two weeks ago, largely because companies laid off thousands of temporary workers hired for the holidays.
Still, when weekly applications … (4 comments)

Goldman beats Street; net income falls 58 percent - 01/18/12 10:35 AM
NEW YORK (AP) - Goldman Sachs says its net income fell 58 percent in the last three months of last year because of lower investment banking fees in a quarter marked by choppy financial markets.
The investment bank said Wednesday that it made $1 billion, or $1.84 per share, from October through December. The results beat the estimate of $1.28 per share from analysts surveyed by FactSet, a provider of financial data.
Goldman's quarterly revenue fell 30 percent to $6 billion. It set aside $2.2 billion for pay, 2 percent less than the year before.
Goldman's stock is up 1.4 percent … (0 comments)

Mortgage applications surge on refinancing demand: MBA - 01/18/12 10:32 AM
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Applications for home mortgages surged more than 20 percent last week, fueled by a wave of refinancing demand as interest rates dropped, an industry group said on Wednesday.
The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage application activity, which includes both refinancing and home purchase demand, jumped 23.1 percent in the week ended January 13.
The MBA's seasonally adjusted index of refinancing applications climbed 26.4 percent, while the gauge of loan requests for home purchases rose 10.3 percent.
"With mortgage rates reaching new lows, refinance volume jumped," Michael Fratantoni, MBA's vice president of research … (0 comments)

U.S. Market Shrinks Amid Heavy Buybacks - 01/17/12 04:59 PM
Stocks are getting scarcer in the U.S. for the first time since the bull market began as companies cut share sales to the lowest level since 2006 and buy back equity at the fastest pace in four years.
Amgen Inc. (AMGN +0.70%), Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ -0.13%) and 1,971 other U.S. companies repurchased $397 billion of stock last year, while they issued $169 billion of new equity, data compiled by Birinyi Associates Inc. and Bloomberg show. The combination reduced the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index divisor, a measure of outstanding shares, by 0.6 percent last quarter, the first drop since March 2009.
… (1 comments)

Foreclosures plunge to lowest level since 2007 - 01/17/12 11:14 AM
 

© Olivier Le Queinec/age fotostock
MSN Real Estate is social   The number of homes receiving a foreclosure filing — from notice of default to repossession — hit a 49-month low in December, as legal issues, documentation delays and weak housing demand all served to stall the processing of mortgage delinquencies.
Foreclosure filings were reported on 205,024 U.S. properties in December, a 20% decrease from the year before, a 9% decrease from the previous month and the lowest total since November 2007, according to foreclosure-data firm RealtyTrac.
It's not that the housing market and economy are getting that much … (1 comments)

Informal economy: Huge and growing - 01/17/12 11:02 AM
trillion underground street economy that will employ two-thirds of the world's workers by 2020 has been uncovered.
Robert Neuwirth, in his book "Stealth of Nations: The Global Rise of the Informal Economy," treks through the developing world and finds small, informal -- sometimes illegal -- enterprises are changing the shape of the global economy.
I believe him because I have seen it myself. And if you have ever traveled in developing nations, you have too. Those kiosks and small stores selling the basics, where you can find pretty much everything and anything from cigarettes to pirated DVDs, employ a large chunk … (1 comments)

DOJ steps up ratings probe: report - 01/17/12 10:58 AM
  … (0 comments)

Stocks jump as China inspires hope for growth - 01/17/12 10:46 AM
Stocks were climbing Tuesday along with global markets as better-than-expected Chinese economic data suggested soft landing for the world's fastest-growing economy.
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU +0.93%) was up 108.6 points at 12,530. The S&P 500 ($INX +0.75%) was adding 9.6 points at 1,298, and the Nasdaq ($COMPX +0.98%) was gaining 24.1 points to 2,734.
 
Chinese gross domestic product growth slowed to a rate of 8.9% in the fourth quarter, its slowest growth in 10 quarters but better than the 8.7% expected by economists, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters. The Chinese statistics bureau also reported that industrial production increased 12.8% in December from a year earlier, … (1 comments)

Documents show how Fed missed housing bust - 01/13/12 11:10 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) - Ben Bernanke presided over his first meeting as Federal Reserve chairman in March 2006 believing the nation's economy could pull off a "soft landing" from falling home prices. Three months later, Bernanke had begun to grasp that he and others had underestimated the risk housing posed to the economy.
Newly released transcripts of Fed meetings during Bernanke's first year as chairman show that, among Fed officials, he often expressed the most concern about housing. But no official, according to the transcripts, recognized the extent of the damage a housing bubble would cause. A year later, the housing market's … (2 comments)

Foreclosure filings hit four-year low in 2011 - 01/12/12 11:03 AM
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The number of U.S. homes that received a foreclosure filing fell to a four-year low in 2011 as a slowdown in processing hit the market, RealtyTrac said in a report on Thursday.
Foreclosure filings, which include default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions, slid by 34 percent in 2011, the lowest level since 2007, just as the housing market was starting to crumble. RealtyTrac said there were filings on 1,887,777 homes last year.
Bank seizures of homes fell to 804,423 from 1,050,500 in 2010, also marking the lowest level in four years.
"A big part that is … (1 comments)

Stocks struggle on weak US economic data - 01/12/12 11:00 AM
U.S. stocks were edging lower Thursday after worse-than-expected retails sales and job numbers took the wind out of positive news coming out of Europe.
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU -0.37%) was falling 41.4 points at 12,408. The S&P 500 ($INX -0.37%) was down 4.7 points at 1,287 and the Nasdaq ($COMPX -0.30%) was shedding 10.6 points at 2,700.
 
The U.S. market continued to show signs of a pullback after the Dow eased from a five-month high in the prior session. "The S&P 500 has rallied above some key resistence levels, moving past its 200-day moving average and taking out its October 2011 high," noted Joe Bell, equities strategist with … (2 comments)

7 CEOs pulling in outsized paychecks - 01/11/12 12:02 PM
What is a CEO worth? After a brief lull in the slow economy, skyrocketing CEO pay is back, widening the wealth gap between the rich and everyone else. That has many economists worried -- and a lot of "occupiers" hitting the streets.
But which CEOs benefit from the biggest pay gaps, earning the most compared with their own workers?... More 
To answer that, I've rounded up companies with the largest pay gaps based on the latest research revealing the biggest CEO pay packages and worker pay levels. You'll see the top seven in the following slides (published Jan. 10, 2012).
The … (3 comments)

Financial crisis lays seeds of 'dystopian future' - 01/11/12 11:51 AM
LONDON (AP) - The World Economic Forum warned Wednesday that the financial crisis that has gripped the global economy for the past few years is fueling resentment that could lay the seeds for a rising tide of protectionism, nationalism and social unrest.
In its assessment of the risks to the global economy, the Forum flagged a "dystopian future" for much of humanity that could wipe out the gains achieved so far by globalization and undermine a nascent economic recovery.
The economic crisis, which started in 2007, has already laid siege to some of the world's biggest banks and pushed the global … (0 comments)

Mortgage applications picked up last week: MBA - 01/11/12 10:53 AM
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Applications for U.S. home mortgages rose in the first week of the year as demand for both purchases and refinancing perked up, an industry group said on Wednesday.
The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage application activity, which includes both refinancing and home purchase demand, rose 4.5 percent in the week ended Jan 6.
The MBA's seasonally adjusted index of refinancing applications gained 3.3 percent, while the gauge of loan requests for home purchases climbed 8.1 percent.
The refinance share of total mortgage activity eased to 80.8 percent of applications from 81.9 percent … (1 comments)

Stocks slip as European growth slows - 01/11/12 10:49 AM
U.S. stocks were declining Wednesday following losses in European markets and signs of deteriorating growth in eurozone economies.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU -0.14%) was falling 53.8 points at 12,408. The S&P 500 ($INX -0.09%) was losing 5.9 points at 1,286 and the Nasdaq ($COMPX +0.13%) was down 9.1 points at 2,693.
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on Wednesday. Investors will also focus on the debt auctions in Spain and Italy on Thursday and Friday, events that will reflect investors' appetite for investing in the two riskiest eurozone economies.<!--EndofExcerptMarker-->
 
Earlier, Germany's Federal Statistics Office reported that the country's economy shrank in the fourth quarter of … (0 comments)

Federal Reserve Paid The U.S. $76.9 Billion In 2011, The Second-Highest Amount In U.S. History - 01/10/12 04:47 PM
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve paid the federal government $76.9 billion in 2011, the second highest amount in history. The central bank earned the money from investments made to bolster the U.S. economy.
The Fed reported that the 2011 payment is down from an all-time record of $79.3 billion made in 2010.
Part of the decline reflected lower earnings that the Fed made from its support for insurance giant American International Group, which repaid a loan early last year, cutting the Fed's interest earnings.
The Fed began buying Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities during the recession and 2008 financial crisis to … (0 comments)

Wall Street Employees Threaten To Quit If Bonuses Aren't Up To Snuff - 01/10/12 04:30 PM
 
For some on Wall Street, a less-than-stellar bonus is simply too much to bear.
Brokerage executives at one Wall Street firm, Jefferies Group, have threatened to leave the company if their bonuses aren't up to par with other firms, the New York Post reports. Though some particularly stellar employees may be able to eventually convince their bosses to give them a bigger share of the bonus pie, nervousness surrounding dismal job prospects on Wall Street will likely keep most bankers quiet.
"It's a terrible time to be an employee," Robert Ottinger, a New York-based compensation lawyer told the NYP. "Employers … (0 comments)

6 tales: Worst money advice ever - 01/10/12 10:43 AM
 
What's the worst financial advice you've ever received?
MainStreet posed this question to a group of average Americans and received a variety of colorful responses -- from investment mistakes to real-estate blunders.
To find out what can be learned from each person's story, we picked the brains of financial planners from around the country. Interestingly, while the advisers agreed that some advice was indeed unwise, in other cases they argued that the advice could be sound in certain situations.
"A lot of financial advice is not 'one size fits all,'" says certified financial planner Helen Huntley of Holifield Huntley … (0 comments)

The stupidest fees of 2011 - 01/10/12 10:41 AM
lot of companies tried to hit you with stupid fees in 2011.
There were baggage fees for travelers, resort fees for people who stayed in hotels, fees to pay a bill -- online or offline -- and even a fee for printing out your concert tickets at home.
So a fee really had to rise above the ordinary to win the mantle of stupidest. And the following surely did.
Not all of these fees were new in 2011. In fact, some have been around for a while. But they've all drifted to the top of my list of stupid fees for … (1 comments)

12 Good Reasons Why You Should (and Should Not) Pay Off Your Mortgage Early - 01/09/12 11:49 AM
12 Good Reasons Why You Should (and Should Not) Pay O Do I think it’s wise for you to pay off your mortgage early?
You may as well ask me if I think it is a good idea if you paint your living room sage green.
I used to think paying off your mortgage was an absolute no-brainer.
Then I did a complete 180, changing direction like one of those day-glo orange heliport windsocks.  Oh yes, I did.
After resurveying the macroeconomic condition of the United States and trying to interpret the future direction of its fiscal policies I was ready … (2 comments)

101 words for 'money' - 01/09/12 11:38 AM
 
In 1737, Benjamin Franklin published "The Drinker's Dictionary," a list of more than 200 alternative terms and phrases for being drunk.
 
As far as I know, old Ben never published a similar list of synonyms for money -- which I find to be curious considering that he was one of America's first and most-quoted personal-finance experts.
 
With that in mind, I thought I would challenge myself to put together a fun collection of 101 slang terms for 0money.
Here we go!
Chips. Bread. Dough. Roll. Cabbage. Lettuce. Kale. Bacon. Clams. Coconuts. Beans. Fish. Potatoes. Bananas. Buckaroos. Bucks. Fins ($5 bills). Sawbucks … (2 comments)

The more consumers hear the doom and gloom prognosis from the media, the more they believe it. It soon becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. - 01/09/12 11:05 AM
Poor REALTORS! The misinformation campaign about the housing market continues with yet another announcement of a "drop" that is entirely meaningless. When will real estate brokers take control of the information story? <!--more-->Yet another announcement is making the media rounds today, lowering confidence and confusing the consumer. Trulia (amongst others) released data today indicating that home sellers "slashed" prices for homes "on the market" last month. The media, untrained in either economics or real estate, is churning this report as if the "market has dropped" once again. Even financial networks are making the mistake of saying this latest price reduction continues … (1 comments)

Stocks rise on European talks - 01/09/12 11:04 AM
U.S. stocks were gaining Monday after European leaders showed a united front following the first important debt talks of the year.
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU +0.06%) was adding 26 points at 12,385. The S&P 500 ($INX -0.01%) was up 2.4 points at 1,280, and the Nasdaq ($COMPX -0.06%) was adding 5.3 points at 2,679. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that fiscal pact talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy went well, adding that their intention is to have no country abandon the euro. More talks among eurozone leaders are expected before a summit in Brussels on Jan. 30, including a meeting between Italian premier Mario Monti and Merkel on Wednesday.<!--EndofExcerptMarker-->
 
Spain and Italy will … (0 comments)

5 tools to keep your resolutions on track - 01/09/12 11:03 AM
A New Year's resolution is, in the words of Mary Poppins, like a pie crust promise -- easily made, easily broken.
 
But that doesn't stop us from making promises of positive change every year. Whether it's a big change or just a few tweaks, New Year's resolutions are a dime a dozen. In fact, almost 50% of us make promises to do better in the new year, but only about 10% of us actually follow through.
 
In a world of social networking, it's no surprise that we can now use technology to help us stay on track. There are … (1 comments)

Personal Finance Resolutions You Need - 01/06/12 12:34 PM
Here is a list of resolutions that can help you to get your finances in order.
Live Within Your MeansThis is probably the simplest of all steps that you can take to get your financial life in order - and the hardest to actually perform. Start by reviewing your budget over the past year to see where your money actually went. (Be warned: this often leads to some disturbing and painful revelations, as it will reveal how much of your cash went into the register at the local liquor store or other proprietary establishment of your favorite vice.) After this, see … (0 comments)

Stop! That's money, not junk mail - 01/06/12 12:07 PM
More than 10 million checks are going out to credit card holders as the result of the Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litigation settlement that I last wrote about -- get this -- four years ago. These refund checks are being sent to credit card holders as a result of a class-action lawsuit over the setting and disclosure of foreign currency conversion fees.
 
I just got a check for $18.04 from the settlement and, quite honestly, I could have easily mistaken it for junk mail. <!--EndofExcerptMarker-->Like millions of others, I had filed a claim back in 2008 and had pretty much forgotten about … (2 comments)

Go bankrupt, keep your home?It's possible that filing for bankruptcy can actually increase the chances that you'll be able to stay in your home. Here's how it could work. - 01/06/12 12:04 PM
Despite the apparent economic improvement -- with the unemployment rate finally moving below 9% back in November -- millions still face the possibility of losing their homes through foreclosure.
While it's not a "magic bullet" that can discharge a first mortgage loan on your residence, filing for bankruptcy can buy you some time, force a mortgage lender or servicer to negotiate with you, and eliminate a significant portion of other unsecured debt, depending on your circumstances.
According to regulatory data provided by SNL Financial, the "big four" U.S. banks had huge amounts of one- to four-family residential loans on their balance … (2 comments)

Stocks fall despite strong December jobs report - 01/06/12 12:02 PM
Stocks were falling Friday as concerns about Europe overshadowed a new report saying the U.S. jobless rate sank to its lowest level since February 2009.
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU -0.20%) was falling 35.4 points at 12,380. The S&P 500 ($INX -0.04%) was losing 1.5 points, at 1,279 and the Nasdaq ($COMPX +0.34%) was adding 4.2 points at 2,668. 
 
The Labor Department said the unemployment rate fell to 8.5% as the country added 200,000 jobs in December, with the private sector creating 212,000 jobs. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had forecast 150,000 new jobs in December, with the private sector creating 165,000 jobs. The Labor Department said the U.S. economy added 100,000 jobs in November.<!--EndofExcerptMarker-->
 
… (0 comments)

Stocks fall as Europe returns to focus - 01/05/12 11:07 AM
 
Stocks were falling Thursday as European debt fears overshadowed several reports showing the U.S. job market is strengthening.
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU -0.77%) was falling 102.4 points at 12,315. The S&P 500 ($INX -0.56%) was down 8.4 points at 1,268, and the Nasdaq ($COMPX -0.24%) was shedding 8.2 points at 2,640. 
 
Headlines from Europe are returning to the forefront after a brief period of quiet in the last days of 2011. France sold 10-year bonds at a yield of 3.29%, up from 3.18% at a similar auction in December, as investors sought more return for their risk. Yields of Hungary's one-year bills were also climbing to their … (0 comments)

2012 looks better for real estate - 01/04/12 06:03 PM
One fun part of ringing in the new year is placing bets on what it will bring. Collecting New Year predictions isn't as silly as it sounds; it gives knowledgeable players a chance to share what they know. For those of us trying to gauge whether to sell, buy or rent in 2012, every scrap of wisdom helps. Here are 
Three examples:
Arizona Metro: Phoenix-Mesa-ScottsdaleWhat a Home Will Be Worth in 2012: $141,859Q4 2008 price: $169,000Projected price change by MSA: -16.1%Projected price change by state: -17.2% Michigan Metro: Warren-Troy-Farmington HillsWhat a Home Will Be Worth in 2012: $157,469Q4 2008 price: $149,000Projected price change by MSA: +5.7%Projected price change by state: +2.0% New York Metro: New … (0 comments)

Dow up 21 as stocks crawl back from early lows - 01/04/12 06:00 PM
Stocks started the day by giving up a chunk of their gains from Tuesday's big rally on continuing worries about Europe and tensions in the Persian Gulf. Also in the mix: a decline in noncommercial aircraft factory orders.But the market rebounded from early losses and finished mostly higher for the second straight day. Wednesday may see some turmoil, particularly in energy markets, after the European Union agreed in principle to ban imports of crude oil from Iran. Crude oil (-CL) settled above $103 a barrel today and was moving higher in electronic trading.Shares of automakers were mostly higher as December sales started to come … (0 comments)

Stocks start 2012 with a bang - 01/03/12 03:17 PM
Stocks opened the new year with a big rally with some volume as reports show manufacturing around the world gaining strength. But the rally has lost some steam in the early afternoon.The Institute for Supply Management's Manufacturing Index hit its highest level since June, and reports from China, India and Australia also suggested strength. The Dow Jones industrials ($INDU +1.77%), trading at their highest level since July, were up more than 180 points, led by JPMorgan Chase (JPM +5.68%), Bank of America (BAC +5.22%) and Alcoa (AA +6.47%). The Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX +1.82%) has hit levels not seen … (2 comments)

 
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