Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Today's Headlines

Bloomberg:
- The global economy may be “damped further” by rising oil prices and Europe may be threatened by weaker growth, Swiss National Bank directorate member Philipp Hildebrand said.
- GM said “there is no issue” over the world’s largest automaker’s ability to repay $300 billion in debt.
- US 10-year T-notes fell for the second day in three after the March consumer price index climbed more than forecast.

Wall Street Journal:
- Google may report net income for 2005 even higher than last year’s $399 million, in part because of deft accounting.
- Growing anti-Japanese sentiment in China reflects increasing rivalry for control of the world’s most economically dynamic region as much as historical resentment of Japan’s wartime occupation.
- European politicians are pulling back from support for free market policies in the face of rising unemployment and concern over international competition.
- US shopping mall vacancy in the first quarter remained at 5.3%, its lowest point in 3 ½ years, as rents fell, citing a 62-market survey.
- France’s Pernod Ricard SA and Fortune Brands have agreed to buy Allied Domecq Plc for about $14 billion.

NY Times:
- The Risk and Insurance Management Society called for an end to incentive compensation paid to insurance brokers as a way to avoid a conflict of interest.

Dow Jones:
- AOL has begun blocking Web sites identified as being used for stealing personal information from consumers.

NY Post:
- Morgan Stanley is offering bonuses of as much as $7 million to a dozen top executives to encourage them to stay after five senior officials left the firm recently.

O Estado de S. Paulo:
- The Brazilian unit of Wal-Mart more than tripled sales in 2004, gaining on rivals through lower prices and acquisitions.

Financial Times Deutschland:
- The German economy, Europe’s largest, faces the danger of deflation, the Economist Intelligence Unit said.

No comments: