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CHARITY ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:28pm MST
President Barack Obama and Oval Office hopefuls Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney have all released at least one year of tax returns. And they all gave big money to charity. -
Yahoo shakeup: Four directors to quit
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 2:59pm MST
Four longtime Yahoo board members, including the chairman, are leaving the company. -
Deadly crackdown in Syria - CNN
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 2:57pm MST
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Greece facing 'dramatic dilemma'
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 1:15pm MST
Officials in Greece are under pressure to reach agreement on more austerity measures, as the threat of a default hangs over the country and protestors take to the streets. -
FED STAYS OUT OF POLITICS
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 11:18am MST
By now, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke must be used to being a punching bag. -
China: Fast food. Too fast economy? - The Buzz
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 11:06am MST
Is China's economy heading for a hard or soft landing? Well, it looks like Chinese consumers can't get enough of Diet Coke and the Colonel's famous secret recipe. That may be good news. -
Investing for retirement when you're just starting out
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 10:30am MST
My granddaughter has asked me how to invest the money she'll contribute to her employer's retirement savings plan at her first job. I suggested she either go with a 2050 target-retirement fund or divide her money as follows: 40% in an S&P 500 index fund, 40% in a small-cap index fund and 20% in an international stock index fund. Do you think she should go with the first option, the second or do something else? -- Don G. -
Why China's housing market will slow, not collapse
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 9:15am MST
FORTUNE -- China's hot property market and its implications on the global economy has been on the minds of many investors, and for good reason. In January, Barclays published its latest Skyscraper Index report, which tracks links between the rise in construction of tall buildings and economic busts over the past 140 years. This could be purely coincidental, but the index suggests that the East Asian giant is the world's "biggest bubble builder," and is on its way to an economic bust. China already has half of the world's existing skyscrapers (or buildings higher than 240 meters). And it plans to add more over the next several years. However, let's not read into this too much. It's true, as Barclays notes, that the Great Depression coincided with the construction of three landmark skyscrapers across Manhattan: 40 Wall Street completed in 1929, followed by the Chrysler Building in 1930, and the Empire State Building in 1931. -
How Google ads reinvented the sales call
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:42am MST
FORTUNE ? Companies diving into mobile advertising have found success getting consumers to do something unusual with their smartphones: make calls. -
Stocks pressured by Greek bailout uncertainty
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:04am MST
U.S. stocks moved higher Tuesday, erasing earlier losses, on hopes that Greece is nearing a deal to secure more bailout money. -
How big chocolate plans to save its cocoa supply
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 7:57am MST
FORTUNE -- A Hershey's Kiss is more complicated than it looks. Most of the cocoa in it and other chocolate candies comes from West Africa, and it makes its way through a long supply chain to get to U.S. factories. Now more than ever, Fortune 500 companies such as Hershey (HSY) have to take responsibility for every link in that chain. On January 30, Hershey announced plans to put $10 million towards solving child labor problems on West African cocoa farms by 2017. The money should also help farmers access educational programs and improve their cocoa yield. Hershey's latest move is part of a larger effort to secure the cocoa supply chain whose origins reach back to the founding of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) in 2000. The WCF joined big chocolate companies -- including Hershey and its competitors Mars, Nestlé, and Kraft (KFT) -- with governments and farmers in cocoa-producing nations. -
Mining industry shaken up by $62 billion deal
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 5:42am MST
In a huge consolidation of the international mining industry, Swiss company Glencore International has agreed to acquire rival Xstrata for $61.9 billion in stock, according to a joint statement. -
Iran is ready to ban oil exports to Europe
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 5:27am MST
Final details of the E.U. sanctions are still being worked out, and it's expected that they will have a grace period of up to eight months, an EU diplomat told CNN last month. -
IDC: iPhone is once again world's No. 1 smartphone
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 5:17am MST
The iPhone regained the spot that it took from Nokia in June and gave up to Samsung in September. -
ON HOLD FOR GREECE
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 5:12am MST
U.S. stocks were set to open slightly lower Tuesday, as investors wait for Greek leaders to agree on the terms of a new bailout package, a key step to avoiding a default. -
University of Charleston: Cutting tuition by 22%
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 4:11am MST
After seeing enrollment decline for the first time in a decade, the University of Charleston, in West Virginia, slashed tuition by 22% for the upcoming school year hoping to entice more students. -
Honeybee die-off shouldn't sting
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 4:04am MST
There's good news and bad news on the honeybee beat. -
Obama loan program turns a profit
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:52am MST
An Obama administration lending program set up to funnel cash to small banks was expected to cost taxpayers $1.3 billion. Instead, it will turn a profit of $80 million.The government sparked criticism for spending less on its small business lending fund for small businesses than intended, but now it says the fund will profit taxpayers. -
Get more from a second doctor's opinion
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:46am MST
If you're like most people, you're inclined to trust your doctor's advice. -
Facebook's Zuckerberg may face $2 billion tax hit
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:41am MST
Facebook's upcoming IPO will make founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg a billionaire -- but it will also stick him with an eye-popping tax bill that could reach as high as $2 billion. -
Government assistance expands
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:29am MST
More than one in three Americans lived in households that received Medicaid, food stamps or other means-based government assistance, according to a new report. -
BP profits point to turnaround from Gulf of Mexico
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:13am MST
Oil company BP posted increased fourth quarter profits and raised its dividend on Tuesday, hailing the improved result as a turning point in the long climb back from Gulf of Mexico oil spill of 2010. -
Greek unions to strike over new austerity demands
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:12am MST
Greek union members are expected to go on a daylong strike Tuesday to protest new austerity measures sought by foreign lenders as the country negotiates to keep its finances afloat. -
Electric car maker, U.S. loan recipient cuts jobs
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:45pm MST
Fisker Automotive, the electric car company that received a half-billion dollars in Energy Department loan guarantees, announced layoffs at its Delaware production facility Monday. -
Stocks only look cheap
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 4:12pm MST
FORTUNE -- As fourth quarter earnings come pouring in, Wall Street is assembling the full profit picture for 2011 ---- and it's truly spectacular. According to S&P Capital IQ, the firm that assembles profit data for the benchmark index, earnings will hit $92.17 a share, a 19% increase over the excellent numbers posted in 2010, and well above the all-time record set in 2006. Despite some negative surprises this month -- including disappointing news from Alcoa, Cisco and Exxon -- momentum and optimism keep building. -
Foreclosure deal: Closer, but not there yet
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 2:03pm MST
More than 40 states have signed on to a draft deal settling claims of improper mortgage servicing that's aimed at relieving homeowners struggling with loans bigger than their home's value. -
Why Apple will pay a dividend
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 1:39pm MST
FORTUNE -- The liquid securities alone on Apple's balance sheet, roughly $98 billion, would make it the 43rd most valuable company in the world. Apple's cash would rank it just behind McDonalds, an astounding and bizarre statement in the annals of modern cash management. No company in its right mind would keep $100 billion lying around. But then, as I've been arguing frequently of late, Apple is no normal company. It does just about everything differently, including how it socks away its money. -
Eli's coming: Super Bowl QB to cash in
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 12:06pm MST
Eli Manning is heading to Disney World. Madison Avenue will be close behind. -
The Romney kids' $100 million trust fund
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 12:01pm MST
Mitt Romney's five sons -- Matt, Tagg, Craig, Ben and Josh -- are sitting pretty with a trust fund worth $100 million. -
We're number one, says U.S. Postal Service
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:15am MST
Despite its financial difficulties and relatively heavy work load, the U.S. Postal Service has been declared the finest in the world by a British study. -
THIS IS NOT A TECH BUBBLE
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 10:32am MST
The Nasdaq is at its highest level since the end of 2000. Highly speculative companies like Netflix and Zynga are soaring, and investors are salivating about possibly paying 100 times earnings for Facebook when it goes public. -
Gen-Y looks to developing economies for biz training
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 9:39am MST
Business schools, non-profits, and private employers are sending students and young workers to developing nations to hone their business skills. -
Premiering today: Netflix's original TV gamble
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 9:31am MST
Netflix launched its first foray into original programming with the release of the TV show Lilyhammer Monday. The show, which stars Steven van Zandt as an ex-mobster in a witness protection program in Norway, was co-financed by Netflix and is, at least in the U.S., only available to the company's subscribers -- a move that mirrors original series produced by cable networks like HBO and Showtime. But there's a notable difference: Unlike HBO, Netflix is releasing the entire first season on day one. -
8 very valuable Buicks - yes, Buicks
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 9:08am MST
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Citi is first U.S. bank to issue Chinese credit card
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 8:54am MST
Citibank won approval to issue its own credit card in China, making it the first non-Asian bank to enter that market. -
OBAMA VS. REAGAN
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 8:13am MST
Faced with a strong jobs report Friday, Republicans tried out a new rhetorical message: This isn't a disaster, but Ronald Reagan could have done better. -
Greece on the brink
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 8:13am MST
Officials in Greece were under pressure Monday to agree on the terms of a new bailout package, as the threat of a default hangs over the country. -
Verizon and Redbox team up to battle Netflix
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 8:11am MST
Verizon and DVD kiosk company Redbox said Monday that they're teaming up on a streaming video partnership, a move that puts Netflix squarely in their crosshairs. -
Stocks edge lower amid Greece jitters
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 8:01am MST
U.S. stocks hovered below the breakeven line throughout the trading day Monday, as investors anxiously awaited a Greek government decision on budget cuts that are key to securing a second bailout and avoiding default. -
'EQUALITY IS JUST GOOD BIZ'
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:12am MST
Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein has recorded a commercial endorsing the right to same-sex marriage, becoming one of the highest profile corporate executives to weigh in on the controversial campaign. -
S&P president: Why I'm still hopeful about Europe
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:03am MST
Douglas Peterson, the president of Standard & Poor's, talks about European downgrades, ratings agency regulation and why he left an investment bank to run a firm trying to restore its reputation. -
House bill bans welfare spending at strip clubs
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 6:10am MST
If welfare recipients want to dole out the dollar bills at a strip club, they'd better make sure it's not government money ... at least if a bill in Congress becomes law. -
Android's HTC falls from grace
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 4:46am MST
Squeezed by Apple and Samsung, HTC had a bad quarter and expects the next to be worse. -
ALL EYES ON GREECE
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 4:20am MST
U.S. stocks were set for a weak open Monday as investors anxiously await a Greek government decision on budget cuts key to securing a second bailout and avoiding default. -
Victoria's secret weapons
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 3:09am MST
Showmanship, prudence, and working with what it's got: How lingerie maker Victoria's Secret stays on top. -
Chrysler is king of the Super Bowl spots
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 8:24pm MST
Once again, Chrysler's Super Bowl ad won the hearts and minds of football fans, this time with a little help from Clint Eastwood and, of course, Detroit. -
Ford calls foul on Chevy Super Bowl ad
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 5:21pm MST
General Motors ignored a request from Ford Motor Co. and ran a humorous Chevrolet truck ad during the Super Bowl that takes a slap at Ford. -
What's next for Europe?
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 12:53pm MST
To form a strong fiscal union and return confidence to the euro, eurozone members must be willing to give up some degree of control of their national budgets to a central European authority. -
Stocks: Let the good times roll
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 7:18am MST
Stocks surged last week to their highest levels in years, but there are few key economic reports slated for the week ahead to sustain the rally. -
Fortune Classic: The rise of Netscape
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 7:08am MST
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Romney wins big in Nevada - CNN
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 5:58am MST
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Motorola wants 2.25% of Apple's iPhone sales
Posted: February 4th, 2012, 10:08am MST
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3 keys to a killer Super Bowl ad
Posted: February 4th, 2012, 6:41am MST
FORTUNE -- Super Bowl weekend is here. For some, Sunday is all about the game. For others, the ads take center stage. For the latter, here are three keys to making a killer spot. -
Disney employees now allowed to grow beards
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 4:05pm MST
Mickey Mouse can finally grow that soul patch he's always wanted. Until now, Disney parks and resort employees had been prohibited from growing beards and goatees. Starting Friday they may do so, so long as they're a quarter-inch or shorter. -
New York sues banks over foreclosures
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 1:18pm MST
The New York attorney general sued some of the nation's biggest banks on Friday, accusing them of unlawful and deceptive practices for relying on a private electronic registry that tracks mortgages. -
Micron CEO Steve Appleton dies in plane crash
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 1:04pm MST
Micron CEO and chairman Steve Appleton died Friday morning in a small-plane crash in Boise. -
Big drop in unemployment rate for blacks
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 11:19am MST
The unemployment rate for blacks fell more than 2 percentage points last month to its lowest level since March 2009. -
Place your bets on Facebook's IPO -- literally
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 10:54am MST
Facebook has finally filed for an IPO, but it likely won't start trading for months. For those who can't wait to gamble on the stock market, bookies are accepting bets. -
Stealth jobs boom: 6 months, 2 million jobs
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 10:53am MST
Companies are saying the job market is getting better. Workers are saying it's already kicked into high gear. -
Kiss QE3 hopes goodbye! - The Buzz
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 10:37am MST
The strong January jobs report may finally put a nail in the QE3 coffin. -
Auto stocks gain on jobs report. GM up 7%
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 10:17am MST
Shares of General Motors and Ford surged on Friday following strong data on the U.S. job market. -
Facebook IPO shrinks private trading market
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 9:23am MST
Facebook has played a big role in the private trading markets that allow eligible investors the chance to snap up shares of hot Internet companies years before they go public. -
Jobs: Obama not out of the woods yet
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 9:08am MST
The January jobs report contains a slew of numbers that are likely to put a twinkle in the eye of Obama campaign staffers. -
The best cities for job hunting
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:55am MST
FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I just got a pink slip from the bank where I've worked as a marketing director for the past 12 years, and which is now undergoing a total restructuring, so I'm pondering what my next move should be. Opportunities are limited in the smallish East Coast city where I live (the bank I'll soon be leaving is the single biggest employer in town) and, having moved here solely to take the position I'm now losing, I'm not particularly attached to this area. Our kids are away at college now, our mortgage is paid off, and my wife, who is a pediatrician, really could work anywhere. So we're open to the idea of moving -- but where would I have the best chance of finding a new job? I'm also wondering, do many employers still pay moving expenses for new management hires, or is that a thing of the past? ? Footloose -
What about the long-term unemployed?
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:39am MST
The market has every reason to celebrate the latest jobs report, but the statistics on the long-term unemployed are still unsettling. -
Bain's Romney problem
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:33am MST
Does Mitt Romney threaten Bain Capital? -
Stocks pop after 'monster' jobs report
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 7:44am MST
U.S. stocks rallied Friday, as investors cheered a much stronger-than-expected jobs report. -
U.S. GAINS 243,000 JOBS
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 6:49am MST
American employers substantially stepped up their hiring in January, bringing the unemployment rate down for the fifth month in a row. -
You won't believe these are collectible cars
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 4:21am MST
Back in the day, few would have thought these cars would become desirable antiques. -
Stocks: Investors await key jobs report
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 4:09am MST
Investors are gearing up for a rally following a much stronger than expected report on January job growth. -
Small manufacturing firms want more from Obama
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 3:46am MST
A new Obama administration push to strengthen U.S. manufacturing has the support of smaller firms, but it might not be enough to stir many into action. -
Nevada's triple economic whammy
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 3:36am MST
Nevada has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in unemployment, foreclosure filings and number of underwater homes. That's not good for the state's economy. The Great Recession has dealt Nevada a losing hand. -
Home repairs: Which jobs come first?
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 3:27am MST
Lean times call for budgetary triage. But while you should clearly opt for orthodontics before Disneyland, the choice is tougher when it comes to home maintenance. -
Finally, a foreclosure settlement (Maybe)
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 3:21am MST
States have until late Monday to agree to the latest draft deal aimed at relieving homeowners struggling with mortgages bigger than their home's value. -
States seek currencies made of silver and gold
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 3:10am MST
A growing number of states are seeking shiny new currencies made of silver and gold. -
U.S. charges oldest Swiss bank in tax fraud case
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 4:35pm MST
The Justice Department charged Switzerland's oldest bank Thursday with helping American taxpayers hide more than $1.2 billion from the Internal Revenue Service. The case marks the first time an overseas bank has been charged in the U.S. for aiding tax evasion. -
Senate passes insider trading bill
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 4:28pm MST
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Green Mountain Coffee shares surge almost 25%
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:22pm MST
Shares of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters surged nearly 25% Thursday after a stellar earnings report. After the closing bell Wednesday, Green Mountain reported $96 million in net income for the quarter ended in December, a 264% increase over the same quarter in the previous year that crushed analyst estimates. -
American's bankruptcy fuels merger talk
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:15pm MST
American Airlines' bankruptcy has many in the industry questioning if a merger is in its future. -
Obama's latest retirement rescue plan: Annuities
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 2:34pm MST
The Obama administration proposed new rules Thursday to help retirees make their savings last throughout their lifetime -- by investing in annuities. -
Obama: Jesus would tax the rich
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 2:12pm MST
What Would Jesus ... Deduct? -
Farmville-maker Zynga soars 17%
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 2:10pm MST
Now that Facebook has finally filed for its much anticipated initial public offering, the enthusiasm for other social media investments has spread like wildfire. -
What will Facebook do with $9 billion?
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 2:02pm MST
Facebook has finally filed to raise $5 billion through a public offering. But it hardly needs the cash: The company already has almost $4 billion stashed in its piggy bank. -
Falling out of the middle class: 3 families' stories
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 1:45pm MST
Nearly one in two Americans is now living on the lower end of the income scale, according to the Census Bureau. For a family of four that's less than $45,000 a year. These are three families who are falling out of the middle class. -
Facebook's stunning growth mints billionaires
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 1:27pm MST
A peek at Facebook's multi-billion-dollar empire -- and the half-dozen billionaires it has created. -
The middle class is going away
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 1:14pm MST
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Will $4 million in retirement savings be enough?
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 1:06pm MST
I hope to have $4 million saved by the time I retire in 30 years. That sounds like a lot of money, but how much would that be in today's dollars? -- Brian -
The trials of Uber
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 12:58pm MST
FORTUNE -- You need a ride. Instead of lingering at the intersection flailing your hand in the air, you fish out your smartphone. A few taps later, Uber's slick, futuristic logo appears, a seriffed "U" hovering over a stark black background. Signing up takes a few seconds. Once you provide basic contact and credit card information, a Google map pops up displaying your nearby surroundings. You select a spot on the screen to set a rendezvous and watch as a car-shaped icon inches toward it. When a black sedan pulls up a few minutes later, the driver welcomes you by name and offers free snacks and bottled water. At your destination, the fare is automatically charged to your card. No fumbling with wadded cash. No flimsy receipts to stash away. You simply hop out and go. -
Kodak breaking up with the Oscars
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 11:57am MST
Eastman Kodak is trying to end its sponsorship of the Hollywood theater that bears its name and hosts the Academy Awards as part of the photography company's bankruptcy process. -
King Larry: The story of a business monster
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 11:56am MST
Growing up fatherless on a peach farm in California, Larry Hillblom told friends he wanted to be like Howard Hughes some day. He came closer than anyone could have expected: Hillblom went into business, amassed a huge fortune, acquired an airline, built a secretive empire, sustained hideous injuries in a plane crash, and developed into a full-blown germaphobe eccentric. -
Mortgage rates hit another new low
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 11:40am MST
Just one day after President Obama detailed a proposal to enable millions of homeowners to refinance to record-low mortgage rates, those rates notched another record. -
Carlyle's proposed IPO disaster
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 11:38am MST
FORTUNE -- We've seen companies like News Corp (NWS), Blackstone (BX), and LinkedIn (LNKD) chip away at shareholder rights by limiting the voting rights of shareholders. Now Carlyle is adding insult to injury. In its recent proposed initial public offering (IPO), Carlyle will have no requirements for an independent board, virtually no voting rights for owners, and no ability for owners to sue. As an added bonus, owners will be paying its tax liabilities without any surety that they will receive cash distributions sufficient to cover those costs. So, what would happen if every company did a Carlyle-style IPO? The private equity firm's IPO proposal, which is brought to you by the clever folks at J.P. Morgan (JPM), Citigroup (C), and Credit Suisse (CS), with some help from law firms Simpson Thacher and Skadden Arps begs us to ask the question. -
5 ways the Super Bowl ad playbook has changed
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 11:17am MST
FORTUNE -- The Super Bowl remains brand marketing's holy grail. And that isn't likely to change until the 100 million or so people who tune in, revel in an orgy of viewing parties, hot wings massacres, and studied ad criticism stop. Until then, advertisers will continue to shell out record amounts for 30-second spots year after year. (The average cost for 2012 is $3.5 million a pop.) -
The cloud goes Hollywood
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 11:13am MST
Consumers who recently purchased Warner Brothers' final Harry Potter film on DVD or Blu-ray found a surprise in the package: a digital copy of the movie in the new UltraViolet format. Although the name is not yet familiar, UltraViolet represents Hollywood's first step into the cloud -- the much-hyped idea that media will be stored on remote servers and accessed by various devices. -
Facebook isn't worth $100 billion - The Buzz
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 11:12am MST
Facebook is a great company. It proved that in its IPO filing. A billion dollar annual profit and $3.9 billion in cash for something that didn't even exist 10 years ago? That's impressive. -
Can introverts succeed in business?
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 10:58am MST
FORTUNE -- When you picture a leader, the image that usually comes to mind is someone like Jack Welch or Bill Clinton -- gregarious, energized by crowds. Organizations tend to celebrate and promote such extroverted personalities, as opposed to introverts, who draw energy from ideas or one-on-one interactions. Such quiet types are often not as visible within companies, but by some calculations, introverts make up half of the population. That's an awful lot of talent to exclude from executive ranks. It's the numerical equivalent of excluding women -- and similarly shortsighted, says Susan Cain, author of the new book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. "There's a bias in our culture against introversion," she says. To use Betty Friedan's language from The Feminine Mystique, "it's a problem in our culture that has no name" -- pervasive, yet seldom discussed, at least until recently. -
Poll: The most impressive VC
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 9:44am MST
A whole lot of venture capitalists are about to get a nice windfall with the upcoming Facebook IPO. Of these prominent technology investors, which of them has the best eye for startup success? -
15 great cars that get overlooked
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 9:34am MST
They don't get featured on the covers of car magazines or feted in Super Bowl commercials. At dealer lots, they get parked in the back while newer, glitzier models are showcased in the showroom. They won't get you many oohs and ahs from the car pool kids, or a thumbs-up from other drivers. Face it -- these are the wallflowers of the auto world. -
Bernanke: Fed will protect U.S. economy
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:56am MST
The recovery remains "frustrating slow" in the United States, and now Europe's debt crisis is posing additional challenges, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Thursday. -
'Bayou Billionaires' brings gas boom to reality TV
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:44am MST
The fracking-led oil and natural gas boom that's received widespread attention in the mainstream press has moved to a new medium: reality TV. -
UCLA rejects 52 MBA applicants for plagiarism
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:43am MST
All told, UCLA's Anderson school found that 52 MBA candidates were lifting whole paragraphs from other, unattributed sources in their essays. And they are far from the only B-school dealing with the problem. -
Stocks hold modest gains as Bernanke speaks
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:20am MST
U.S. stocks ended mixed Thursday as investors digested a cautious economic outlook from the chairman of the Federal Reserve one day before a key report on the job market. -
Stock picks from Fed officials
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 7:22am MST
One Fed official owns thousands of acres of farmland and at least $1 million in gold. Many own individual blue chip stocks, while another appears to hold no major assets other than his home and an employee benefit plan. -
Unemployment claims fall
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 6:39am MST
First-time claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, a sign of more gradual improvement in the job market. -
Job cuts increased in January - Challenger
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 5:39am MST
The U.S. job market stumbled out of the gates in 2012 -- at least according to one report. -
Facebook's $16 billion CEO
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 5:07am MST
At age 27, Mark Zuckerberg is about to officially become a paper billionaire. -
Stocks: Waiting on Greece, Bernanke and jobs
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 4:21am MST
U.S. stocks were set for a timid open Thursday as traders await comments from Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke, and keep a wary eye on Greece's debt talks. -
Sony expects nearly $3 billion loss - CNN
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:48am MST
The Japanese electronics company says it is forecasting a net loss of 220 billion yen or US $2.9 billion for the fiscal year ending in March 2012. Previously, Sony expected to make 90 billion yen (US $1.2 billion). -
Payroll tax holiday running down
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:36am MST
Despite bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for extending a temporary payroll tax cut for the rest of 2012, lawmakers have yet to close the deal. -
Small biz scores huge Angry Birds deal
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:30am MST
A small Seattle-based company hit it big after snagging the first-ever license to make Angry Birds baby products. -
More money, more votes: Billion dollar campaign
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:19am MST
Let there be no doubt: The campaign finance floodgates are officially open. -
Investing overseas: Find the right balance
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:17am MST
Whoever said that the world can be a scary place sure wasn't kidding. Consider a few of the frighteningly noteworthy events of the past year: Europe's economy slipped into a debt-induced coma; the euro went from being a potential global store of value to a currency on the brink of extinction; and growth in overheated markets like China and Brazil started to slow, prompting a nosedive in their equity prices. -
The risks that killed MF Global
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 5:01pm MST
It's been three months since MF Global became the eighth-largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. Did anyone see this coming? Well, a few people had some idea, and a Congressional subcommittee will hear from them on Capitol Hill Thursday. -
Zuckerberg's letter to investors: 'The Hacker Way'
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 4:06pm MST
Facebook filed Wednesday to raise $5 billion in an initial public offering. Here is CEO Mark Zuckerberg's letter to potential investors. -
Facebook IPO: Morgan Stanley is big winner
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:52pm MST
If there's a crown jewel in the world of initial public offerings, it's Facebook. -
Spain's big fix will enrage many workers
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:43pm MST
Exclusive: Spain's economy minister Luis de Guindos shares the details of a reform package that could help get the country's economy back on track, but it will not go over well with many workers. -
Meet the man behind the Facebook IPO
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:09pm MST
FORTUNE -- Shortly after helped to close the $46 billion deal that turned Roche Holdings into the full owner of Genentech in 2009, David Ebersman, who was chief financial officer of the biotechnology giant and something of a protégé to Chairman Art Levinson, started fielding recruiting calls from some of America's biggest companies. -
Senate Democrats Unveil Buffett Bill
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:07pm MST
Senate Democrats formally unveiled legislation Wednesday to ensure that all millionaires would pay a minimum federal tax of 30 percent. -
FACEBOOK'S $5 BILLION IPO
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:04pm MST
At long last, the Holy Grail of Internet IPOs is here. Facebook filed Wednesday to raise $5 billion in an initial public offering. -
Romney: "I'm not concerned about the very poor"
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 2:03pm MST
Mitt Romney says he isn't worried about those living in poverty since they have government assistance programs to fall back on. Instead, he wants to focus on helping the middle class. -
Wall Street bets big on Romney
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 1:46pm MST
Wall Street has thrown its weight behind alum Mitt Romney for president, according to new campaign data for 2011. -
Whirlpool surges 17%
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 1:26pm MST
Shares of Whirlpool spiked more than 17% Wednesday after the appliance maker issued a strong outlook for 2012, despite a soft fourth quarter. -
Romney raises big dollars from private equity
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 12:52pm MST
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American Airlines plans to cut jobs
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 11:55am MST
American Airlines told its unions Wednesday it plans to cut 13,000 jobs from the staff of 88,000 at the nation's No. 3 airline. -
Super Bowl: The car ads are back
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 11:52am MST
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Obama proposes refinancing plan
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 10:49am MST
The Obama administration on Wednesday detailed its latest plan to help millions of homeowners refinance their mortgages to today's historically-low rates. -
Ex-Credit Suisse trader guilty in mortgage case
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 10:17am MST
In a case stemming from the housing meltdown that led to the financial crisis, a former executive at Credit Suisse and two associates have been charged with deliberately inflating the price of mortgage-backed securities held on their books. -
Stocks party like it's 1997. Can it last? - The Buzz
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 10:17am MST
The Nasdaq shot up 8% in January. 8% in one month! Unless you are extremely greedy, that would be a good year. -
AOL's sales slide, but declines are slowing
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:47am MST
AOL's decay is slowing. But is "less bad" good enough to count as a turnaround? -
Executives to new grads: Shape up!
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:21am MST
Most senior managers are unimpressed with the entry-level job applicants they're seeing, reports a new survey. -
Don't rush into REITs
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:15am MST
You'd think that investors would be leery of companies that own and manage commercial real estate. Vacancy rates remain elevated in office buildings and shopping centers. Except for apartment buildings, rents really haven't grown at all in four years. And given the possibility that the global economy may retrench yet again, things could still get worse before they get better. -
What's your take on Facebook's IPO? - iReport
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 7:57am MST
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Changing Freddie Mac will not fix housing issues
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 7:43am MST
Freddie Mac may have blocked millions of homeowners from refinancing their mortgages, but lowering interest payments isn't going to resolve the woes of the housing market. -
Stocks get early boost from manufacturing data
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 7:41am MST
U.S. stocks rose Wednesday, but closed off the highs of the day, on a combination of improved economic data and easing concerns about Europe's debt crisis. -
Job growth slows in January
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 6:41am MST
Private sector companies were hesitant to hire in January, according to a report by payroll processor ADP. -
China manufacturing gives off mixed signals
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 5:58am MST
The Chinese government said Wednesday that manufacturing in the world's second-largest economy expanded slightly in January, while a report from a leading bank indicated contraction in the sector for the third straight month. -
Chrysler: From bankruptcy to profit in 2 years
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 5:21am MST
Chrysler Group reported its first annual profit since 2005 Wednesday, capping a comeback a little more than two years after a federal bailout, a bankruptcy filing and a takeover by Italian automaker Fiat. -
An Apple TV set in 2012?
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 5:04am MST
The hardware is the easy part. The trick is to get Hollywood on board. -
Stronger manufacturing data to boost stocks
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 4:26am MST
U.S. stocks were headed for a modestly higher open Wednesday, as investors welcomed stronger manufacturing data around the world. -
New York-Frankfurt stock exchange merger blocked
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 4:15am MST
The parent company of the New York Stock Exchange said Wednesday that it plans to end its proposed merger with the parent of the Frankfurt exchange, after European officials blocked the deal. -
Become your kid's mortgage lender
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:40am MST
Between slumping prices and low mortgage rates, it's a good time to look for real estate bargains. But thanks to tightened lending standards, legions of young would-be homebuyers aren't exactly in a position to take advantage of the opportunity. That's where their parents come in: One in three first-time buyers received either a gift or a loan from their families to help buy a home in 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors. -
What will become of Romney's fortune?
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:28am MST
If Mitt Romney is elected president, he will have to make some tough choices about what to do with his personal fortune. -
Super Bowl ad calls on entrepreneurs
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:22am MST
Not many people know the Kauffman Foundation, but after this Sunday a lot more will have an idea. -
Is J.C. Penney the future of retail?
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:13am MST
J.C. Penney's ambitious plan to turn around its business and make its brand hip and cool is in high gear, but whether the 110-year-old company's stock will keep up the pace is another question. -
Europe's debt crisis: Where things stand
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 3:08am MST
After wreaking havoc in global financial markets last year, the debt crisis in Europe has entered a complicated new phase in 2012. -
Top 10 turnaround towns
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 6:02pm MST
Florida's cities were some of the hardest hit by the housing bust, but now they are leading the charge back. Of Realtor.com's top 10 turnaround towns, eight are in the Sunshine State. -
Fed official owned shares of bailed-out firms
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 5:04pm MST
As he helped orchestrate the Wall Street bailouts, William Dudley -- now president of the New York Fed -- owned more than $100,000 stock in AIG and General Electric, two firms that received government assistance. -
Facebook readies for blockbuster IPO
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 4:31pm MST
Facebook's long-awaited IPO filing is imminent, according to several news reports. -
Small biz loan demand up, Fed says
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 4:27pm MST
A growing portion of the nation's banks saw a spike in demand for loans to smaller firms late last year, according to the latest Federal Reserve figures. -
Obama's plan to win Ohio
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 4:27pm MST
FORTUNE -- In a down-market strip mall 12 miles from the center of Columbus, Ohio, sandwiched between a Jackson Hewitt Tax Service and a "Check 'n Go" payday lender, President Obama's reelection effort has quietly planted a flag. It's one of three field offices the campaign has opened in this crucial swing state to start selling a fragile claim: the economic recovery is real, and voters have Obama to thank for it. -
Amazon earnings OK, but stock slides 10%
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 2:55pm MST
Amazon's fourth-quarter sales results weren't awful, but investors went ahead and punished the stock severely anyway. -
'HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW?'
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 2:25pm MST
Stephen Colbert's super PAC is working with some serious cash. -
Chinese auto parts could spark next trade fight
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 1:32pm MST
A coalition of labor and trade activists joined Democratic lawmakers from industrial states Tuesday to push the Obama administration to take action against the growing imports of auto parts from China. -
After Davos: Making the case for global optimism
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 12:24pm MST
If the World Economic Forum wants to do more than just raise questions, it should pay closer attention to what the optimists in the room are saying. -
Wall Street pays big to influence Washington
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 12:19pm MST
Financial industry spending to influence Washington topped $150 million for the second year in a row, with emphasis shifting to regulators of the Dodd-Frank reform law, according to watchdog groups. -
Watchdog: Auto insurers overcharging the poor
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 11:51am MST
The car owners who are least able to afford high auto insurance rates are getting charged the most for coverage, according to a consumer watchdog group. -
Jobs recovery may be running out of gas - The Buzz
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 11:22am MST
Will investors, consumers and politicians be singing "Take this jobs report and shove it!" come Friday morning? -
Why McDonald's should have known better
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 10:45am MST
FORTUNE -- The Internet may be a wonderful thing, but no one should expect sunshine and rainbows when asking for its honest opinion. Read an uncensored comment stream on pretty much any post, blog or video, and its clear that the Web provides people with, among other services, space to criticize, constructively or otherwise. So McDonald's (MCD) should have known better when it got knocked on its heels after launching a Twitter campaign on January 24. The idea wasn't a bad one -- pay for a couple of promoted tweets encouraging customers to get in touch with farmers. First, the company pushed the hashtag #meetthefarmers. But in the middle of the campaign, the fast-food goliath introduced the hashtag #McDStories, hoping to stir up good press about consumers' experience at its restaurants. The first hashtag was saying, "Here are the great people who make our potatoes." The second says, "Tell us what you think of us," which, in the Web world, is risky business. -
What right-to-work laws really mean
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 10:35am MST
FORTUNE -- As the economy continues to wobble, the American divide on labor rights is playing out in some unexpected locales. Indiana is in the spotlight now, as it prepares to adopt a law that unions say will weaken their ranks. If passed, the "right-to-work" law would allow workers to skip paying union dues but still receive the benefits of union-negotiated contracts. Advocates say such employees have been forced into unions, but organized labor calls them "free riders." Like the minimum wage, right-to-work battles have flared repeatedly for more than a half-century after workers toiling in onerous circumstances -- not unlike what some in Asian factories face today -- won the right to unite and bargain for wages and workplace conditions. But the nation never completely embraced a uniform view of worker rights. -
Don't outlive your savings: How annuities can help
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 10:27am MST
Given advances in medicine, I'm worried my wife and I might outlive our retirement savings. I've started reading about annuities, but I'm confused about the difference between immediate annuities and another type I've heard referred to as a deferred income annuities. Can you explain the difference? -- Daniel R. -
EU targets unemployment amid crisis - CNN
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 9:51am MST
European leaders are proposing new measures to combat soaring youth unemployment as the scramble to halt the continent's debt crisis continues. -
Perfect Hedge: 56 found guilty of insider trading
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 9:31am MST
It's known as "Operation Perfect Hedge": the government's unprecedented crackdown on insider trading that's led to nearly 60 convictions since it began roughly two and a half years ago. And with the charges announced two weeks ago against men from some of the country's largest hedge funds, it shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. Earlier this month, law enforcement officials announced the indictment of four investment professionals on insider trading charges, including Anthony Chiasson, who co-founded the Level Global hedge fund in 2003, and Todd Newman, a former portfolio manager at Diamondback Capital. Three others have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the government in the case, including former analysts from Diamondback and Level Global. All told, the government has brought criminal charges against 63 people in its current crackdown and has secured 56 convictions, Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a press conference announcing the new arrests. He compared the case in scale to that of Raj Rajaratnam, the hedge fund manager who received a record 11 years in prison last year after earning $64 million in a long-running insider trading scam. Analysts say the government's momentum in insider trading cases stems from a renewed focus on the practice as well as the use of investigative techniques, particularly wiretaps, previously reserved for other kinds of crime. -
Deficits to decrease - but not for long
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 9:19am MST
Federal deficits are expected to fall over the next few years but then start to climb, pushing the nation's accumulated debt to levels not seen since just after World War II, according to new estimates from the Congressional Budget Office released Tuesday. -
Facebook isn't the only blockbuster IPO
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 8:13am MST
FORTUNE -- While everyone in Silicon Valley is talking about Facebook's imminent IPO, a handful of fast-growing yet far-less-sexy enterprise technology companies are quietly eyeing the public markets. -
Stocks: Investors welcome Europe's fiscal pact
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 7:55am MST
January offered up an apology to discouraged investors. -
Revive Made in USA? Easier said than done
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 7:51am MST
President Obama wants companies to manufacture their products in the United States, but small business owners say that's about as easy as walking a minefield. -
Debt collector to pay $2.5 million penalty
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 7:36am MST
The Federal Trade Commission has slapped a prominent debt collector with a $2.5 million penalty for misrepresenting its debt collection powers. -
Home prices post steep decline in November
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 7:16am MST
Home prices posted a steep, month-over-month drop in November, falling 1.3%, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city report. Prices fell in 19 of the 20 cities the index covers.Prices fell steeply for the second month in a row. -
Exxon reports $9.4 billion profit
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 6:22am MST
Exxon reported a 2% rise in fourth-quarter earnings Tuesday, even as oil and gas production fell. -
A new boss at the Apple Store
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 6:13am MST
Tim Cook taps John Browett, CEO of Dixons, to head his retail empire. -
American Airlines to lay out cuts to unions
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 5:26am MST
American Airlines' parent is meeting with its unions this week to lay out cost cuts it wants to implement as part of its bankruptcy reorganization -- moves that could cost many of the company's 81,000 workers their jobs and a portion of their pension benefits. -
Budget sports cars through the ages
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 4:17am MST
From the Pontiac Fiero to the poor-man's Porsche: Automakers have always tried to bring affordable fun to the masses. -
Stocks: Investors welcome Europe's fiscal pact
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 4:09am MST
U.S. stocks are poised for a higher open Tuesday, after European Union leaders agreed to strengthen a financial firewall and sign a fiscal pact. -
Which pays better: Government or private sector?
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 3:48am MST
Which is the better gig: The federal government or the private sector? -
Forget Iran, Iraq is threatening oil prices
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 3:34am MST
The deteriorating situation in Iraq is leading some analysts to worry that the country may not be able to meet its lofty goals for rapidly ramping up oil production. -
Worst place to lose your job: Florida
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 3:21am MST
Florida has the highest rate of long-term unemployment in the nation. Some 53% of those without jobs have been out of work for at least six months.If you lose your job in Florida, chances are you won't find another one any time soon. -
Dividend stocks: Buyer beware
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 5:00pm MST
There's one group of people who aren't cheering Ben Bernanke's announcement last week that the Federal Reserve expects to keep interest rates ultra-low through 2014: people of modest means who live off their interest income. As I've been pointing out since 2007, the Fed has eviscerated the income of prudent savers in its attempt to repair the economic damage caused by imprudent borrowers and lenders. I believe that the Fed, whose job is to protect the financial system and promote employment, is acting in the best interests of the country at large. But what's helping the overall economy is hurting savers. -
Senate begins debate on insider trading bill
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 4:45pm MST
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The cash is coming! Here's how to play it.
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 4:24pm MST
If company executives can't figure out how to invest their money back into their own businesses, they're going to have to return it to their shareholders. This year may finally be the year for that. -
EU leaders back fiscal pact, bigger firewall
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 3:56pm MST
European Union leaders agreed to strengthen a financial firewall and most members of the 27-nation group will sign a new fiscal compact. But the first summit of the year ended without new solutions for the debt crisis in Greece. -
Gingrich's out-of-this-world ideas
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 3:38pm MST
Newt Gingrich has a slew of big - and unconventional - ideas for the economy. -
Facebook: Banks trade fees for bragging rights
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 3:25pm MST
Facebook may be gearing up for one of the biggest initial public offerings ever, but it may get a bargain in at least one part of the deal: bank fees. -
Freddie Mac: A mess, and likely to stay that way
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 3:18pm MST
It's not tough to find critics of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae on either the right or the left. But there has been little progress made in rehabilitating the mortgage giants. -
Carnival alters forecast after cruise ship tragedy
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 12:41pm MST
Carnival Corp. reversed its 2012 forecast to a loss Monday, blaming the fatal accident of a cruise ship off the coast of Italy earlier this month. -
Is Facebook worth $100 billion?
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 12:17pm MST
A long list of tech IPOs captured attention in 2011, but no company has been drooled over like Facebook. And finally, its debut looks to be imminent. -
Ethanol's food-fuel dilemma
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 11:31am MST
After 30 years of government largesse that would have made even Nancy Pelosi blush, Congress in December let expire the roughly $6 billion annual subsidy for corn ethanol. That's bad news for the big refiners that were paid 45¢ for each gallon of corn ethanol they blended into gasoline supplies. But it's good news for those worried about the "food-fuel dilemma" when the demand for corn to make ethanol has been raising the price of some foods. Not so fast. It turns out that while the subsidies are gone, U.S. law still requires oil refiners to blend corn ethanol into fuel -- some 12.5 billion gallons this year and at least 15 billion gallons by 2015. -
It's the economy - and CEO pay, stupid
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 11:24am MST
FORTUNE -- The individuals who gathered in Davos, Switzerland last week are doing comparatively well in this economy. But many of the U.S. CEOs are concerned about the uncertain business climate. And many of their peers sit on cash while millions continue to search for work. Why are we in this current mess? "Incentives may be driving CEOs to invest less," says Columbia Business School professor John Donaldson and co-author of a New York Fed staff report exploring the connections between pay, business decisions, and the economy's health. When CEOs are paid highly in options or restricted stock (as most U.S. large company CEOs are today), "the economy becomes more volatile," he told me. This kind of economic volatility isn't driven by business fundamentals and makes the economy "unpredictable," Pace Business School professor Natalia Gershun and a co-author of the paper told me last week. Unpredictability leads to uncertain times for everyone. -
Euro: Putting lipstick on the PIIGS - The Buzz
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 11:10am MST
Maybe the euro isn't doomed after all? -
Managing the family finances: 'Spying was easier'
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 10:46am MST
We spoke to five families who face challenges that could keep them from meeting their financial goals. With a few tweaks to their game plan, they can get back on course. Here, the DiSilverios' story -- and the recommended financial fixes. -
Newt's moon colony: What would it cost?
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 10:37am MST
Newt Gingrich wants to build a permanent colony on the moon and, if his dream is fully realized, the price tag could be huge. -
Facts about Obama's tax record
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 10:07am MST
Republicans portray President Obama as the tax-hiker-in-chief. -
Why I have Facebook fatigue
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 9:50am MST
FORTUNE -- When Facebook finally goes public it'll be a big moment for Silicon Valley, not only because it may be the biggest tech IPO ever but also because it will validate the social network's staggering growth to date. When I joined, it was a barebones college-only online community where we could talk about courses, dorm life, and stalk that one hot classmate in East Asian History. Now it's the Internet site people spend the most time on, with 800 million active users from ages 13 up uploading 250 milion photos a day. -
Europe to S&P, Fitch: Who cares?
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 9:44am MST
Each new downgrade of European debt by the big three rating agencies is greeted by European leaders and investors with a shrug. -
Dow slides 100 points on Greek woes
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 8:20am MST
U.S. stocks recovered most of their lost ground Monday afternoon but struggled to pull out of the red as concerns over Greece continued to weigh on the market. -
Will Facebook be the next Yahoo?
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 8:01am MST
Facebook has plenty of challenges as it readies to go public. -
$34,000 debt, wants to start a business
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 7:56am MST
Michele Heyward has a big heart. When friends or family struggle financially, she is always there to help with a mortgage or car payment or clothes for the kids. Recently she has been spending more than $1,800 a month on others. -
When friends and work just don't mix
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 7:36am MST
An innocent attempt at networking could cost you your job, your friendship, or both. Here's how you can avoid disaster. -
Stronger income doesn't boost holiday spending
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 6:56am MST
Consumers got a bigger boost to their paychecks at the end of last year, but they kept their wallets closed during the holiday shopping season, according to the government's latest readings. -
36 million more Chinese iPhones in 2013
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 5:47am MST
As the middle class expands, Apple's sales in China could soon reach 60 million per year. -
Greek anxiety drags down world markets
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 5:20am MST
World markets were under pressure Monday, dragged down by uncertainty in Europe, where leaders have failed to agree on a solution for the Greek debt crisis. -
Stocks: Investors bemoan unfinished Greek deal
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 4:17am MST
U.S. stocks are poised to open lower Monday, after the weekend came and went without Greek leaders reaching an agreement on a debt-relief deal. -
3 ETFs with healthy dividends
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 3:26am MST
Exchange-traded funds offer a wealth of smart options for those investors on the hunt for solid yields. -
Someday, you'll wish you owned these cars
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 3:20am MST
Hagerty Insurance says these 10 relatively affordable cars will likely become collectibles and will sell for big bucks at car auctions decades from now. -
Obama's energy plan: The winners, and winners
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 3:10am MST
President Obama's half dozen energy proposals will, by and large, benefit nearly all players in the energy space and result in lower prices for consumers, analysts say. -
WHAT'S NEXT FOR EUROPE
Posted: January 29th, 2012, 6:08pm MST
European Union leaders will gather Monday for their first summit of the year. The good news is that conditions for Italy and Spain are improving. But the fate of Greece is still uncertain. -
STOCKS: RISKS AHEAD
Posted: January 29th, 2012, 9:35am MST
The stock market is off to a good start this year, but next week brings a host of potential pitfalls that could slow the recent momentum. -
The new united Europe: Fortune classic
Posted: January 29th, 2012, 8:03am MST
Every Sunday, Fortune publishes a favorite story from our magazine archives. This week, we turn to a September 1990 story from Davos. Its author, the legendary Marshall Loeb, writes of the dawn of a new era for Europe and asks about the decades to come. -
How to fit in at Apple
Posted: January 29th, 2012, 7:59am MST
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Apple estimates raised, but not high enough
Posted: January 28th, 2012, 12:12pm MST
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Obama expands foreclosure prevention program
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 3:21pm MST
The Obama administration is taking another swing at improving its main foreclosure prevention program. -
The housing recovery that wasn't
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 3:12pm MST
FORTUNE -- Over the past few months, a spate of good news about the U.S. housing market has led some to think a recovery is finally on the horizon. -
Retirement saving: Don't shortchange later years
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 2:20pm MST
Many people think they can plan on spending less later in retirement since they'll become less active as they age. But if their health declines, they may actually shift spending rather than reduce it. Do you think it's risky to plan as if one's expenses will go down later in retirement? --Tim, U.K. -
Mortgage probe unveiled as foreclosure talks loom
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 1:35pm MST
President Obama's latest probe into the mortgage meltdown will have more power than past efforts, and federal officials say it won't derail a possible $20 billion settlement for underwater and foreclosed homeowners. -
FDA blocks orange juice shipments from Canada
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 1:19pm MST
The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it had detained orange juice shipments from Canada after they tested positive for low levels of a banned fungicide previously found in Brazilian juice. The FDA announced earlier this month that it would begin testing foreign orange juice shipments for the presence of the fungicide carbendazim before allowing them to enter the country. On Friday, the agency said that among 80 shipments from around the world it tested so far, six from Canada and five from Brazil had tested positive. The samples that have tested positive so far had carbendazim levels of between 10 and 52 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency says carbendazim levels under 80 parts per billion do not raise safety concerns. -
Italy, Spain downgraded by Fitch
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 12:48pm MST
Fitch downgraded the sovereign debt ratings Friday of five European countries, with Italy and Spain taking the biggest hit. -
Facebook IPO filing next week - report
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 12:05pm MST
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Laid off and making the retirement savings last
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 10:55am MST
Ed Parker never planned on retiring early. But in 2009, at age 61, he was laid off from his job as a manager at a Caterpillar dealership and realized he was ready to end full-time work. His wife, Roxann, had retired a decade earlier from her job at a department store, and travel plans beckoned. -
The anti-Kodak: Eastman Chemical - The Buzz
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 10:20am MST
It is every parents' dream that their children enjoy a better life than they have. I am not sure if that's also true for parent companies and their offspring. -
Apple's new chief blasts the New York Times
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 10:19am MST
Calls the suggestion that his company doesn't care about the health and safety of workers in the supply chain he built "patently false and offensive" -
SEC to step up scrutiny of private equity firms
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 10:12am MST
The private equity world is struggling to stay in the shadows. -
Men's underwear leaves the Stone Age
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 9:27am MST
FORTUNE -- The days of over-sized jeans sagging from the derrieres of men everywhere are no more. Skinny jeans, tailored pants, and fitted oxfords are de rigeur, leaving little room for excess fabric in the undergarment department. Boxers or briefs used to be the only question men needed to ask themselves, but today, the options have grown. Five years ago, Tom Patterson was a medical-device sales rep by day and an avid-viewer of CNBC's The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch by night. "All of the featured products or services ... were created out of personal frustration," recalls Patterson. "I found myself constantly looking around, asking, 'What can I make better?'" During the financial crisis, Patterson was laid off from a sales job he held for six years. During his down time, he realized that one of the biggest fashion annoyances he faced while he was working was a fabric gut -- that baggy bump just above the belt line caused by a loose-fitting undershirt. -
Just how rich is Romney?
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 8:38am MST
Exactly how much is Mitt Romney worth? Hard to say. -
Big winners of Obama's natural gas push
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 8:20am MST
FORTUNE -- President Obama's newfound commitment to natural gas could be the spark needed to reignite the fledgling natural gas industry, while at the same time breathing life into an array of new businesses. Overproduction, coupled with anemic demand, has recently sent natural gas prices tumbling to a 10-year low, delivering a big hit to the dozens of energy companies invested in large-scale natural gas drilling projects across the US. -
Recovering from a too risky portfolio
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 8:16am MST
We spoke to five families who face challenges that could keep them from meeting their financial goals. With a few tweaks to their game plan, they can get back on course. Here, the Mitchells' story -- and the recommended financial fixes. -
Starbucks CEO Schultz made $65 million
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 8:16am MST
Starbucks chief executive officer Howard Schultz was paid more than $65 million in fiscal year 2011, including salary, bonuses and stock options. -
Stocks open lower on unimpressive U.S. growth
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 7:43am MST
U.S. stocks ended mostly lower Friday as jittery investors digested a weaker-than-expected economic growth report and as Europe's debt crisis still loomed in the background. -
ECONOMY PICKS UP SPEED
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 6:44am MST
The United States economy picked up speed at the end of 2011 as businesses substantially built up their inventories and consumers increased their spending. -
Millions in SOPA lobbying bucks gone to waste
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 5:46am MST
The controversial anti-piracy bills that attracted tens of millions of dollars of lobbying for and against the proposed laws ironically were killed by free publicity. -
Apple's 7 most stubborn decisions
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 5:26am MST
It's been stubborn about puzzling product designs, like the iMac disk drives it abandoned. -
Ford: Biggest profit since 1998
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 5:20am MST
Ford reported its best annual earnings since 1998 on Friday, making 2011 the second most profitable year in the company's 109-year history. -
Smartphone wars: Apple won the quarter, Samsung the year
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 4:06am MST
A pair of reports agree -- more or less -- on the current state of the battle. -
Stocks: Investors await reading on U.S. growth
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 4:05am MST
U.S. stock futures lost momentum after a weaker-than-expected U.S. economic report, and while Europe's debt crisis still looms in the background. -
Ener1, a DOE loan recipient, goes bankrupt
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 3:17pm MST
Electric car battery maker Ener1 filed for bankruptcy Thursday, three years after receiving a $118.5 million grant from the U.S. government. -
Giants and Patriots jerseys are tough to find
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 2:35pm MST
If you're looking for many of your favorite Giants player's jerseys before the big game -- fugetaboutit! And if it's Patriots game garb you want, good luck. It's wicked-hard to find! -
What's behind Netflix's 20% spike?
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 12:48pm MST
Netflix is the highest flying stock on the S&P 500 Thursday, but was its fourth-quarter earnings report enough to justify a 22% run up in the stock? -
Portugal under pressure, but default unlikely
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 12:41pm MST
Portugal has come under heavy pressure in the bond market this week as investors fear the nation could be the next domino to fall in the eurozone debt crisis. -
Meet SOPA's evil twin, ACTA
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 12:35pm MST
FORTUNE -- It's only fitting that a loud, global outcry over ACTA, an international agreement to govern intellectual property, began just after the anti-piracy bills SOPA and PIPA were shelved by the U.S Congress in the face of massive public pressure. If "copyright maximalists" can't get legislation passed, writes TechDirt's Mike Masnick, "they resort to getting these things put into international trade agreements, which get significantly less scrutiny." -
Dispatch from Davos: Where is China?
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 12:30pm MST
For the first time since anyone can remember, China has not sent a high level official to this Alpine gathering of the world's top leaders and business titans. -
Don't blame ETFs for wild market swings
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 12:23pm MST
Are exchange-traded funds a prime culprit in one of the signature afflictions of the markets today -- the tendency of huge swaths of stocks or other assets to swing dramatically up or down at the same time? Critics are pointing their fingers at ETFs. But evidence for their nefarious role is lacking. -
Digital pat on the back from the boss: What's it worth?
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 11:42am MST
FCall it the itch. Many employees catch it, that desire to find the next great job, discover what new opportunities are out there, search for a more sympathetic manager, and perhaps a raise. But the employees who actually take the plunge are often the top 10% of performers -- the engineers who create products, the marketers who sell them, the creative ones who develop new revenue streams. And you certainly don't want to lose them. A December 2011 survey of 3,000 workers conducted by the employment agency Randstad revealed that 47% of employees plan to test the job market in 2012. Complacent employees often sit tight while the ambitious go-getters primed to move up consider new options. But some companies are taking steps to retain their talent and discover why their most valuable staffers might want to depart before it comes time for an exit interview. Nearly half of the employees surveyed by Randstand expect the job market to brighten in 2012, increasing their chances of finding new opportunities. The fact that many employees plan to seek greener pastures reveals a change in attitude over the last few years, says Peter Cappelli, director of the Wharton Center for Human Resources. -
WHY SO NERVOUS?
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 11:40am MST
Some might say that the Federal Reserve is wisely taking a smart, wait-and-see approach regarding the economy. I am not one of those people. -
The great Mediterranean executive migration
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 11:31am MST
Given the troubles in the eurozone, it's little wonder that the number of executives in Greece and Italy seeking jobs elsewhere in the world is rising. According to the Cyprus-based firm One Hour Translation, the volume of résumés it translated from Greece and Italy rose sharply last year -- by 29% and 54%, respectively. The majority of the job applicants wanted their résumés translated into English or German, presumably because that's where the high-paying jobs are. The question is, If these job aspirants have such lousy language skills that they need their résumés translated, how do they hope to get through an interview, let alone work in these other countries? -
Bernanke to teach class about the Fed
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 11:05am MST
Ben Bernanke will step back into the classroom this semester to teach college students about the Federal Reserve. -
Obama's Chrysler 300 on sale for $1 million
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 10:42am MST
A Chrysler 300C once leased by President Barack Obama is for sale on eBay with the eye-popping "opening bid" of $1 million. -
AT&T outduels Verizon in iPhone
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 9:22am MST
AT&T handily beat Verizon in the battle for iPhone customers last quarter, but the company lost $6.7 billion in large part due to its failed merger with T-Mobile. -
Nonprofit founders put passions ahead of planning
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 8:49am MST
Scott Pankratz and Julie Osborn are phenomenal planners and money managers -- except when it comes to their own investments. -
What U.S. companies can learn from Olympus
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 8:48am MST
Olympus is not to be applauded for its alleged fraud or cover-up, but U.S. companies should pay close attention to its response. -
Stocks get an earnings boost
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 8:23am MST
U.S. stocks ended in the red Thursday as investors digested a mixed batch of corporate earnings results and remained cautious amid lackluster economic data and ongoing debt talks in Greece. -
New-home sales hit a wall
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 8:19am MST
Just 302,000 new homes were sold in 2011, 6.2% below 2010 and the lowest number of annual sales since the government started tracking home sales in 1963. -
Ways foreigners could (really) boost the U.S. economy
Posted: January 26th, 2012, 8:15am MST
FORTUNE -- In a move to create more jobs, President Obama recently ordered measures to lure more tourists to the U.S. With high unemployment and homeowners struggling to make their minimum mortgage payments, the idea is to leverage the spending power of middle class tourists from booming developing nations like Brazil, China and India.