AOL sells Patch
The grand experiment of hyper-local journalism being conducted by an online company is over. AOL announced today that it would sell a majority of Patch. William Launder wrote in the Wall Street Journal that the deal would be especially hard for AOL CEO Tim Armstrong since he founded Patch: AOL Inc. AOL -1.25% has reached a deal to sell […]
Consumer spending climbs in December
The economy got yet another mixed signal Tuesday with consumer spending in December climbing slightly. With last week’s job reporting coming in lower than analysts expected, this could be another way to confuse investors. Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Jeffrey Sparshott and Paul Ziobro had this story: Americans kept shopping at a steady pace as […]
Suntory buys Beam for $13.6 billion
Merger Monday brought a huge announcement in the liquor world. Japanese whiskey maker Suntory is buying Beam Inc. for $13.6 billion. Since it’s the first large deal of the year and such an iconic American product, the coverage was extensive. Writing for the New York Times, Michael J. de la Merced and David Gelles had one of […]
Detroit bounces back
As Detroit works through one of the biggest bankruptcies in municipal history, the auto industry begins to return to profitability. It’s one of the best turnaround stories of the year told through the annual auto show. The Wall Street Journal had this story by Joseph B. White about the state of the city: Leaders of […]
Assessing holiday sales
It’s now time for retailers to report exactly how good (or bad) the holiday shopping season was last year. While the importance is well reported, the numbers usually are a harbinger for consumer sentiment and coming spending levels. Anna Prior wrote for the Wall Street Journal that many stores had a tough season, with big-box […]
Fed minutes show officials watching for stability
Minutes from the last Federal Reserve Board meeting where officials announced they were beginning to pull back from its bond-buying program showed officials are still cautious on the economy. Jon Hilsenrath and Victoria McGrane wrote for the Wall Street Journal that one of the next pieces of business for the Fed would be watching for […]
Volcker Rule back in the news
Reports Tuesday that Congress is considering changing some provisions of the Volcker Rule came as banks started to react to the new law. Floyd Norris wrote about the potential changes in the New York Times: When Zions Bank announced last month that it expected to take a big loss because of the Volcker Rule, it set […]
The hostile world of men’s suits
One of the more dramatic stories continuing from last year is the merger drama between Jos. A Bank and Men’s Wearhouse, two men’s wear retailers battling for control and over a potential combined company. The New York Times’ Michael J. de la Merced reported Monday that Men’s Wearhouse decided to take its offer directly to […]
Could deflation hit Europe?
As the U.S. economy picks up and the Federal Reserve Board pulls back on its economic stimulus, the rest of the world continues to struggle with weakness. The Wall Street Journal’s Stephen Fidler had this story: Anxieties are rising in the euro zone that deflation—the phenomenon of persistent falling prices across the economy that blighted […]
Predicting the markets in 2014
The New Year brings resolutions and in the world of financial journalism it brings stories that try to anticipate what the year holds for global financial markets. Michael J. de la Merced of the New York Times had this story about the market for initial public offerings continuing to be strong after a great 2013: […]
