Questions and answers on blockbuster Facebook IPO

Taking a company public isn’t as simple as collecting Facebook friends.
Even if the company is Facebook.
When the social media company’s stock starts trading Friday under the symbol FB, buyer demand is expected to explode. At its initial offering price of $38 a share, the 8-year-old upstart is worth $104 billion. That’s more than such giants […]

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Deere fiscal 2Q profit rises, beats expectations

Deere is posting a 17 percent spike in profits for the second quarter is raising its outlook for the year, with farm receipts expected to hit historic heights.
The company beat Wall Street expectations on net income and revenue, posting a profit of $1.06 billion, or $2.61 per share, up from $904 million, or $2.12 per […]

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Greek President Pitches New Government Plan - Bloomberg

Greek President Karolos Papoulias proposed a government of prominent non-politicians to steer the country and avert new elections as doubts mount that Greece can avoid an exit from the euro area.
Papoulias will call a meeting of all leaders of parties represented in parliament except for an ultra-nationalist party for 2 p.m. in Athens tomorrow […]

How small investors can get in on Facebook IPO

You might think that scoring a stake in Facebook’s initial public offering if you are an average investor is like trying to change your privacy controls on the social networking site — seemingly impossible.
But it turns out that Facebook is making an effort to have some of its hotly sought after shares accessible to […]

Greek elections: conservatives projected ahead

Greeks angered by a vicious and protracted financial crisis punished their two main parties in national elections Sunday, with exit polls projecting no party gaining enough votes to form a government.
The conservative New Democracy party appeared the most likely to win the top spot, while the extreme right-wing Golden Dawn seemed set to gain parliamentary […]

Draghi Leaves Door Open For More ECB Action if Needed - Bloomberg

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi left open the option of further stimulus if the economy continues to deteriorate as investors await the outcome of elections in Greece and France.
While policy makers didn

Stocks remain firm after ECB keeps rates on hold

European stocks remained firm Thursday after cash-strapped Spain got through another set of bond auctions unscathed and the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged.
The Spanish Treasury said it raised (EURO)2.52 billion ($3.3 billion) in 3- and 5-year bonds, slightly above the target range of (EURO)1.5 billion to (EURO)2.5 billion. However, it did have to […]

Cooling Job Market Takes Toll on U.S. Confidence: Economy - Bloomberg

More Americans than forecast filed applications for unemployment benefits last week and consumer confidence declined by the most in a year, signaling that a cooling labor market may restrain household spending.
Jobless claims fell to 388,000 from a revised 389,000 the prior week that was the highest since early January, Labor Department figures showed today […]

Insurer WellPoint’s 1Q profit falls 7.6 percent

WellPoint says its first-quarter net income fell nearly 8 percent as enrollment slipped and expenses rose, but the health insurer raised its earnings forecast for 2012.
The Indianapolis company says it earned $856.5 million, or $2.53 per share, in the three months that ended March 31. That’s down from $926.6 million, or $2.44 per share, in […]

Don’t be so cheery! Here’s what to worry about

It’s tough being a sourpuss these days.
The birds are singing and flower blooming. The Cardinals are winning.
The stock market is up 9.6 percent this year. Unemployment is coming down, slowly, and the American economy is heating up, slowly.
If things keep up like this, we grouches may be tempted to smile. Perish the thought! The ache […]