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Volkswagen completes Porsche takeoverVolkswagen has completed its takeover of Porsche, acquiring the 50.1 percent of the luxury automaker that it didn't already own. Volkswagen will pay Porsche $5.6 billion plus one ordinary VW share, according to the agreement.
Baby bust: Germany's not-so-secret weaknessIn about 20 to 25 years or so the newest generation of young adults will become part of the labor force. As Germans born in the 1950s and 1960s retire in the coming decades, Germany will get a much smaller labor force than its neighbors.
June job report: Gains made in private sector employmentJune jobs report numbers released today show the economy is currently showing the most growth for small to mid-sized service providing jobs with goods-producing jobs remaining near trough levels.
Obamacare's 'tax' is mostly bark, not biteThe Affordable Care Act鈥檚 tax was the essential final piece of the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision to聽uphold the law鈥檚 constitutionality. But in reality, the tax itself is modest, at least to start. It will affect relatively few people be hard to enforce.
Lobster cheaper than bologna? True, thanks to surplus.Lobster is unusually cheap in Maine this season thanks to a glut that has sent prices into a freefall. In some places, soft shell lobster is selling for lower per pound prices than bologna meat at many supermarket deli counters.
US stock market climbs as world banks slash interest ratesU.S stock market futures opened higher Thursday on actions taken by central banks in Europe and China to cut key interest rates and pump stimulus money . The Dow rose 26 points to 12893 as the US stock market awaits today's reports on unemployment claims and retail sales.
Independence Day: Dining out on July 4? 15 ways to save.Independence Day or not, dining out doesn't have to cost a fortune. Here are 15 ways to save, from splitting meals to knowing which cuts of steak will give you the best value.
Independence Day: Do July 4 droughts hurt fireworks sales?Independence Day 2012 coincides with devastating wildfires across Colorado, resulting in a statewide ban on fireworks. But droughts are a common feature of the Independence Day holiday season, and the fireworks industry has found ways to cope with Mother Nature.
July 4th: Celebrate Independence Day with some tax factsJuly 4th is upon us, complete with fireworks and celebratory picnics in honor of America's independence. Also in honor of American independence, the Reformed Broker has forwarded along some lovely tax facts. Enjoy!
July 4th: Musings on the meaning of true patriotismWhen arguing against paying their fair share of taxes, some people claim 鈥渋t鈥檚 my money.鈥� Robert Reich says such people forget it鈥檚 their nation, too. True patriotism means paying for America, it means coming together for the common good.
High-tech swap meet: Exchange CDs, DVDs and books onlineThe wonders of the Internet have created what a high-tech swap meet for those who know where to look. Our personal finance expert shares several helpful sites that allow you to swap CDs, DVDs and even books for free, or very low cost.
Stocks rise as oil prices, factory orders also climbIn an abbreviated holiday trading session energy stocks rose due to increased tension over Iran. The major stock indexes moved higher after the government reported that factory orders rose in May. The Dow Jones rose 72 points to close at 12,943.
Economists squabble over how to best assess recovery dataIceland has been used by Nobel laureate Paul Krugman as a poster child for economic recovery. But Stefan Karlsson again argues--this time with help from the Council on Foreign Relations--that Baltic countries may have better overall numbers.
Chuck E. Cheese: Pizza chain mascot gets an overhaulChuck E. Cheese, the mouse mascot of the children's pizza restaurant chain of the same name, is getting a makeover. Chuck E. Cheese is now a guitar-playing rock star voiced by the lead singer of a popular punk band.
Too much of a good thing? On the futility of market researchA glut of research today may be less helpful than it seems. The Reformed Broker hopes analysts will start taking better advantage of datasets and improved transparency in order to bring a more novel research product to market.聽
'Fiscal cliff': US must avoid even the threat of it, IMF chief warnsIMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde discussed on Tuesday her institution's review of the US economy, which included a revised estimate for domestic growth this year of 2 percent.
Medicaid and the states: An offer they (still) can't refuse?Medicaid was on center stage last week when the Supreme Court ruled the government did not have the authority to pull federal Medicaid funds from states refusing to extend eligibility to low-income, non-elderly adults.
No TV ads? Maybe not. NBC, FOX, CBS sue over ad-skip feature.NBC, FOX, and CBS have file a lawsuit against Dish Network for Autohop, a feature that blacks out commercials on pre-recorded network shows. The networks argue that the feature violates copyright laws and jeopardizes the financial foundation of the entire television industry.
United Nations report shines light on 'Real Wealth of Nations'The latest United Nations report on inclusive wealth should be a warning to US economists. Their preoccupation with current and aggregate GDP as a measure of economic well being may be keeping us from achieving our nation's true wealth.
June auto sales: There's good news and bad newsJune auto sales may have reached a five-year high for new cars, but don't break out the party hats just yet. Another bit of news for June auto sales is troubling.