MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" column reported that Adobe Systems (NASDAQ: ADBE) founder and co-chairman John Warnock sold 25K shares for $1.1M last week, according to SEC data.
• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman, last night said that while the housing market will continue to be a "significant drag" on the U.S. economy next year, strong income growth has kept consumer spending steady.

• Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) told Congressional investigators that it has provided customers' telephone records to federal authorities in emergency cases without court orders hundreds of times since 2005, reported the Washington Post.
• Ad agency WPP Group (NASDAQ: WPPGY) is in final negotiations to acquire Blast Radius, an Internet agency, reported the U.K. Times.
• Smith & Nephew (NYSE: SNN) is being investigated by the SEC on bribery allegations, according to the U.K. Times.
• Activist investor Knight Vinke is attacking HSBC (NYSE: HBC) once again, according to the U.K. Times.

• DigiTimes.com reported that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) has denied a report by the Ottawa Citizen which speculated that Taiwan Semi was seeking to acquire Canadian design house Emerging Memory Technologies, saying the rumors were false.
• TechCrunch.com reported that Napster (NASDAQ: NAPS) is switching from its desktop client to a fully web based client, enabling users to listen to their music from any computer after logging into the service.

Newspaper wrap-up: Bernanke calls housing a 'significant drag' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has agreed to pay penalties totaling $15M to end a Clean Air Act lawsuit brought by the Justice Department for the EPA, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
• In 1992 Ecuador left OPEC, but this month is expected to rejoin the organization, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" section reported that Warren Buffett exercised call options to purchase 7.847M shares of Burlington Northern Santa Fe (NYSE: BNI).

• The UK is going to purchase 140 armored vehicles from Force Protection (NASDAQ: FRPT) for use in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Associated Press.
• India's Reliance Retail has won the exclusive marketing and distribution rights for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) stores in India. The first Apple-owned store in India is scheduled to open at the end of this month, reported the Economic Times.
• Independent movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp (NYSE: LGF) has signed a partnership agreement with Mexican media conglomerate Grupo Televisa (NYSE: TV) to make movies and TV shows, and distribute Grupo's film library, reported the Los Angeles Times.

Newspaper wrap-up: Buffett increases stake in BNI originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• With its reputation at stake, Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC) has launched an aggressive PR offensive beginning inside the firm, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" section reported that on Friday, two days after the stock dipped to $12.07, a 6-year low, Borders Group Inc (NYSE: BGP) CEO George Jones bought 50K shares, his first open market purchase since joining the retailer.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) reported that Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C) CEO Chuck Prince is waiting for a review of the company's $3.3B in losses and writedowns in its banking business for Q3 before deciding whether to fire executives as a result of the poor performance, according to senior Citigroup executives.
• Yahoo Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO) said it was considering selling Kelkoo, the online shopping comparison service that it acquired in 2004, admitting the acquisition did not pan out as planned, reported the Financial Times.

• Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) is going to combine its storage and server product teams to create a new converged group called the Systems team, Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz wrote in his blog.
• Henry Blodget made a case for Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) stock going to $2,000 a share at AlleyInsider.com.

Newspaper wrap-up: Yahoo (YHOO) considering selling Kelkoo originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" column reported that from Sept. 19-21, former Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE: WMT) CEO David Glass grossed more than $13.3M by selling 300K Wal-Mart shares on the open market, according to SEC.
• The UAW walked out on General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) yesterday because negotiations stalled when the United Auto Workers said they should get some sort of job guarantees from GM, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• The Financial Times reported that BP's (NYSE: BP) Q3 revenue will be "dreadful" and the company will undergo a far-reaching shakeup, BP CEO Tony Hayward has reportedly told his staff.

• Having completed a deal with aQuantive for $6B, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) wants to make one more deal this year. The question the New York Post asks is, will it be with Facebook or Yahoo Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO)?
• The Economic Times reported that Reliance Retail is in talks with the Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS) for a franchisee arrangement for Reliance Retail's apparel business.

• According to executives familiar with the review, the winner of Dell Inc's (NASDAQ: DELL) $760M ad account will either be the WPP Group (NASDAQ: WPPGY) or the Interpublic Group of Companies Inc (NYSE: IPG), with the final round of pitches to be made in three weeks, according to AdAge.com.

Newspaper wrap-up: Gap in talks for franchise in India originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Sep 2007 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Home Depot Inc's (NYSE: HD) second quarter income drop of 15% may affect what will happen with the company's share buyback that is in part tied to the sale of its HD Supply wholesale business, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) may sell its 50% stake in BEB Transport & Speicher Service, a German natural gas pipeline firm, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• New Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS) CEO Glenn Murphy bought 150K shares of Gap stock for $2.3M Friday at an average price of $15.55, according to a Monday filing the SEC, reported Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" column.
• The Financial Times reported that share prices and currencies in the Asia-Pacific region tumbled earlier today, as investors worried about the subprime mess pulled back from emerging markets.

• Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) will announce plans to float its highly profitable financial services division, Sony Financial Holdings, in what could be Japan's biggest initial public offering this year, creating a company with a market value close to 1T yen, reported the U.K. Times.

Newspaper wrap-up: Asian markets drop overnight originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• With his company's stock near a 52-week low, Robert Willett, CEO of Best Buy Incorporated's (NYSE: BBY) international operations, bought nearly $500K in stock, reported Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" section.
• In a rare instance of a foreign company being allowed into the Chinese onshore oil and gas industry, Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) will develop a natural gas filed owned by PetroChina Company Limited (NYSE: PTR), reported the Wall Street Journal.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that Sun Microsystems Inc (NASDAQ: SUNW) is today expected to introduce a new microprocessor called UltraSparc T2, will be able to process up to 64 threads at one time -- most chips can handle up to four threads at a time.
• According to the Financial Times, citing a source familiar with his pay package, Robert Nardelli will college a salary of $1 a year in his new role as CEO of Chrysler, which is 20% owned by DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX).

• The New York Mercantile Exchange (NYSE: NMX) is quietly selling its lower Manhattan headquarters, asking for between $600M and $700M, ahead of a deal to sell itself, reported the New York Post.

Newspaper wrap-up: Sun Micro introducing new, faster chip originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• According to Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" column, Blockbuster Inc (NYSE: BBI) CEO James Keyes purchased 679,250 class A shares on Monday at an average price of $4.42 per share.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) reported that Nortel Networks Corporation (NYSE: NT) is open to acquiring companies.

• The New York Times reported that British mining company Anglo American plc (NASDAQ: AAUKD) is going to begin the process of selling Tarmac, with possible buyers including Orascom Construction Industries, Lafarge Coppee (NYSE: LR), and Cemex (NYSE: CX).
• From BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" column:
• UAL Corporation's (NASDAQ: UAUA) stock has soared to around $44 from $21 in February 2007, and Daniel McKenzie of Credit Suisse believes UAL is a potential private equity play.
• USA Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: USAT) is the largest maker of the e-port devices that enable vending machines selling soft drinks, snacks, and laundry products to accept plastic, and the company has only begun to penetrate the market, according to CEO George Jensen.
• SemBiosys Genetics, which trades in Toronto under the symbol SBS, is developing a way to make insulin from safflower.

Newspaper wrap-up: Nortel open to acquisitions originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Paul Tudor Jones runs some of the best managed hedge funds anywhere, averaging over a 24% annual return over the last 20 years, but last month they reported heavy losses, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) is speaking with wireless operators , such as T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, as well as phone manufacturers about carrying their products.
• The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is expected to fine Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) a total of $6.1M for alleged overcharging of customers on bond sales totaling $59M, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• Barron's "Inside Scoop" section reported that Andrew J. McKelvey, who stepped down as Monster Worldwide Inc's (NASDAQ: MNST) chairman and CEO last October, has sold 1.27M shares for $48.6M on the open market since Friday, according to SEC data.

• Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (NYSE: MSO) is reportedly joining with private-equity partner GTCR Golder Rauner to buy food-crafting company Wilton Industries and paint-by-number specialist Dimension Holdings, reported the New York Post.

• According to DigiTimes.com, Taiwan component suppliers for the iPhone have said they are not seeing any reduction in orders from Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL).

Newspaper wrap-up 8-2-07: Martha Stewart making acquisitions originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Rupert Murdoch's $5B, $60 a share offer for Dow Jones & Company (NYSE: DJ) appeared to be closer to a final deal as Dow Jones was negotiating with News Corporation (NYSE: NWS) to pay advisory fees for the Bancrofts, the majority stock holders, in exchange for some of the holdout members to back the deal, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" column reported that so far this year, five top BlackRock Inc (NYSE: BLK) executives grossed more than $82.4M by selling 486.5K shares on the open market at per-share prices ranging from $147.30 to $179.93, according to Thomson Financial data.

• Mortgage woes continued to deepen yesterday, reported the New York Times, which noted that the New York Stock Exchange elected not to allow trading yesterday on the shares of American Home Mortgage Investment Corp (NYSE: AHM), after the company reported that it would suspend its dividend and faced "significant" margin calls from banks.
• The New York Times reported that AT&T Inc (NYSE: T) has made a deal with online music retailer EMusic that will allow people to buy songs from independent labels through their cell phones.
• The Los Angeles Times reported that Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) will introduce a new "standard" version of its Prius gas-electric hybrid for the 2008 with a base price of $20,950, 5.5% less than the lowest cost 2007 model.

Newspaper wrap-up 7-31-07: Dow Jones deal almost done? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" reported that a batch of sales at Alcoa Inc (NYSE: AA) has followed Alcoa's withdrawal of its offer to purchase Alcan Inc (NYSE: AL): from July 13-17, four senior executives grossed $41.3M by selling 877,600 shares on the open market at per-share prices ranging from $46.67 to $47.47, according to SEC data.
• Andrew McKelveey, the founder and former CEO of Monster Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ: MNST) was allegedly involved in the backdating of stock option grants for employees, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
  

• Vodafone Group plc (NYSE: VOD) CEO Arun Sarin made a concession to rebel shareholders yesterday by promising to release value from Verizon Wireless, a joint venture in which Vodafone has a 45% stake, reported the U.K. Times.
• From BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" column:
• Activist shareholders are putting pressure on Brink's Company (NYSE: BCO) to spin-off its home security unit, so that it can trade independently of the armored cars.
• Pipex Pharmaceuticals Inc (AMEX: PP) has been off Wall Street's radar screen, but perhaps not for long. Pipex may have a stable of winners in the making, including an orphan drug designation.
• The aircraft, auto, and architecture sectors are expected to be big users of Research Frontiers Inc's (NASDAQ: REFR) SmartGlass technology, which lets glass go from clear to opaque fast.

Newspaper wrap-up 7-20-07: Monster founder involved in options backdating originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Jul 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Mohamed Abdulmohsin Al Kharafi & Sons WLL, a Kuwaiti-based firm led by the Al Kharafi family, recently bought 1.25 million shares of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc (NYSE: KKD) and now owns 7.37, or 11.4% of Krispy Kreme, according to Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" section.
• The board of Dow Jones & Company Inc (NYSE: DJ) is taking over talks on the company's future, reported the Wall Street Journal, which added in a different article that Brad Greenspan, the former CEO of MySpace says he will seek a non-controlling stake in Dow Jones through a $60-per-share Dutch auction.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that the London Exchange is discussing a possible merger with Italian stock exchange operator Borsa Italiana.

• The Telegraph reported that state-run Russian gas company Gazprom (OTC: OGZPY) wants to nix an Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM)-led project to supply Russian gas to China.
• The Telegraph also reported that Vodafone Group plc (NYSE:VOD) will have to pay about $900 million to avoid having its stake in Verizon Wireless reduced by 1%, as joint venture partner Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE: VZ) has the right to increase its share to 56% from 55% if Vodafone does not pay the additional money.

Newspaper wrap-up 6-21-07: More Dow Jones headlines originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" section reported that VeraSun Energy Corp (NYSE: VSE) director Steven Kirby has bought almost $608k worth of stock on May 31, according to SEC data.
• Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Salesforce.com Inc (NYSE: CRM) are joining together to go after small businesses, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
  
• The Wall Street Journal also reported that Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) would increase its investment in China.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) reported that News Corporation (NYSE: NWS) CEO Rupert Murdoch met with representatives from the Bancroft family yesterday for five hours to discuss Murdoch's $5B takeover bid for Dow Jones and Company Inc (NYSE: DJ).
• Unions from more than a dozen countries have demanded that the banks bidding to take over ABN Amro Holdings (NYSE: ABN) hold talks with workers' representatives, reported the Financial Times.

• Engadget.com reported that, as of 6:33am, the Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) online store is down, indicating a new product to be released today.

Newspaper wrap-up 6-05-07: Amazon ramping in China originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" column reported that Hess Corporation (NYSE: HES) CEO John Hess recently bought more $1M worth of Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), and now directly owns 23,350 DOW shares.
• The Financial Times reported that the European Union is concerned that Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) may be skirting European privacy laws by keeping data on Internet searches for too long.

• The U.S. Navy awarded an $11.9M contract to Force Protection Inc (NASDAQ: FRPT) to build and deliver 14 next-generation armored vehicles, according to the Associated Press.
• From BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" section:
  
• In spite of its problems, Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a long-term value play, according to Joseph Battipaglia, chief investment officer at Ryan Beck's Washington Crossing Advisors unit.
• Bioenvision Inc (NASDAQ: BIVN) is attracting big investors because the company has teamed up with biotech biggie Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ) to develop clofarabine, a treatment for leukemia in children.
  
• Big truckers see YRC Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ: YRCW) as a tempting asset play with "compelling earnings power and potential value," according to Justin Yagerman of Wachovia Securities.

Newspaper wrap-up 5-25-07: Google being looked at by EU originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 May 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" section reported that Thomas Everist, an MDU Resources Group (NYSE: MDU) board member since 1995, has sold a total of 742K shares for a total of $22.6M in MDU stock since May 2, according SEC data.
• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that EMI Group (OTC: EMIPY), the third largest music company by sales agreed to sell to Terra Firma Capital Partners for $4.74B, possibly ending its seven year battle with Warner Music Group Corp (NYSE: WMG).

• According to the New York Post, citing people familiar with the situation, the weakening housing market and other issues are making it difficult for Home Depot Inc (NYSE: HD) to sell its professional supply business.
• Discovery Communications is in talks with CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) to sell half its Discovery Times channel and form a joint-venture partnership, according to sources close with the situation, reported the Washington Post.

• According to an NDP Group report, April sales of Nintendo's (OTC: NTDOY) Wii consoles were almost 3.5 times higher than Sony Corporation's (NYSE: SNE) PlayStation 3, reported DigiTimes.com.

Newspaper wrap-up 5-22-07: Home Depot having trouble selling unit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 May 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" column reported that Charles R. Schwab sold 800K shares of Charles Schwab Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHW) for nearly $16M this past Friday.
• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that the human rights organization Human Rights Watch has released a report alleging that Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE: WMT) spied on unions and violated other federal labor laws.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that Carl Icahn took out a full page ad to get the attention of Motorola Inc (NYSE: MOT) shareholders who will vote on board members at Monday's company annual meeting.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) reported that Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) Pictures Entertainment has formed a new division for the production of international films.

• According to a New York Post exclusive, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) has emerged as a contender to buy Internet ad company 24/7 Real Media Inc (NASDAQ: TFSM), along with ad firm WPP Group (NASDAQ: WPPGY).

Newspaper wrap-up 4-30-07: Microsoft looking at 24/7 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 May 2007 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Major Papers:

• According to the Wall Street Journal, General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) is considering acquiring DaimlerChrysler's (NYSE: DCX) Chrysler Group, but the company would face massive challenges if it were to take over its longtime rival. People familiar with the matter say GM has not ruled out the idea, however.
• Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) launched a new bundle of services targeted at corporations, but CEO Eric Schmidt said the company is not looking to go "head to head" with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), the Wall Street Journal reported.
• Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" column wrote that Encore Acquisition Co. (NYSE: EAC) chairman Jon Brumley bought 40,000 shares of the company for $988,000. "Obviously," Brumley said, "we think the stock is going to move higher."
• The Financial Times reported that Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) has bought out its local partner in India, JM, for $445M to up its presence in Asia.
• The Financial Times also reported that EMI Group (OTC: EMIPY) is also exploring alternatives to Warner Music Group Corp.'s (NYSE: WMG) $6B takeover bid for the company. According to people familiar with the matter, no offers appear imminent.

• Investor's Business Daily's "New America" column focused on online business Bankrate Inc. (NASDAQ: RATE). The company is established, credible, its brand name is known, it has no debt and it has over $100M on its balance sheet.

Newspaper wrap-up 2-22-07: GM considering acquisition of Chrysler Group originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mortgage market news and insider selling likely connected originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.