Financial bonanza

New Zealand central bank Governor Alan Bollard will quit in September, ending a decade-long tenure in which he raised interest rates to a record high […]

Filed under: USA, legal by Pascal
Comments Off

U.K. house prices (UKNBAAMM) may decline in 2012 as economic turmoil emanating from the euro area

Filed under: USA, marketing by Pascal
Comments Off

+%3Cp%3E+Playboy+Enterprises+announced+on+Wednesday+that+it+is+relocating+its+iconic+magazine+from+Chicago%2C+the+original+base+of+operations%2C+to+Los+Angeles.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%26quot%3BAs+of+May+2012%2C+Playboy+magazine%27s+editorial%2C+art+and+photo+departments+will+be+based+out+of+the+company%27s+Los+Angeles+office%2C%26quot%3B+said+Playboy+spokeswoman+Theresa+Hennessey.+%26quot%3BSome+of+the+magazine%27s+Chicago+employees+have+been+asked+to+relocate%2C+while+others+have+been+asked+to+stay+on+in+Chicago+to+ensure+a+seamless+transition.%26quot%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EChicago+has+served+as+the+magazine%27s+base+of+operations+since+its+founding+by+Hugh+Hefner+in+1953.+Marilyn+Monroe+graced+the+first+issue%2C+which+came+out+in+December%2C+just+months+after+the+end+of+the+Korean+War.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EThis+has+been+a+significant+year+for+the+company%2C+which+Hefner+decided+to+take+private.+In+a+deal+that+was+finalized+in+March%2C+the+company%27s+outstanding+shares+were+purchased+by+Icon+Acquisition+Holdings.+Hefner%2C+the+editor-in-chief+and+chief+creative+officer%2C+and+Scott+Flanders%2C+the+chief+executive+officer%2C+are+partial+owners+of+Icon+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fpaydayloans-on.com%22%3Eguaranteed+payday+loans%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%21–+.+–%3E.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E+%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EThe+move+will+bring+the+magazine+closer+to+Hefner%2C+who+has+lived+for+decades+in+the+Playboy+Mansion+in+Los+Angeles+with+his+famous+harem+of+girlfriends.+He+has+used+the+party+palace+and+the+well-known+Rabbit+Head+logo+as+publicity+tools%2C+especially+with+the+advent+of+Internet+pornography+in+the+1990s%2C+which+has+proven+to+be+his+company%27s+greatest+rival.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EThe+original+Playboy+mansion+is+in+Chicago%2C+where+it+has+been+converted+into+condos.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EThe+company+didn%27t+reveal+the+fate+of+its+remaining+Chicago+operations%2C+including+the+departments+for+public+relations%2C+human+resources%2C+accounting+and+IT.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%26quot%3BNo+final+decisions+have+been+made+yet+regarding+the+future+of+other+departments+currently+based+in+Chicago%2C%26quot%3B+said+Hennessey.%26nbsp%3B+%3C%2Fp%3E++%3Cp%3E%3Ca+href%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fmoney.cnn.com%2F2011%2F12%2F14%2Fnews%2Fcompanies%2Fplayboy_hefner%2Findex.htm%27+rel%3D%27nofollow%27%3ESource%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E+

Filed under: Banks, USA by Pascal
Comments Off

UPDATES with additional detail
COLUMBIA, Mo.

Filed under: Finance, USA by Pascal
Comments Off

Asian stock markets were mixed Friday, a day after rallying on news that six of the world’s central banks slashed borrowing costs for banks to […]

Filed under: USA, online by Pascal
Comments Off

Dublin-based Covidien PLC, a drug and medical device maker with operations in Hazelwood, said Monday it will buy privately held Barrx Medical Inc. for about $325 […]

Filed under: Money, USA by Pascal
Comments Off

Democrats and Republicans on a special deficit-cutting panel remain far apart despite new flexibility from Republicans on tax revenue increases.
Republicans offered a combination of new […]

Filed under: Finance, USA by Pascal
Comments Off

Laclede Gas Co. has agreed to settle a dispute over a planned natural gas pipeline, granting the project’s developer access to the utility’s St. Louis […]

Filed under: USA, legal by Pascal
Comments Off

Demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street encampment are on the move again in New York City.
As many as 1,000 protesters were marching Saturday morning to […]

Filed under: Mortgage, USA by Pascal
Comments Off

A British fund manager on Friday called for Rupert Murdoch to resign as chairman of News Corp. as a step toward restoring trust in the […]

Filed under: Mortgage, USA by Pascal
Comments Off