NYT > Business Day

Homes Aren’t Selling, but It’s an Apartment Landlord’s Market

By MOTOKO RICH — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:19:18 GMT

With few rental buildings erected over the last few years, available units are going fast, with the nationwide vacancy rate at its lowest level in more than a decade.

Web Deals Cheer Hollywood, Despite a Drop in Moviegoers

By BROOKS BARNES — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:18:45 GMT

Movie attendance hit a 16-year low in 2011. Star wattage continues to dim. DVD sales keep plunging. But Hollywood has a noticeable spring in its step.

S.&P. 500 at Highest Close Since ’08

By CHRISTINE HAUSER — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:12:56 GMT

Investors have moved past psychological barriers of late, but analysts say the economy is still not back to full strength.

‘Neither Admit Nor Deny’ Settlements Draw Judges’ Scrutiny

By EDWARD WYATT — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:54:13 GMT

Allowing companies and individuals to settle federal regulatory charges without admitting that they actually did anything wrong is an entrenched practice, one that is increasingly criticized.

As Greek Restructuring Looms, Bondholders Think Twice About Other Sovereign Debt

By LANDON THOMAS Jr. — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:24:48 GMT

The hard-line approach Athens has taken to force steep losses on creditors has prompted fears that other weak countries in Europe may do the same.

Japan Orders AIJ Investment Advisors to Suspend Operations

By HIROKO TABUCHI — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:02:22 GMT

The move comes after public investigators discovered that AIJ Investment Advisors may have lost the bulk of about $2.3 billion in funds it managed for its clients.

Volkswagen Reports Record Profit

By DAVID JOLLY — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:54:43 GMT

Despite economic gloom in Europe, VW sold more than eight million vehicles last year for the first time in its 75-year history.

DealBook: Kenneth Cole Offers to Take His Company Private

By KEVIN ROOSE — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 01:26:38 GMT

The chairman of Kenneth Cole Productions is offering investors $15 a share, in a bid to escape the pressures of the public markets.

Ecuadorean Bank Finds a Niche With Emigrants in Spain

By RAPHAEL MINDER — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:58:44 GMT

The Spanish unit of Ecuador's biggest privately owned bank, Banco Pichincha, has grown by selling familiarity to a loyal, nearly captive clientele far from home.

Media Decoder Blog: With Promotion, NPR Signals Growing Prominence of Digital Media

By BRIAN STELTER — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:09:44 GMT

NPR said Friday that its executive in charge of digital media, Kinsey Wilson, would start to oversee news and programming as well, reflecting that the Web and mobile devices are increasingly important distribution points for NPR's products.

U.A.W. Tries to Help Obama Win Working-Class Voters

By JEREMY W. PETERS — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:50:05 GMT

The United Automobile Workers, a beneficiary of President Obama’s automaker rescue, is trying to return the favor in an election both parties say could depend on working-class Midwestern votes.

DealBook: El Paso Sells Divisions to Apollo-Led Group for $7.15 Billion

By MICHAEL J. DE LA MERCED — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 01:45:55 GMT

El Paso agreed on Friday to sell its exploration and production businesses to a consortium led by Apollo Global Management for about $7.15 billion, in one of the biggest leveraged buyouts since the end of the financial crisis.

Washington Post Income Fell 22% in 4th Quarter

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:31:17 GMT

The company said one-time items contributed to a 22 percent drop in fourth-quarter income.

Business Briefing | Advertising: Interpublic Group’s Quarterly Profit Tops Estimates

By REUTERS — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:55:54 GMT

The Interpublic Group of Companies, an advertising and marketing group, reported a quarterly profit that beat estimates on Friday.

DealBook: Lloyds Posts $4.4 Billion Loss for 2011

By MARK SCOTT — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:45:04 GMT

Britain's largest retail bank posted a $4.4 billion loss last year after it had to compensate some customers who were wrongly sold insurance.

Common Sense: Apple Confronts the Law of Large Numbers - Common Sense

By JAMES B. STEWART — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:30:39 GMT

Apple is so big that it’s running up against the law of large numbers, which suggests that the fast rise of its shares and earnings will slow.

Your Money: Why It’s So Hard to Transfer Cash to Your Friends - Your Money

By RON LIEBER — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:23:40 GMT

Three big banks join forces to create a person-to-person electronic payments service that still has problems, but you’ll have to pay for the privilege to use it.

Wealth Matters: In Estate Planning, Don’t Forget the Collectibles

By PAUL SULLIVAN — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:26:28 GMT

Collectors and advisers describe the difficulty in selling or bequeathing items that took years to accumulate.

Shortcuts: Another Theory on Why Bad Habits Are Hard to Break - Shortcuts

By ALINA TUGEND — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:28:49 GMT

Researchers have found that how we view ourselves now and in the future can keep us from accomplishing current personal goals.

Off the Charts: Data Challenges Idea That Small Companies Create More Jobs

By FLOYD NORRIS — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:47:12 GMT

Figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that since 1990, large companies have had the most job growth, though small-company employment tends to be more stable.

The Week’s Business News in Pictures

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:06:58 GMT

Greece’s woes continued to weigh on Europe and austerity measures are cutting profits at drug companies on the Continent. American markets are in a “hooray-for-Hollywood” mood as the Oscars approach.

It’s the Economy: Why Are Harvard Graduates in the Mailroom?

By ADAM DAVIDSON — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:53:01 GMT

More industries are following Hollywood’s lottery system, offering potential wealth in exchange for terrible hours and low pay.

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:10:02 GMT

Articles in this series are examining challenges posed by increasingly globalized high-tech industries.

BUSINESS: House Advantage: The Sure Thing

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:46:19 GMT

An animated explanation of how banks use securities lending to make a profit, while their customers cover the losses.