Secure Path Technology Inc. (SPHT), a data services company for the media and entertainment industry, today announced a multi-year ISAN code registration agreement with NBC Universal (NBCU).

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The apparent end of the recession and stabilizing financial markets have not cured the banking industry, as souring and past-due loans have reached the highest levels in 26 years, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Tuesday. Banks earned $2.8 billion in the third quarter, but nearly 40 percent of that was from a one-time accounting trick. Loan balances plummeted and the fund that insures their deposits was $8.2 billion in the red. The number of banks on the FDIC’s “problem list” rose to 552 from 416 on June 30, the highest level in 16 years. Fifty banks failed during the quarter — the largest number since the second quarter of 1990. The FDIC’s fund that insures bank deposits fell by $18.6 billion, mostly because $21.7 billion was set aside for expected losses on future bank failures. The last similar deficit was in Dec. 1991, when a predecessor fund was more than $7 billion in the red. Separately, the Office of Thrift Supervision said Tuesday that thrifts eked out a $200 million profit in the third quarter. The agency called it “another break-even quarter,” after a small second-quarter profit was revised downward to a $94 million loss. Still, it was the first profitable quarter since the same period in 2007. The nominal profit was $1.3 billion, but $1.1 billion was a one-time gain at a single institution. The thrift’s holding company, which the OTS did not identify, shifted assets to reduce future tax expenses, agency officials said. The agency says the number of “problem thrifts” rose to 43 from 40 last quarter. Thrifts differ from banks in that they are required, by law, to have at least 65 percent of their lending in mortgages and other consumer loans. That makes them especially vulnerable to the housing downturn and unemployment. It also means they will play a key role in an eventual economic recovery. The FDIC voted this month to require banks to prepay three years of deposit insurance premiums by the end of next month to help replenish the dwindling deposit insurance fund, which is at its lowest point on record. That will raise about $45 billion. But bank failures this year through 2013 are expected to cost the fund $100 billion, so the prepayments won’t provide a long-term fix for the insurance fund. It does spare ailing banks the immediate cost of paying a second emergency fee this year. Depositors’ money — insured up to $250,000 per account — is not at risk, since the FDIC has the option of tapping a credit line with the Treasury Department. “While bank and thrift earnings have improved, the effects of the recession continue to be reflected in their financial performance,” FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair said. A 2.8 percent drop-off in loans outstanding — the largest percentage decline on record — showed that credit for consumers and businesses remained tight, she said. “There is no question that credit availability is an important issue for the economic recovery,” Bair said. “We need to see banks making more loans to their business customers.” That’s especially important for small businesses which get more than 60 percent of their credit from banks the FDIC insures, she said. Bank profits returned in the third quarter after a $4.3 billion loss in the previous quarter and $879 million in earnings last year. But analysts warned not to read much into the better earnings. “A few very large banks are making a pile of money, and the rest of the industry is hurting,” said Daniel Alpert, managing director of the New York investment bank Westwood Capital LLC. The largest Wall Street firms are benefiting from a host of government subsidies — such as capital injections, asset guarantees, low-cost borrowing — that cost taxpayers without improving the economy, Alpert said. “We’re creating riskless profits for the big banks,” he said. Still, banking analyst Bert Ely said the Federal Reserve’s low-interest rate policy is helping the whole industry. Net interest margin — the difference between what it costs banks to borrow and what they pay to depositors — reached a four-year high. It was a rare bright spot in the FDIC report. That bright spot comes at the expense of consumers, who are earning historically low interest rates on their deposits. “Americans are getting nothing in terms of interest on their savings so that the banks can make money,” Alpert said. High unemployment and slow spending are making it harder for banks to collect from consumers. Loans 90 or more days past due reached 4.9 percent — the highest in 26 years. Banks gave up on collecting $50.8 billion in loans during the quarter, an 80.5 percent increase from a year ago. It was the 11th straight quarterly increase and — at 2.7 percent — another 26-year high. OTS Acting Director John Bowman cast a cautious tone, saying thrift profits were hurt by money being set aside as they prepare for more loan losses. “We know that we have not seen the last thrift failure of this crisis,” Bowman said. Some smaller banks have protested the early insurance assessments that are being charged to replenish the deposit insurance fund. They complain that they had nothing to do with the excesses of big Wall Street banks, reckless mortgage lending and risky investments that precipitated the financial crisis, but are being forced to pay to help clean up the mess. There have been 124 bank failures so far this year, the most since 1992 at the height of the savings-and-loan crisis. They have cost the federal deposit insurance fund more than $28 billion. There were 25 bank failures last year and three in 2007. Bair said “there are no quick fixes” for the banking industry’s troubles — “only careful, hard work” to oversee banks as they continue writing off bad loans and attempt to ride out the downturn. “It really is all about the economy at this point,” she said. Read the r est here: Banks earn $2.8B in 3Q; FDIC says dangers persist (AP)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are using everything short of forklifts to show Americans that Democratic health care legislation is an unwieldy mountain of paper. They pile it high on desks, hoist it on a shoulder trussed in sturdy rope and tell people it’s longer than “War and Peace,” which it isn’t. AP – FILE – In this Nov. 5, 2009, file photo Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, holds a copy of the … Although they complain they don’t have time to read all of it, they found the time to tape it together, page by page, so they could roll it up the steps of the Capitol like super-sized toilet paper and show how very long it is. Size matters in the health care debate because Republicans have turned the length of the legislation into a symbol: Big, unwieldy bill means big, overreaching government. Even bigger when you display double-spaced copies with double-wide margins and large print — then pile copies of the House and Senate bills together so that the cameras see something monstrously tall. Lawmakers routinely debate massive legislation without absorbing every word. They employ people to find what matters to them. Indeed, legislation of comparable size was used to redefine an area of much more limited federal responsibility, education. That was the No Child Left Behind Act from the agenda of Republican President George W. Bush. The nation’s health care system accounts for one-sixth of the economy and no one really expects brevity when reinventing something so complex. No one really expects the Republicans’ theatrical legislation inflation to stop, either. Five Republican senators displayed the massive legislation on their desks during the weekend vote to bring the Senate health bill to full debate, as GOP lawmakers have been doing since the House bill came out earlier. As if he risked a hernia carrying it any other way, Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa was seen carrying the House Democratic bill on his shoulder, all roped together. GOP Rep. John Culberson of Texas brought a copy to a Capitol Hill rally and threw its loose pages to the crowd, like meat to lions. The actual Senate bill, which Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced last week, came in at 2,074 double-spaced pages, 84 more pages than the House version, which was already being ridiculed for its size. “That’s larger than the novel ‘War and Peace,’” Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah said of the Senate bill. “Exceeding even ‘War and Peace’ in length,” Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said of the House bill. Said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas: “‘War and Peace’ — some people consider it the greatest book ever written, but most people recognize the novel because at 1,284 pages its length is often the butt of jokes. Now imagine trying to read something that long overnight.” Actually, Leo Tolstoy’s tome is longer than either bill. Full translated versions are nearly twice as long. The bill passed by the House is 319,145 words. The Senate bill is 318,512 words, shorter than the House version despite consuming more paper. Various versions of Tolstoy’s novel are 560,000 to 670,000 words. Bush’s education act tallied more than 280,000 words. By now, the full draft of Reid’s bill that had circulated in the corridors and landed so prominently on Republican desks has been published in the Congressional Record in the official and conventional manner. The type is small and tight. No hernias will be caused by moving this rendering of the bill around. Unfurling it on the Capitol steps would not be much of a spectacle. It’s 209 pages. Associated Press writer Ann Sanner contributed to this report. Originally posted here: SPIN METER: ‘War and Peace’ in 209 pages? (AP)

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ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The U.S. Small Business Administration reminds homeowners, renters, businesses and non-profit organizations of the deadline to submit disaster loan applications for physical damage caused by a tornado and severe storms that occurred on October 9, 2009 in Kentucky. The deadline to file an application for physical damage is December 28, 2009 . Homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes in Casey County and the adjacent counties of Adair, Boyle, Lincoln, Marion, Pulaski, Russell and Taylor in Kentucky are eligible to apply for physical disaster assistance. The SBA offers loans up to $200,000 to repair disaster damaged primary residences. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to replace personal property such as furniture, appliances and clothing. Loans to businesses and non-profit organizations of all sizes are available up to $2 million to repair or replace damage to real estate, machinery, inventory and equipment. SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are available to small businesses and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. Interest rates are as low as 2.750 percent for homeowners and renters and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. The SBA also offers mitigation funds to disaster victims up to 20 percent of the verified physical damage. These funds are designed to help borrowers pay for protective measures which may prevent damages of the same kind in the future. To obtain program information or a loan application, call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. EST or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov . Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disaster assistance . Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. Those affected by the disaster may apply for disaster loans from SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ . The filing deadline to return applications for physical damage is December 28, 2009 . The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 29, 2010 . For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Programs, visit our Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance . Release Number: 10-092, KY 11922/11923 Original post: SBA’s Disaster Assistance Deadline for Physical Damage Is December 28 (Business Wire)

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Shares of Brocade Communications Systems Inc. fell Tuesday after the company denied speculation that it’s looking for a buyer. “That’s just wrong. Why would we want to go ahead and do that when we have never been in a better position than we are today?” CEO Mike Klayko said in a corporate video on fourth quarter results. He said Brocade has taken the trouble to provide a full suite of products and services to compete with larger competitors and it’s “winning.” Shares of Brocade fell 71 cents, or 9.1 percent, to $7.09 in afternoon trading on heavy volume. “Brocade’s stock is under a little bit of pressure since investors hoping for an acquisition are exiting the stock,” said Wedbush Morgan analyst Kaushik Roy in a research note. Late Monday, the networking equipment maker also warned that the first quarter won’t be as strong as the same quarter in past years and an overall rebound isn’t expected until the back end of fiscal 2010. First-quarter revenue should be up 4 to 5 percent from the fourth quarter instead of the typical seasonal increase of 6 to 8 percent. The second and third quarter revenue could see no increase to some lift, and a strong fourth quarter is expected. Brocade reported fourth-quarter earnings of $33.6 million, or 7 cents per share, compared with $35.6 million, or 9 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding one-time items, earnings would have been 15 cents per share, beating the expectations of analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters. Revenue rose 31 percent to $521.8 million on strong growth in product sales helped by the company’s Foundry Networks acquisition, topping analysts’ $521.1 million estimate. Shares of Brocade, based in San Jose, Calif., fell 18 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $7.62 in premarket trading. Read the original here: Brocade CEO says company not for sale, shares drop (AP)

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SOUTH SURREY, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Tanzanian Royalty is pleased to announce a $3.14 million private placement comprising 1,155,835 shares through two European investment funds. Proceeds from the financing will be used to evaluate and develop the Company’s Kigosi Gold Project in the Lake Victoria Goldfields of Tanzania where significant quantities of near surface, gold-bearing gravels have been indicted in several phases of RC drilling. According to James E. Sinclair, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, “Our immediate plans for 2010 include the bulk sampling of surface gravels at Kigosi, with a view to developing the property’s larger scale potential on a staged basis over the next few years.” “This is a time tested way of developing a gold project and in fact most of the world’s historic mining camps have been developed on this basis. It reduces risk to shareholders and preserves the value of the asset for investors,” he said. Budgets for equipment purchases have been approved and the Company’s in-house technical staff are completing the equipment selection process for the bulk sampling plant and delivery times to the Kigosi site. The private placement common shares are subject to certain mandated hold periods and the certificates representing such shares are legended accordingly. No warrants, options or other rights have been issued or granted in connection with the placement. The private placement is subject to regulatory approval. For further information, please contact Investor Relations at 1-800-811-3855 Visit our website: www.TanzanianRoyaltyExploration.com The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE Amex Equities have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors – The United States Securities and Exchange Commission limits disclosure for U.S. reporting purposes to mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms on this news release, such as “reserves”, “resources”, “geologic resources”, “proven”, “probable”, “measured”, “indicated”, or “inferred” which may not be consistent with the reserve definitions established by the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No. 001-32500. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml . Certain information presented in this release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks inherent in mineral exploration and development, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any projected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are referred to our description of the risk factors affecting the Company, as contained in our Form 20-F, File No. 001-32500, for more information concerning these risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Visit link: Tanzanian Royalty Announces $3.14 Million Financing For Evaluation Program at Kigosi Gold Project (Business Wire)

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — U.S. senators are pressuring European antitrust regulators to hurry their investigation of Oracle Corp.’s proposed acquisition of Sun Microsystems Inc., citing Sun’s “precarious” financial condition and fears about more layoffs at the struggling computing company. A group of 59 senators outlined the concerns in a letter Tuesday to the European Commission, which has held up the $7.4 billion deal over worries that Oracle would be too dominant in the market for database software. Oracle is the leader in proprietary database software — which means its underlying code is kept private — while Sun’s MySQL division makes the No. 1 open-source database. Companies use database software to manage large stockpiles of information, such as their payroll or customer data. The Oracle-Sun combination would be one of the biggest technology deals of the year, and was cleared in August by the U.S. Department of Justice. This month, though, the European Commission notified the Silicon Valley companies of its formal objection to the deal. Oracle and Sun are appealing that ruling before the EU’s preliminary ruling has a chance to become final. EU regulators have until Jan. 27 to wrap up that review. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the lead author of Tuesday’s letter, said a further delay in the review “threatens thousands of American jobs, so we felt compelled to ask for a speedy resolution.” “Sun Microsystems’ financial position has become more precarious and the commission’s inquiry has continued,” the letter read. “Some have raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue to employ its thousands of workers. Accordingly, we respectfully request the European Commission complete its investigation of this transaction as quickly as possible.” Both companies had hoped the deal would close this summer. Since it hasn’t, Sun rivals such as IBM Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. have been playing up uncertainty about the deal to steal business from Sun. Sun has lost $677 million over the last four quarters. It also said last month it would be cutting up to 3,000 jobs, or 10 percent of its worldwide work force, as it awaits a decision on the fate of the deal. Because of fears that the deal won’t get completed, Sun’s stock is trading for much less than the $9.50 per share that Oracle would pay to acquire the company. The stock fell 4 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $8.50 on Tuesday afternoon. Continue reading here: Senators press EU to speed its Oracle-Sun probe (AP)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Barnes & Noble Inc. and Borders Group Inc., the nation’s two largest brick-and-mortar book sellers, both posted quarterly losses Thursday and forecast a difficult holiday season, saying competition from discount chains and online retailers is stiffening. AP – FILE – In this May 18, 2009 file photo, a customer reads magazines inside the Barnes and Noble … Barnes & Noble, the larger of the two, also cut its forecast for annual profit, and shares of both retailers fell. Even with online presence, traditional bookstores have had a rough time facing off against online sellers like Amazon.com as they also compete with low-price brick-and-mortar stores including Wal-Mart Stores and Target and cope with consumers cutting discretionary purchases amid tough economic times. But Barnes & Noble CEO Stephen Riggio said this fall’s price war among Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Target Corp.’s online division — in which those retailers cut prices on preorders for some new titles to $9 and less — was “overblown.” “Book-selling has been for a long time a ‘long tail’ business,” Riggio said during a conference call with investors. “Best sellers represent less than 5 percent of our sales and among these very top best sellers less than 1 percent of our sales.” Still, “every percentage counts,” said Michael Norris, a senior analyst with Simba Information. “I wouldn’t be that quick to dismiss the influence of the big discounters there,” he said. “You can go to Walmart.com and get the Sarah Palin book for a few bucks less than you can at either of them.” Barnes & Noble, which operates 775 stores, reported a fiscal second-quarter loss of 43 cents per share. Excluding costs related to buying back its 636-store college bookstore from its chairman in August, it earned 30 cents per share, matching analyst forecasts. Sales for the quarter ended Oct. 31 rose 4 percent to $1.16 billion — though the increase was due to revenue from the college bookstores. Excluding that, Barnes & Noble sales fell 2 percent to $1.09 billion. The company, based in New York, lowered its yearly forecast as the costs of producing its new electronic reader, the Nook rose and holiday sales seemed off to a weak start. Shares fell $1.58, or 6.7 percent, to $21.94 during midday trading. The stock has traded between $12.64 and $28.78 over the past year. Barnes & Noble is pinning its hopes for future profit on the Nook, a competitor with Amazon.com’s Kindle for which it began accepting pre-orders last month. Last week, it said orders had exceeded expectations and those placed beginning Nov. 20 would be filled Jan. 4 or later. The company plans to bulk up its e-content digital business, selling digital subscriptions to newspapers, blogs, magazines and other periodicals as well as digital books. Both companies forecast a weak holiday season. “This is an unpredictable holiday selling season as consumers remain unsettled and reactive to economic news,” said Borders CEO Ron Marshall. Borders Group Inc. lost $38.5 million, or 64 cents per share, less than a year ago, but its third straight quarterly loss. Revenue for the three months that ended Oct. 31 dropped 13 percent to $602.5 million. In an effort to improve its finances, Borders, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., has cut jobs, closed stores and chosen new leaders. It also has shifted its focus from less profitable categories like music and toward children’s books, toys, stationery and its cafe. But it has been slower than Barnes & Noble to shutter its lower-margin small-format stores and grow its e-commerce business. “Barnes & Noble still remains at least one step ahead of Borders,” Norris said. Borders shares fell 21 cents, or 10.5 percent, to $1.80. The stock has traded between 34 cents and $4.48 over the past year. AP Retail Writer Michelle Chapman contributed to this report from New York. The rest is here: Top 2 booksellers report losses, their shares fall (AP)

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TYNGSBORO, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Beacon Power Corporation (Nasdaq: BCON – News ), a company that designs and develops advanced products and services to support more stable, reliable and efficient electricity grid operation, said today that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it has awarded a stimulus grant to Beacon valued at $24 million, for use in the construction of the Company’s second 20 MW flywheel energy storage plant, to be located in Chicago, Illinois. “We’re extremely pleased to receive this grant award from the Department of Energy,” said Bill Capp, Beacon president and CEO. “DOE has long supported Beacon’s pioneering efforts to bring our clean, sustainable and cost-saving energy storage technology to the grid. This $24 million grant, which is the 4 th largest out of 16 energy storage grants announced today, represents the most significant financial boost Beacon has ever received from the federal government. We believe it underscores the unique value and stabilizing benefits of our grid-scale flywheel systems. We’re very grateful for DOE’s continued support.” Capp added: “Thanks to DOE’s strong support, we can now continue to move forward with plans to build and operate a second 20 MW regulation plant, in addition to the one we’ve begun work on in Stephentown, New York. Doing so will expand our merchant service provider business model in the regulation market, and create a foundation for promoting and selling turnkey systems to vertically integrated utilities here and overseas.” According to DOE, the funding award is to “Design, build, test, commission and operate a utility-scale 20 MW flywheel energy storage frequency regulation plant in Chicago, Illinois, and provide frequency regulation services to the grid operator, the PJM Interconnection. The project will also demonstrate the technical, cost and environmental advantages of fast-response flywheel-based frequency regulation management, lowering the cost to build a 20 MW flywheel energy storage plant to improve grid reliability while increasing the use of wind and solar power.” The grant for the Chicago facility results from one of Beacon’s two applications for DOE Smart Grid demonstration project funding, known as Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0000036. Area of Interest 2.2 of the DOE solicitation contemplated one or two grants for Frequency Regulation Ancillary Services projects. The Department made only one award, which was for Beacon’s 20 MW regulation plant. The grant award of $24 million is for 50% of the project’s estimated cost. DOE will provide further details of the grant conditions in the near future. Flywheel Energy Storage and Frequency Regulation Frequency regulation is an essential grid service that is performed by maintaining a tight balance between electricity supply and demand. Beacon’s 20 MW plant has been designed to provide frequency regulation services by absorbing electricity from the grid when there is too much, and storing it as kinetic energy in a matrix of flywheel systems. When there is not enough power to meet demand, the flywheels inject energy back into the grid, thus helping to maintain proper electricity frequency (60 cycles/second). Thanks to their ability to recycle electricity efficiently and act as “shock absorbers” to the grid, Beacon’s flywheel plants will also help support the integration of greater amounts of renewable (but intermittent) wind and solar power resources. Unlike conventional fossil fuel-powered generators that provide frequency regulation, flywheel plants will not consume any fuel, nor will they directly produce CO 2 greenhouse gas emissions or other air pollutants, such as NO X or SO 2 . About Beacon Power Beacon Power Corporation designs, develops and is commercializing advanced products and services to support stable, reliable and efficient electricity grid operation. Beacon’s Smart Energy Matrix, now in production, is a non-polluting, megawatt-scale, utility-grade, flywheel-based solution designed to provide less expensive, and more sustainable and effective, frequency regulation services to the nation’s power grid. The Company’s business strategy is both to   supply   frequency regulation services from its own plants, and to sell its systems directly to utilities or grid operators in some parts of North America and selected international markets. Beacon is a publicly traded company with its research, development and manufacturing facility in the U.S. For more information, visit www.beaconpower.com . Safe Harbor Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This Material contained in this press release may include statements that are not historical facts and are considered “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect Beacon Power Corporation’s current views about future events, financial performances, and project development. These “forward-looking” statements are identified by the use of terms and phrases such as “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar expressions identifying forward-looking statements. Investors should not rely on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Beacon’s expectation. These factors include: a short operating history; a history of losses and anticipated continued losses from operations; the complexity and other challenges of arranging project financing and resources for one or more frequency regulation power plants, including uncertainty about whether we will be successful in finalizing the DOE loan guarantee support for our Stephentown, New York, facility, or complying with the conditions or ongoing covenants of that support; our need to comply with any disbursement or other conditions under the DOE grant program; a need to raise additional equity to fund the project and Beacon’s other operations in uncertain financial markets; conditions in target markets, including the fact that some ISOs have been slow to comply with FERC’s requirement to update market rules to include new technology such as the Company’s; our ability to obtain site interconnection approvals, landlord approvals, or other zoning and construction approvals in a timely manner; limited experience manufacturing commercial products or supplying frequency regulation services on a commercial basis; limited commercial contracts for revenues to date; the dependence of revenues on the achievement of product optimization, manufacturing and commercialization milestones; dependence on third-party suppliers; intense competition from companies with greater financial resources, especially from companies that are already in the frequency regulation market; possible government regulation that would impede the ability to market products or services or affect market size; possible product liability claims and the negative publicity which could result; any failure to protect intellectual property; retaining key executives and the possible need in the future to hire and retain key executives; the historical volatility of our stock price, as well as the volatility of the stock price of other companies in the energy sector, especially in view of the current situation in the financial markets generally. These factors are elaborated upon and other factors may be disclosed from time to time in Beacon Power filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Beacon Power expressly does not undertake any duty to update forward-looking statements. Read this articl e: U.S. Department of Energy Announces $24 Million Smart Grid Stimulus Grant Award to Beacon Power (Business Wire)

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FOLSOM, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–During the Celebration of Miracles — a fund-raising event hosted by Friends of NICU ( www.friendsofnicu.org ) — Charlie Garrido made a most generous gift as he bid on a lithograph signed by the Rolling Stones. After submitting the winning bid, he quickly donated the item back so that it could be reauctioned and generate more money for the cause. “My initial thought was ‘Cool, I won!’ but then I remembered the parents and children,” said Mr. Garrido. “So, I donated my hard-fought Rolling Stones lithograph back so that it could be reauctioned and thought ‘now we are all winners!’” When the evening ended, over $34,000 had been raised to help families who are dealing with indescribable fear and strain while their babies are in the NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) of Mercy hospitals in the Sacramento region. “The Celebration of Miracles was a magical evening that no one will ever forget. The outpouring of support and contributions were amazing,” said Elanie Purkis, founder of Friends of NICU. “We shared tears and smiles and generally came together to help families.” Courtney Dempsey, reporter/anchor from Good Day Sacramento CW31 emceed the dinner program. Dr. Robert Kahle, director of the Mercy hospital NICUs delivered a heartfelt speech about the challenges families face. Social worker Gigi Eskin-Norman explained how Friends of NICU contributions help families, some of whom must drive three hours from the far northern communities like Redding and Red Bluff to be with their critically ill babies. ECO:LOGIC Engineering ( www.ecologic-eng.com ), an engineering and consulting firm that designs and manages water and wastewater projects in the Western United States, was the title sponsor. A silent auction and live auction were the primary fund-raising activities of the night. The top selling item was a 5-day luxury vacation in Chicago. Other sponsors include: Sponsors: ECO:LOGIC Engineering ( www.ecologic-eng.com ) Gold Country Media ( www.goldcountrymedia.com ) California Family Fitness ( www.californiafamilyfitness.com ) Community Neonatology of Sacramento Folsom OB-GYN, Dr. Jeffrey Cragun ( http://folsomobgyn.com ) Greater Sacramento Pediatrics Associates Goddard Claussen Strategic Advocacy ( www.goddardclaussen.com ) Mainstay Business Solutions ( www.mainstaybusiness.com ) Mercy Foundation ( www.supportmercyfoundation.org ) OnPointNetwork ( www.onpointnetwork.com ) In-kind donors and premium silent auction donors: A Tale of Two Truffles ( www.ataleoftwotruffles.com ) ADG Designs ( www.adgdesigns.net ) The Christian DeWild Band ( www.myspace.com/christiandewild ) Dawn Roberts Photography ( www.dawnrobertsphotography.com ) Exquisite Events & Entertainment ( http://exquisitedjs.com ) J Harrison Public Relations Group ( www.JHarrisonPR.com ) Luke Benton Productions ( www.productionstrategies.biz ) Paint All Night Studios ( www.paintallnightstudios.com ) Pottery World ( www.potteryworld.com ) Friends of NICU operates under the auspices of the Mercy Foundation, all of the money raised goes directly to the families who need help. There are no overhead or administrative fees for this entirely volunteer-run, nonprofit organization. Note: Photographs and interviews with founders, donors and NICU families available upon request. See the rest here: Friends of NICU Fund-raiser Nets Enough to Help 250 Families with Sick and Premature Babies in Mercy Hospitals (Business Wire)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The summer’s trend of rising home prices is flattening as the traditional home shopping season ends, two reports Tuesday showed. AP – In this Oct. 15, 2009 photo, a sign for a newly-constructed home advertises a financing rate in Chagrin … {”s” : “bac,c,fnm,fre,jpm,wfc”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index of 20 major cities rose 0.3 percent to 144.96 in September, the fourth monthly increase in a row. The seasonally adjusted index is now up more than 3 percent from its bottom in May, but still 30 percent below its peak in April 2006. Another reading of home prices published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency held steady from August to September. Analysts expect prices to dip again this winter as foreclosures increase. “As long as the unemployment rate stays elevated, you’re going to see pressure on the pace of foreclosures, which are going to find their way back onto the market, depressing prices,” said Dan Greenhaus, chief economic strategist with Miller Tabak & Co. Home prices are a key ingredient to rebuilding the economy. Homeowners feel wealthier when their property appreciates in value and are more likely to spend money. Rising prices also help millions of homeowners who owe more to the bank than their homes are worth. Currently, roughly one in four homeowners are in that situation, according to First American CoreLogic. While prices nationally are likely to keep rising through November, “we are very worried about the potential for a huge wave of supply next year, both from private sellers and banks,” wrote Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. “Prices could easily reverse their recent gains.” Home prices rose in 11 major cities with the strongest gains in San Francisco and Minneapolis, according to the Case Shiller report. Prices fell by the most in Las Vegas and Cleveland. Compared with a year earlier, the 20-city index was down 9.4 percent, the smallest year over year decline since January 2008. “With housing remaining an albatross around the economy’s neck, nothing would perk things up more than some increases in home prices,” wrote Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors. “That seems to be happening.” The price reports came a day after the National Association of Realtors said home resales surged by more than 10 percent in October as buyers took advantage of a special tax credit for first-time owners. Read this articl e: Home prices rise for 4th month in a row (AP)

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By Ryan Vlastelica Reuters – Phones hang from a trading terminal on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, May 19, 2009. … {”s” : “dltr,hpq,mdt”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday, a day after the Dow hit a 13-month high, after data showed an improving economy, but at a slower rate than expected. Growth domestic product grew a hair less than forecast in the third quarter, at a 2.8 percent annual rate. The expansion could signal an end to the recession, but stock investors need to see hearty advancement to support further gains after a 22 percent rise in the S&P 500 this year. Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller housing data was equally disappointing, rising in September, but at a much less robust rate than expected. The Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction index (DJI: ^DJUSHB – News ) fell 1.7 percent. “If we want to get this economy going, if we want to get this economy recovering and add jobs, we’re going to want to see better numbers than we are seeing,” said Richard Sparks, a senior equities analyst with Schaeffer’s Investment Research in Cincinnati. The Dow Jones industrial average (DJI: ^DJI – News ) dropped 23.96 points, or 0.22 percent, to 10,426.76. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index ( ^SPX – News ) shed 1.67 points, or 0.10 percent, to 1,105.08. The Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq: ^IXIC – News ) fell 8.94 points, or 0.41 percent, to 2,167.08. The Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index rose to 49.5 in November, above the analysts’ expectation of 47.7. The market trimmed losses at midmorning after the consumer confidence data. Hewlett-Packard Co (NYSE: HPQ – News ) shares slid 1.5 percent to $50.24 a day after it reported a quarterly profit that matched its preliminary results. It also said the economy remained challenging, though it saw signs of a recovery. Earlier Tuesday, both Medtronic Inc (NYSE: MDT – News ) and Dollar Tree Inc (NasdaqGS: DLTR – News ) reported quarterly earnings that estimates. Medtronic gained 6 percent to $42.70, while Dollar Tree climbed 4.6 percent to $51.34. Read the original post: GDP, Case/Shiller muddy recovery hopes (Reuters)

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CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 24, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerging Stock Report, a leading provider of sector specific independent investment research, today initiated coverage on NexMed, Inc. (Nasdaq: NEXM – News ). Emerging Stock Report is currently offering a complimentary trial subscription to the investment community. To view the Report in its entirety visit: http://www.emergingstockreport.com To get our alerts AHEAD of the market follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EmergingStockRe About ESR: Emerging Stock Report is a leading provider of independent investment research for North American companies. Our services include research analysis on emerging growth companies, sector specific research, real-time news and financial data, market commentary and the ESR newsletter. Emerging Stock Report’s staff of investment professionals are dedicated to providing the the tools and resources necessary to help make important investment decisions. To view our research reports on a complimentary trial basis and take advantage of our other services, visit http://www.emergingstockreport.com and click on the complimentary trial subscription button on our home page, or go directly to our registration page at http://emergingstockreport.com/register.php About NexMed, Inc.: NexMed’s pipeline includes a late stage terbinafine treatment for onychomycosis, a late stage alprostadil treatment for erectile dysfunction, a Phase 2 alprostadil treatment for female sexual arousal disorder, and an early stage treatment for psoriasis. For further information, go to www.nexmed.com . ESR Disclosure: Emerging Stock Report is not a registered investment advisor and nothing contained in any materials should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. Emerging Stock Report has not been compensated by any of the above mentioned companies. Please read our report and visit our Web site, http://www.EmergingStockReport.com , for complete risks and disclosures. Follow this link: Emerging Stock Report Initiates Independent Research Coverage on NexMed, Inc. (GlobeNewswire)

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CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 24, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerging Stock Report, a leading provider of sector specific independent investment research, today initiated coverage on AgFeed Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: FEED – News ). Emerging Stock Report is currently offering a complimentary trial subscription to the investment community. To view the Report in its entirety visit: http://www.emergingstockreport.com To get our alerts AHEAD of the market follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EmergingStockRe About ESR : Emerging Stock Report is a leading provider of independent investment research for North American companies. Our services include research analysis on emerging growth companies, sector specific research, real-time news and financial data, market commentary and the ESR newsletter. Emerging Stock Report’s staff of investment professionals are dedicated to providing the the tools and resources necessary to help make important investment decisions. To view our research reports on a complimentary trial basis and take advantage of our other services, visit http://www.emergingstockreport.com and click on the complimentary trial subscription button on our home page, or go directly to our registration page at http://emergingstockreport.com/register.php About AgFeed Industries, Inc.: AgFeed Industries ( www.agfeedinc.com ) is a U.S. company with its primary operations in China. AgFeed has two profitable business lines — animal nutrients in premix and blended animal feed and hog production. AgFeed is one of China’s largest commercial hog producers in terms of total annual hog production as well as one of the largest premix feed companies in terms of revenues. China is the world’s largest hog producing country that produced over 625 million hogs in 2008, compared to approximately 100 million hogs produced annually in the U.S. China also has the world’s largest consumer base for pork consumption. Over 62% of total meat consumed in China is pork. Hog production in China enjoys income tax free status. The pre-mix feed market in which AgFeed operates is an approximately $1.6 billion segment of China’s $40 billion per year animal feed market, according to the China Feed Industry Association. ESR Disclosure : Emerging Stock Report is not a registered investment advisor and nothing contained in any materials should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. Emerging Stock Report has not been compensated by any of the above mentioned companies. Please read our report and visit our Web site, http://www.EmergingStockReport.com , for complete risks and disclosures. See the rest here: Emerging Stock Report Initiates Independent Research Coverage on AgFeed Industries, Inc. (GlobeNewswire)

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TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — US Airways said Tuesday it will delay delivery of 54 Airbus jets until at least 2013 as it tries to bolster its financial strength. AP – FILE – In this Oct. 26, 2009 file photo, a US Airways plane takes off from Miami International … {”s” : “lcc”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} The company said delaying the deliveries will reduce its aircraft capital expenditures over the next three years by $2.5 billion. US Airways instead will take delivery of 28 planes over the next three years, which it called a more manageable pace during an airline industry slump. The carrier has financing in place for those 28 planes, including commitments for $275 million in loans for aircraft it will receive next year. CEO Doug Parker said in a message to employees that the moves will boost the company’s available cash by about $150 million this year and $450 million by the end of 2010. Airline traffic has been weak this year, and several major U.S. carriers have raised cash to get through the slow fall and winter seasons. US Airways, based in Tempe, Ariz., was scheduled to add the Airbus jets over the next three years to replace older jets in the airline’s fleet. Parker said the deferrals will let the company “maintain flexibility in a challenging economic environment.” He said the company would keep its older jets until the new delivery dates, so the move won’t significantly affect the airline’s passenger-carrying capacity. The company also said that Barclays, which provides US Airways’ affinity credit card, eased financial terms of their agreement and will delay repayment of a $200 million advance for 14 months. Barclays advanced the money when it bought frequent-flier miles from the carrier. US Airways lost $125 million in the first nine months of this year on lower revenue, after losing $2.1 billion last year. “The past two years have been exceptionally difficult for our industry and US Airways,” Parker told employees. He said the company was fortunate to have partners willing to help, but “we cannot continue to lose money indefinitely and fund our losses through financing and partner support.” Shares of US Airways rose 8 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $3.18 in morning trading. See the article here: US Airways defers delivery of 54 aircraft (AP)

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DALLAS, Nov. 24, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BeaconEquity.com announces an investment report featuring Origin Agritech Ltd. (Nasdaq: SEED – News ). The report includes financial, comparative and investment analyses, and pertinent industry information you need to know to make an educated investment decision. The investment report on Origin Agritech Ltd. (Nasdaq: SEED – News ) should be of particular interest to other crop seed and agricultural companies: Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON – News ), Syngenta AG (NYSE: SYT – News ) and Bunge Ltd. (NYSE: BG – News ). It is available at: http://www.beaconequity.com/i/SEED Get our alerts BEFORE the rest of the market. Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BeaconEquity Origin Agritech Limited (SEED) is a technology-focused crop seed company serving mainland China. The Company’s activities include specialization in the research and development, production, and sales and marketing of crop seeds (corn, rice, cotton and canola) throughout the People’s Republic of China. SEED, together with State Harvest Holdings Limited, conducts operations in China primarily through its People’s Republic of China (PRC) Operating Companies. In the report, the analyst notes: “The corn hybrids, which SEED produces and distributes include self-developed Aoyu, Deyu series, and some other licensed hybrids, can be classified into two categories, conventional and specialty corn. To date, 68 corn products have entered into state or provincial trial, among which 45 products obtained government approval including 12 with state approval. The Company’s Linao 1 and Yuyu 22 were awarded ‘Houji Golden Prize’ and ‘Second Prize for State Advance Science & Technology’ respectively. “The Company’s corn hybrids cover the spring planting region in northeast, central and southwest, and the summer planting region in Yellow river and Huai river and central area of China. SEED’s sales area covers all corn producing areas from northeast to southwest. Sales volume is among Top 3 in the mainland market.” To read the entire report visit: http://www.beaconequity.com/i/SEED See what investors are saying about these stocks at: http://www.stockhideout.com/ BeaconEquity.com is one of the industry’s largest small-cap report providers. Beacon strives to provide a balanced view of many promising small-cap companies that would otherwise fall under the radar of the typical Wall Street investor. We provide investors with an excellent first step in their research and due diligence by providing daily trading ideas, and consolidating the public information available on them. For more information on Beacon Research, please visit http://www.BeaconEquity.com Beacon Equity Disclosure DO NOT BASE ANY INVESTMENT DECISION UPON ANY MATERIALS FOUND ON THIS REPORT. We are not registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser either with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or with any state securities regulatory authority. We are neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. Beacon Equity Research nor its affiliates have a beneficial interest in the mentioned company; nor have they received compensation of any kind for any of the companies listed in this communication. The information contained in our report is not an offer to buy or sell securities. We distribute opinions, comments and information free of charge exclusively to individuals who wish to receive them. Link: Beacon Equity Issues Technical Trading Overview for Origin Agritech Ltd. (GlobeNewswire)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Barnes & Noble on Tuesday posted a loss in the fiscal second quarter and lowered its guidance due to expected weak holiday sales and higher-than-expected costs to ramp up production of its electronic book reader, the Nook. AP – FILE – In this May 18, 2009 file photo, a customer reads magazines inside the Barnes and Noble … {”s” : “bks”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} Barnes & Noble launched its e-reader Nook, a competitor with Amazon.com’s popular Kindle, last month and said the device would begin to ship in late November. Last week, it said the Nook had sold out and orders placed beginning Nov. 20 would be fulfilled Jan. 4. On Tuesday, the company said it was ramping up production for the Nook, causing higher-than expected production costs, and said it would increase future investment in its digital strategy. The bookseller’s fiscal second-quarter loss totaled $24 million, or 43 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $16 million, or 34 cents per share, last year. Excluding costs related to purchasing its college bookstore unit from its chairman, the loss totaled 30 cents per share. Revenue rose 4 percent to $1.16 billion from $1.11 billion last year for the period ended Oct. 31. Best sellers included Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol,” Jeff Kinney’s “Dog Days” from the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series and Mitch Albom’s “Have a Little Faith.” Sales in stores open at least one year, considered a key retail measurement because it excludes the effect of adding or closing stores, fell 3.2 percent. The company, based in New York, now expects fiscal-year earnings of 33 to 63 cents per share, down from previous guidance of 59 to 89 cents per share. Analysts predict a profit of 99 cents per share. It expects sales in stores open at least a year to fall 1 to 3 percent. Traditional bookstores have had rough going because of increased competition from online sellers and discounters. Consumers have also shifted away from discretionary purchases amid tough economic times. Smaller rival Borders Group said lost $38.5 million, or 64 cents per share, in the third quarter. That compares with a loss of $172.2 million, or $2.85 per share, during the same period a year earlier. Its revenue fell 13 percent to $602.5 million. Here is the original post: Barnes & Noble reports 2Q loss, cuts guidance (AP)

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Goldman Sachs (GS) is out with a new overview of the hedge fund industry, examining several aspects of what funds are doing. For example, it notes that while hedge funds have generally “re-risked”, they also continue to diversify their holdings. You can see here, for example, that the density of the average hedge fund’s top 10 holdings has been falling all year. As for what they’re buying and holding, here’s a list of the “stocks that matter most” to hedge funds. Pfizer Bank of America Apple Microsoft JPM Citigroup Google Qualcomm Mastercard WMT Cisco Schering-Plough Yahoo Intel EMC Oracle XTO EBAY Pepsi IBM Wells Fargo Transocean Hewlett-Packard CVS-Caremark Visa Morgan Stanley Schlumberger Target Liberty Media Monstanto Thermo Fisher Conocophillips GE Procter & Gamble Anadarko Exxon Freeport-Mcmoran Research in Motion Ford Amgen McDonald’s Johnson & Johnson United Health Barrick Gold Apache Wellpoint Gilead Walgreen Teva Union Pacfic More: Check Out Hedge Funds’ 50 Favorite Stocks

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ZURICH–(BUSINESS WIRE)–C.En Ltd. ( www.cenh2go.com ), developer of a breakthrough hydrogen storage technology, has announced that it has completed a round of equity financing with global insurance and financial giant Generali Group. Generali Group is one of the largest insurance groups in Europe, operating in over 60 countries, with more than 460 subsidiary companies in the insurance, financial and property fields. Generali Group is committed to the development of various realms of sustainability, and is focused on pioneering technological innovations in the environmental sector. Funding by Generali Financial Holdings (FCP-FIS) – as well as by other leading global partners- will be used to further enhance environmentally sustainable applications of C.En’s hydrogen storage technology. C.En’s unique and innovative technology enables the storage of hydrogen, at very high pressures, in special glass capillaries, thereby offering the first compact, lightweight, safe and economical hydrogen storage solution. “We are fortunate to add Generali to our strong group of existing investors who support our vision and unique technology,” notes Mr. Moshe Stern, President and C.E.O. of C.En Ltd., and adds, “The funding will help advance our vision of turning hydrogen into the leading clean energy source of the future.” Photos/Multimedia�Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6107301&lang=en MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6107301 Read this articl e: C.En Ltd. Completes Financing Round with Generali Group (Business Wire)

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ZURICH, SWITZERLAND–(Marketwire – 11/24/09) – DataCert, Inc ., the leading global provider of legal operations management solutions, hosted an IP Focus Group on November 17 in Basel, Switzerland. This event, which featured presentations by industry leaders from IBM (NYSE: IBM – News ), Honeywell (NYSE: HON – News ), and IS Information Service GmbH , a Thomson Reuters Company, provided an opportunity for DataCert customers to share best practices for managing intellectual property and legal department operations. “DataCert has a demonstrated history of delivering solutions based on our extensive IP expertise,” said Rajitha Boer, vice president/director, EMEA business development. “We have found that our clients really appreciate the opportunity a forum such as this IP Focus Group provides to network and learn from their peers.” This focus group included presentations on IP management best practices and trends, DataCert’s global strategy, budgeting best practices, and how technology enables a successful alternative fee arrangements strategy. In addition, IBM and Honeywell provided an overview of lessons learned from their e-billing implementations, how to optimise the value of e-billing data and how to strategically manage IP vendors and law firms. Presentations were followed by a roundtable discussion of these topics. The featured speakers for this forum included: – David Bain, Associate General Counsel, DataCert, Inc. – Art Haviland, Project Manager, Intellectual Property Systems, IBM – David Hoiriis, Associate General Counsel & Chief IP Counsel, Honeywell – Dr. Reinhard Reck, Managing Director, IS Information Service GmbH About DataCert, Inc. DataCert is the premier global provider of legal operations management solutions, including legal spend, intellectual property, and matter management software and services. Corporate legal departments trust DataCert solutions to manage, analyse, and optimise their legal operations. DataCert has law firm, vendor, and agent connections in more than 150 countries and its customers include 71 Fortune� 500 corporations, 53 Global Fortune� 500 corporations, and 100% of the AmLaw 200. Visit www.datacerteurope.com for more information and follow us on Twitter for real-time updates http://twitter.com/DataCert . About Honeywell Honeywell International is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell’s shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com . About IBM For more information, please visit www.ibm.com . About IS Information Service GmbH IS Information Service GmbH, a Thomson Reuters company, provides highly specialised IP software tools and services. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Freiburg, Germany, the company supports European corporations and law firms in the installation and adoption of portfolio management systems. For more information, please visit http://www.is-fr.com/index.htm . More: DataCert Hosts IP Focus Group in Basel, Switzerland (Marketwire)

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(Reuters) – U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower opening on Wall Street on Tuesday, following the previous session’s sharp gains, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.18 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.26 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.38 percent at 0925 GMT (4:25 a.m. EST). Reuters – Phones hang from a trading terminal on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, May 19, 2009. … {”s” : “^dji,^ixic,adi,aig”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} Hewlett-Packard Co (NYSE: HPQ – News ) said it has tripled the size of its share repurchase program to $12 billion as China sales and better profit margins on its services boosted quarterly earnings. The fiscal fourth-quarter results released on Monday were in line with preliminary figures that HP gave two weeks ago, which had topped Wall Street’s estimates at the time. HP shares traded in Frankfurt were up 0.9 percent. Microchip maker Analog Devices Inc (NYSE: ADI – News ) on Monday reported higher than expected quarterly sales and forecast higher profit margins and busier factories by the end of fiscal 2010. Network equipment maker Brocade Communications Systems Inc (NasdaqGS: BRCD – News ) on Monday reported a higher than expected quarterly profit, despite concerns about competition amid a series of mergers and acquisitions among rivals. Shares in Japan Airlines Corp (Tokyo:9205.T – News ) slid to a record low on Tuesday on growing investor worries that Asia’s largest airline by revenue could face bankruptcy as it struggles to agree pension cuts. The European Commission said on Tuesday it had closed formal anti-trust proceedings against U.S. chip maker Qualcomm as complaints against the firm had been dropped. Oil slipped toward $77 a barrel on Tuesday, held down by a firmer dollar, but trade was thin ahead of the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and data that was expected to show crude stocks rising in the United States. The dollar rose as some investors bought the currency or closed dollar-short positions before Thanksgiving. Hong Kong and China stocks sank on Tuesday, with Shanghai’s SSE composite index ( ^SSEC – News ) dropping 3.5 percent, dragged down by banks as investors took profit after a recent rally, while concerns about capital-raising plans by lenders sparked fears of shareholder dilution. European stocks were down 0.7 in morning trade, led lower by banks, while miners such as Xstrata (LSE: XTA.L – News ) dropped along with metal prices. The day’s economic agenda includes the Commerce Department’s preliminary (second) estimate of Q3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, due at 1330 GMT (8:30 a.m. EST). Investors will also keep an eye on monthly consumer sentiment data, due at 1500 GMT (10 a.m. EST). On the earnings front, H.J. Heinz Co. (NYSE: HNZ – News ), Medtronic (NYSE: MDT – News ) and Hormel Foods Corp. (NYSE: HRL – News ) are among the few companies due to report on Tuesday. Kenneth Feinberg, the Obama administration’s pay czar, is being pressed by federal officials to relax executive compensation restrictions at American International Group Inc (NYSE: AIG – News ) for 2010, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. U.S. stocks snapped a three-day losing streak on Monday as stronger than expected home sales data fueled optimism while a weaker dollar boosted commodity-linked stocks. The Dow Jones industrial average (DJI: ^DJI – News ) gained 132.79 points, or 1.29 percent, to end at 10,450.95. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index ( ^SPX – News ) rose 14.86 points, or 1.36 percent, to 1,106.24. The Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq: ^IXIC – News ) added 29.97 points, or 1.40 percent, to close at 2,176.01. (Reporting by Blaise Robinson; Editing by Greg Mahlich) Read the original post: Stock futures signal losses; HP eyed (Reuters)

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ABINGDON, UK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oxagen Limited, a drug discovery and development company specializing in inflammation, announced today the successful completion of a £16 Million ($26.7 Million) Series C round led by Novartis Venture Funds. The proceeds of the funding will be used primarily to advance Oxagen’s CRTH2 antagonist programme in inflammatory and respiratory diseases. This will include the completion of an ongoing Phase IIb clinical study of the lead molecule OC000459 in moderate persistent asthma. This follows the successful completion of proof-of-concept (POC) studies in both asthma and allergic rhinitis. CRTH2, also known as DP2 is a cell surface receptor for prostaglandin D2 and is implicated in allergic inflammation. The funds will also be used to expand the therapeutic indications for CRTH2 antagonists using the lead molecule as well as back-up compounds. The investment was led by Novartis Venture Funds, and joined by existing investors including MPM Capital, SV Life Sciences, Advent Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Omega, Abingworth, IBT, Red Abbey and The Wellcome Trust. Commenting on the fundraising, Mark Payton, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Oxagen said, “We are delighted to welcome Novartis Ventures as a new investor in Oxagen. We are excited by the potential shown to date by CRTH2 antagonists in general and by OC000459 in particular. This funding will allow us to both advance and broaden the therapeutic utility of our portfolio of molecules. We are delighted that this potential has been recognised both by our new lead investor, as well as by our strong base of existing investors.” Anja König, Ph.D., Managing Director at Novartis Venture Funds commented “We are looking forward to joining Oxagen in their exciting effort to deliver their first in class medicine to patients with asthma, a condition with significant unmet need. CRTH2 is a very promising new target in asthma and inflammation and Oxagen’s lead compound has the potential to become a blockbuster.” Anja König will join the Oxagen Board of Directors. -ENDS- Notes for Editors: About Oxagen Oxagen is a biopharmaceutical company building a novel drug pipeline with a focus on inflammatory and respiratory diseases. Oxagen’s pipeline of novel small molecule drugs is based on targets validated in man. Oxagen was established in April 1997. The Company is based in Milton Park, south of Oxford. For more information on Oxagen, please visit www.oxagen.co.uk Here is the original post: Oxagen Limited Raises £16 Million in Series C Private Venture Capital Financing Led by Novartis Venture Funds (Business Wire)

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FRANKFURT (AP) — The euro fell against the dollar in European morning trade Tuesday as investors moved back to the safety of the American currency after declines in Asian equity markets. The euro bought $1.4902 compared with $1.4973 late Monday in New York. The British pound also fell, buying $1.6530 compared with $1.6621 while the dollar slid to 88.61 Japanese yen from 89.02 yen late Monday in New York. Japanese shares fell to a new four-month low Tuesday, after overnight gains on Wall Street amid growing pessimism over a recovery in the world’s No. 2 economy. The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average dropped to its lowest point since July 17. Sentiment in Tokyo also turned downbeat because of a strong yen, which pressures Japanese exporters by eroding their overseas profits. “Yesterday’s dollar slide was halted just above the previous lows, after Tokyo shares fell on concerns that Japanese banks will sell more shares to replenish capital,” Michael Hewson, a currency analyst at CMC markets, said in a Tuesday research note. Hewson said the euro versus the dollar didn’t break the $1.50 mark Monday and failure to gain a foothold above that key level doesn’t bode well for the euro, which could next fall to the $1.4800 to $1.4810 level. Hewson said, however, that if the euro moves higher than the $1.5060 to $1.5070 level, than currency markets could target the euro going as high as $1.5290. Investors will be looking to Germany’s Ifo economic sentiment survey later Tuesday for an indication on the direction of Europe’s largest economy. Read the original: Euro falls to $1.4902 in European morning trade (AP)

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ESPOO, Finland, November 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Nokia (NYSE: NOK – News ) today unveiled two new 3G slider phones, the Nokia 6700 slide and Nokia 7230, made for the design-conscious consumer and optimized for socializing and sharing with those closest to you. Available in various fresh colors, with great imaging features and quick access to popular social networking communities, the Nokia 6700 slide and Nokia 7230 make a real style statement. Both devices are expected to become available in the first quarter of 2010, and the retail prices before taxes and subsidies are anticipated to be EUR 160 for the Nokia 6700 slide, and EUR 100 for the Nokia 7230. Nokia 6700 slide – Capture and share quickly and easily With a choice of six fresh and vivid colors – pink, red, petrol blue, aluminum, lime and purple – this slimline slider is sure to turn heads. Its compact size, modern design and aluminum finish feels great in the hand, and fits perfectly even in the smallest pocket or bag. The smart capabilities of the Nokia 6700 slide are beautifully easy to use: The 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics is perfect for capturing and sharing moments as they happen. Favorite images can be edited on the go and uploaded to the web directly from the camera menu. The device’s high speed 3G connectivity ensures your favorite communities are always as close as your Nokia 6700 slide. Nokia 7230 – Share in style Being connected has never looked so good. The Nokia 7230’s compact slide design, colorful looks and solid set of features are a package that offers great value for money. Sharing special moments and joy with friends and family is effortless, thanks to the 3.2 megapixel camera, large 2.4″ display and fast 3G connectivity. With the Nokia 7230 in your pocket, you also have quick access to email, instant messaging and social networks on the go, and the subtle illumination indicates if you have missed calls or messages from your friends. Additional press materials and photos can be found at http://www.nokia.com/press . About Nokia Nokia is a pioneer in mobile telecommunications and the world’s leading maker of mobile devices. Today, we are connecting people in new and different ways – fusing advanced mobile technology with personalized services to enable people to stay close to what matters to them. We also provide comprehensive digital map information through NAVTEQ; and equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks. http://www.nokia.com Here is the original post: Fresh Looks and Smart Features: New Nokia 6700 Slide and Nokia 7230 Unveiled (PR Newswire)

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MultiMedia Intelligence’s research has exposed a brutal truth with a report over a year in the making: these holidays may be cancelled. An ugly start to the 2009 seasonal holiday spending frenzy, aka Black Friday, is about to happen. PMPs (Personal Media Players) to 73″ HDTVs to PCs to Mobile Handsets will suffer this holiday season. That means from semiconductors manufacturers to box makers there will be pain for all. Case in point: the semiconductor industry got downgraded Thursday, Nov. 19 th , 2009 because analysts determined that inventories were rapidly replenished; meaning, no back log for chips. Our current research: There’s No Such Thing as GREEN Technologies– Just Good Business: Economic, Technological, and Political Influences in “GREEN” Thinking , shows that spending will be down this holiday season, ranging from best case, down 2%, to worst case, down 5%. According to MMI research, the sub-prime disaster here in the U.S. reared its ugly head mid-2007. Shortly after that it was evident the U.S. wasn’t alone, it was a global problem. By mid-2009 the U.S. had seen approximately $7T of its people’s wealth disappear. Now every industry is suffering, except for three: foreclosures, bankruptcy and the U.S. Government ! Government said if we don’t pass TARP, unemployment in the U.S. could reach 9%. Well, TARP was passed and 9% unemployment in the U.S. passed as well. Government is now telling us that to save our economy we must totally rebuild our health insurance system. We must provide Universal Healthcare (UHC) to all U.S. citizens. They also tell us we are killing our planet and the only way to save our world is to pass Cap & Trade. That’s not all; they also want to create a GREEN Economy. “From bailouts to universal healthcare the U.S. economy is not recovering; it’s on life support. GDP has gotten zero stimuli from this Administration, and that is why we have double digit unemployment. By the way, that number is going to grow in 2010,” said Rick Sizemore, President for MMI . Sizemore continued: “The government is pushing UHC, Cap & Trade (to force green) while promoting GREEN. These are tax and spending policies, not long-term growth policies. The consumer drives the U.S. economy and they are scared, depressed, and broke.” After the sub-prime collapse in 2008, the U.S. Credit-Card Industry said they would pull more than $2T worth of credit over an 18-month period. We now have the perfect storm. Official unemployment of 10.2% (almost 20% is the actual) and growing, every industry having hiring freezes, no personal credit, and over $7T lost in personal wealth. It’s going to be a Holly Jolly Christmas. Pain for 2010 trends: Handsets, Cable, Satellite, IP-Everything Broad Band From Cable/Sat to WiMax/LTE Video Conferencing Digital Signage Automotive The Oil Complex Information Technologies And much more. This Holiday Season the mantra will be, “Buy what you need.” Or maybe ZhuZhu Pets will save the day? This study: There’s No Such Thing as GREEN Technologies – Just Good Business: Economic, Technological and Political Influences in “GREEN” Thinking , is the culmination of over one year of research & analysis to identify the opportunities, define profit centers vs. sink holes. The study will be available January 2010. For more information, visit www.MultiMediaIntelligence.com or contact Rick Sizemore (480) 213-4151 Rick@MultiMediaIntelligence.com . About MultiMedia Intelligence MultiMedia Intelligence, a market research and consultancy firm, specializes on the markets and technologies for delivering and monetizing digital content and services across multiple platforms. We look beyond the classic ‘three screens,’ which include TVs, mobile handsets, and computers. We put markets into the broader context of the industry ecosystems that are converging and changing traditional business models. Originally posted here: MultiMedia Intelligence Sees Black Friday Sales Down 5% from 2008 with a Bleak Cyber Monday to Follow, Maybe GREEN Will Save the DAY (Business Wire)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans don’t expect a health care overhaul to affect their lives directly, but those who worry about the fallout outnumber those expecting to come out ahead, a poll out Tuesday has found. The survey by the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation finds that Americans are tuning in to the debate in Washington, with 60 percent saying they’re following it very closely or fairly closely. Most see a change ahead for the nation, and they’re divided on whether that will be for good or ill. But when it comes to their own personal lives, Americans say they don’t expect much of an impact. Asked how the health care overhaul would affect their own access to medical care, 57 percent said it would stay the same. Similarly, 61 percent said their personal financial situation would stay about the same. Among those who do expect a change, 28 percent said they thought their access to care would get worse, while 15 percent said they thought it would improve. On finances, 27 percent said they thought the health care bill would make them worse off financially, while 12 percent expected an improvement. “The majority of Americans do have health insurance, so to the extent they see the reform debate as a way to expand coverage for the uninsured, they may not see that they stand to gain as much from it,” said Brian Quinn, a senior researcher with the foundation, which supports the general goals of health care reform. Answers shifted when the poll asked about changes in store for the country as whole. Fewer than 30 percent thought things would stay the same if Congress passes legislation. Americans split 35-35 on whether access to medical care would improve around the country. Concern about the federal budget was sharper, with 39 percent saying the nation’s finances would be worse off, compared with 33 percent saying the legislation would improve the balance sheet. Nonetheless, Americans seem to want lawmakers to tackle health care. Seventy-nine percent say it is important for President Barack Obama to include health care reform in addressing the nation’s economic crisis. The Democratic bills would require all Americans to carry health insurance, with government help to make premiums more affordable. They would ban insurance companies from denying coverage or charging more to people with health problems. They would set up new insurance markets for those who now have the hardest time finding and keeping coverage — self-employed people and small businesses. The poll, a monthly status check on Americans’ views about health care, also found that consumers’ confidence in their health insurance coverage and ability to access care increased sharply in October. Indeed, Robert Wood Johnson’s index of consumer health care confidence rose to 104.4 points, up about 8 percent from 96.6 in September. Researchers credited better news about the economy and progress on health care in the Senate at the time the poll was conducted. The telephone survey of 500 people was conducted between Sept. 24 and Oct. 27. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. Original post: Poll: Americans conflicted over health overhaul (AP)

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hewlett-Packard Co.’s cost-cutting and push into new markets is helping soften the blow from weakness in the company’s mainstay businesses. AP – FILE – In this March 8, 2009 file photo, the Hewlett-Packard Co. facility in Palo Alto, Calif., is … HP on Monday reported big revenue declines in four of its main divisions — PCs, servers, software and printers — in the latest quarter. A bright spot was technology services, a division HP beefed up last year with the $13.9 billion acquisition of Electronic Data Systems and which posted better profits. HP is eliminating 24,600 jobs as part of that takeover. HP’s numbers reinforce trends other companies have reported: Consumers and China are showing stronger demand, while businesses remain hesitant. Other tech heavyweights such as Google Inc., IBM, Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. have reported better conditions in some of their businesses. HP said after the market closed that its earnings jumped 14 percent to $2.4 billion, or 99 cents per share, in the three months ended Oct. 31. That compares with $2.1 billion, or 84 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding one-time items, net income totaled $1.14 per share. Sales fell 8 percent to $30.8 billion, or dropped 5 percent if currency fluctuations are stripped out. By both metrics, the results exceeded the expectations of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. HP also added $8 billion to its stock buyback program, boosting the total amount available to $12 billion. HP’s latest moves represent a shift away from the company’s dependence on the PC market, which is vulnerable to swings in consumer and corporate spending, as well as to fluctuations in prices for components like memory chips and LCD screens. On the other hand, companies will pay for things like outsourcing services even in lean times, because they save money in the long run. IBM has ridden that model to better profits in the recession, despite slumping sales. The PC division supplies a third of HP’s revenue but just 15 percent of the company’s operating profit, numbers that are getting slimmer as PC makers aggressively cut prices to court cash-strapped consumers and people snap up little laptops called “netbooks” that sell for just a few hundred dollars. In the latest period, HP’s PC shipments rose 8 percent, but revenue in the PC division fell 12 percent. The trend has hurt other PC makers as well. Last week, Dell Inc., the No. 3 PC maker, disappointed investors by reporting a 54 percent drop in net income in its latest quarter. Still, HP’s results support Gartner Inc.’s report Monday that the third quarter was “much stronger” than expected for PC sales. Gartner is now predicting that PC shipments will rise 2.8 percent this year, up from a prior forecast for a 2 percent decline. HP, which is buying 3Com Corp. for $2.7 billion to expand computer networking, announced its preliminary results on Nov. 11, so investors knew what was coming. Still, some apparently expected even better. HP shares dipped 32 cents to $50.70 in extended trading, having closed up 2 percent at $51.02 ahead of the earnings report. See original here: HP profit jumps on cost cuts, new market expansion (AP)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 2.1 million drop-side cribs by Stork Craft Manufacturing are being recalled, the biggest crib recall in U.S history, following reports of four infant suffocations. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said late Monday the recall involves 1.2 million cribs in the United States and almost 1 million in Canada, where Stork Craft is based. Sales of the cribs being recalled go back to 1993. Nearly 150,000 of the cribs carry the Fisher-Price logo. The CPSC said it is aware of four infants who suffocated in the drop-side cribs, which have a side that moves up and down to allow parents to lift children from the cribs more easily. The agency also said there have been 110 incidents of drop-sides detaching from the cribs. The Stork Craft cribs have had problems with their hardware, which can break, deform or become missing after years. CPSC said there can also be problems with assembly mistakes by the crib owner. These problems can cause the drop-side to detach, creating a dangerous space between the drop-side and the crib mattress, where a child can become trapped. The commission is urging parents to stop using the cribs until receiving a free repair kit from Stork Craft. The kit will convert the drop-side into a fixed side. The cribs, which were manufactured and distributed between January 1993 and October 2009, were sold at major retailers including BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sears and Wal-Mart stores and online through Target and Costco. They sold for between $100 and $400, and were made in Canada, China and Indonesia. Calls to Stork Craft were not immediately returned. This is the second big recall this year for the company. It recalled about 500,000 cribs in January because of problems with the metal brackets that support the mattress. Some of the same models in the earlier recall were also part of Monday’s announcement, CPSC said. Consumer advocates have complained for years about drop-side cribs. More than 5 million of them have been recalled over the past two years alone — recalls that were associated with the deaths of a dozen young children. ASTM International, an organization that sets voluntary industry safety standards for everything from toys to the steel used in commercial buildings, approved a new standard last week that requires four immovable, or fixed, sides for full-size cribs — essentially eliminating the manufacture of drop-side cribs. CPSC is also considering new rules for making cribs safer and could adopt the ASTM voluntary standard as a mandatory one, outright banning the cribs. Nancy Cowles, executive director of Chicago-based Kids In Danger, said the agency must include more rigorous testing for crib durability. “Parents should be able to trust that their child is safe in their crib,” said Cowles. Toys”R”Us started phasing out drop-side cribs earlier this year and will no longer carry them next month. In the Stork Craft recall, the manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm’s name, address and contact information are located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The firm’s insignia “storkcraft baby” or “storkling” is inscribed on the drop-side teething rail of some cribs. Consumers can contact the company, 877-274-0277, to order the free repair kit, or log on to http://www.storkcraft.com . Consumer Product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov Continue reading here: Govt issues record 2.1M recall for dropside cribs (AP)

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By Susan Fenton Reuters – Investors play cards in front of an electronic screen showing stock information at a brokerage house in Taiyuan, … {”s” : “^axjo,^dji,^n225″,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} HONG KONG (Reuters) – The dollar stabilized in early trade on Tuesday after losing ground in New York, while Asian shares slipped as investors shrugged off upbeat U.S. home sale data and took a breather after recent gains. The dollar ( ^DXY – News ) recovered ground as investors in Asia grew more cautious ahead of a string of U.S. economic data this week and the start of the Christmas shopping season on Friday after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, which will be a key test of consumer confidence. The dollar ( ^DXY – News ) was up 0.2 percent against a basket of major currencies after falling in New York where the market took comments by U.S. Federal Reserve official James Bullard on Sunday as further evidence the U.S. would maintain its very low interest rate policy for some time. Dealers in Tokyo said some investors on Tuesday were closing dollar short-positions ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Asian shares slid despite a solid performance on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones (DJI: ^DJI – News ) rose 1.3 percent as data showed existing home sales reached their highest level in two-and-a-half years. The MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks traded outside Japan ( ^MIAPJ0000PUS – News ) was down 0.4 percent but it has already rallied 66 percent this year, leading some investors to question whether economic data is strong enough to justify further gains at this stage. Revised third-quarter U.S. GDP data and a U.S. consumer confidence report later on Tuesday will give more clues on the strength of the world’s largest economy. Sales at U.S. retailers on Friday after the holiday could yield vital clues to the recovery power of American consumers, whose spending accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy. They could also signal whether Asian exporters can expect a rush of late orders before Christmas. The Thomson Reuters index of regional shares ( ^TRXFLDAXPU – News ) was virtually unchanged. “It’s a day-to-day situation. Any snippets of good news are well received here, but the gains are not necessarily sustained,” said David Spry, research manager at F.W. Holst in Australia, where the main stock index (ASX: ^AXJO – News ) slipped 0.2 percent. “The market has anticipated a fair bit already and we haven’t got much to show for it yet, results don’t come out till February next year,” he said, referring to the next corporate profit reporting season. JAL HITS RECORD LOW Japan’s Nikkei index (Osaka: ^N225 – News ) dipped 0.5 percent as a firm yen hit shares of exporters and investors worried about the economy. Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii said Japanese demand was weak and fiscal policy alone could not revive it, putting pressure on the Bank of Japan to respond to deflation. Japan Airlines (Tokyo:9205.T – News ) tumbled 7 percent, hitting a record low at one point, on fears the struggling carrier could face bankruptcy and on news that trading house Mitsui & Co (Tokyo:8031.T – News ) had sold its entire stake in the firm. As the dollar steadied, gold retreated to $1,165.20 after hitting a new record high at $1,173.50 on Monday. Oil prices were little changed at around $77.50 a barrel ahead of a weekly inventory report due later from the American Petroleum Institute. “The market is basically in a holding pattern, awaiting more data,” said Peter McGuire, managing director of Commodity Warrants Australia. Growing jitters over looming monthly economic data in South Korea sent Korean government bonds lower and the five-year government bond yield rose three basis points to 4.83 percent. (Additional reporting by Victoria Thieberger in MELBOURNE and Jennifer Tan in SINGAPORE; Editing by Kim Coghill) Visit link: Dollar stabilizes, Asia shares slip (Reuters)

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Networking gear maker Brocade Communications Systems Inc. said Monday its fourth-quarter profit fell 6 percent as hefty costs offset a surge in revenue, but reiterated its guidance for fiscal 2010. Net income in the three months ended Oct. 31 fell to $33.6 million, or 7 cents per share, from $35.6 million, or 9 cents per share, a year ago. The company said the cost of goods sold ballooned to $250.9 million from $153.4 million, while research and development, sales and markeing and legal fees also jumped year-over-year. Still, adjusted to exclude one-time items such as litigation fees and restructuring costs, earnings would have totaled 15 cents per share in the latest period, beating the expectations of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters by 2 cents. Revenue rose 31 percent to $521.8 million on strong growth in product sales helped by the company’s Foundry Networks acquisition. The figures just topped analysts’ $521.1 million estimate. CEO Mike Klayko said in a statement that Brocade is benefitting from “the relentless growth in data and network traffic, which continues to remain robust regardless of economic cycles.” For the full year, Brocade lost $76.5 million, or 19 cents per share, reversing a year-earlier profit, though revenue grew 33 percent to $1.95 billion. Brocade continues to see its adjusted earnings for fiscal 2010 ranging between 56 cents and 61 cents per share, with revenue between $2.25 billion and $2.45 billion. On average, analysts have forecast profit of 61 cents per share on revenue of $2.28 billion. The company said in a statement posted on its Web site that it expects IT spending will continue to recover during the first half of 2010 and approach normalcy in the second half of the year. Shares of Brocade closed down 21 cents, or 2.7 percent, at $7.80 before the earnings were released. The stock has fallen 16 percent since Hewlett-Packard Co. announced its $2.7 billion takeover of 3Com Corp. on Nov. 11. Analysts have said that deal dims the prospect of a partnership between HP and Brocade for corporate networking equipment. See the rest here: Brocade 4Q profit drops on costs; backs guidance (AP)

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hewlett-Packard Co.’s profit jumped 14 percent in the latest quarter, proof that cost-cutting and a push into rival IBM Corp.’s stronghold of technology services is helping the company absorb a falloff in sales in most of its major divisions. AP – FILE – In this March 8, 2009 file photo, the Hewlett-Packard Co. facility in Palo Alto, Calif., is … {”s” : “coms,csco,dell,goog,hpq,ibm,intc,it,msft”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} As a yardstick for the health of overall technology spending, HP’s latest numbers reinforce trends other companies have reported: Consumers and China are showing stronger demand, while businesses remain hesitant. Other tech heavyweights such as Google Inc., IBM, Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. have reported better conditions in some of their businesses. HP also added $8 billion to its stock buyback program, boosting the total amount available to $12 billion. HP reported Monday after the market closed that it earned $2.4 billion, or 99 cents per share, in the three months ended Oct. 31. That compares with $2.1 billion, or 84 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding one-time items, net income was $1.14 per share. Sales fell 8 percent to $30.8 billion, or dropped 5 percent if currency fluctuations are stripped out. By both metrics, the results exceeded the expectations of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. Investors had a good idea what was coming, since HP announced its better-than-expected preliminary results on Nov. 11. Still, some apparently expected even better. HP shares dipped 20 cents, less than 0.4 percent, to $50.82 in extended trading. Before the earnings report they closed at $51.02, up 2 percent. HP’s results show how important the expansion beyond personal computers has been for the world’s No. 1 PC maker. Four of HP’s major divisions — PCs, servers, software and printers — each reported big revenue declines from last year, a trend HP has responded to buy buying its way into other, more profitable markets. HP’s services division, which it beefed up last year with the $13.9 billion acquisition of IBM rival Electronic Data Systems, posted better profits. Unlike IBM, however, HP didn’t release the dollar value of its new-contract signings or the value of its services backlog, key indicators of how much business is in the pipeline. HP, which is based in Palo Alto, is also muscling into Cisco Systems Inc.’s turf of computer networking with the $2.7 billion takeover of 3Com Corp. announced last month. The moves represent a shift away from HP’s dependence on the PC market, which is vulnerable to swings in consumer and corporate spending, as well as to fluctuations in prices for components like memory chips and LCD screens. The PC division supplies a third of HP’s revenue but just 15 percent of the company’s operating profit, numbers that are getting slimmer as PC makers aggressively cut prices to court cash-strapped consumers and people snap up little laptops called “netbooks” that sell for just a few hundred dollars. In the latest period, HP’s PC shipments rose 8 percent, while revenue in the PC division fell 12 percent. The trend has hurt other PC makers as well. Last week, Dell Inc., the No. 3 PC maker, disappointed investors by reporting a 54 percent drop in net income in its latest quarter. Still, HP’s results support Gartner Inc.’s report Monday that the third quarter was “much stronger” than expected for PC sales. Gartner is now predicting that PC shipments will rise 2.8 percent this year. The firm was predicting a 2 percent decline before. Deep cost cuts have accompanied HP’s shift in strategy. HP is eliminating 24,600 jobs as part of the EDS acquisition, and hasn’t addressed whether there will be layoffs at 3Com, which has 5,800 employees worldwide. In May the company announced a separate round of 6,400 cuts involving workers from the product divisions. Link: HP profit jumps on cost-cutting, services strength (AP)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Monday the nation’s economy is in good shape for the long term thanks to “core strengths” such as its universities, its innovation and a dynamic workforce. AP – Defense Secretary Roberty Gates, third from left, watches as President Barack Obama speaks during a meeting with members … But he also noted again how 2009 has been a sobering year for millions of newly unemployed people. “We cannot sit back and be satisfied given the extraordinarily high unemployment levels that we’ve seen,” Obama said in wrapping up a pre-Thanksgiving session with his Cabinet as other senior aides packed the meeting room. “We have only taken the first step in curing our economy.” The unemployment rate stands at a 26-year high of 10.2 percent, overshadowing more upbeat indicators such as a return in growth of the overall economy. Obama told reporters that his Cabinet discussion included matters of national security and the upcoming budget, but the emphasis was on job creation. He recapped both his administration’s efforts to help stabilize the financial sector and the web of challenges that have slowed an overall recovery. “Something that our economic team emphasized is that there are core strengths to the American economy that will put us in good stead over the long term,” Obama said. He said the key is bridging that gap toward a more prosperous time and promised he won’t let up “until businesses are investing again and businesses are hiring again.” Obama’s line about the underlying “core strengths” of the economy offered echoes of a phrase he mocked during last year’s presidential campaign. As the financial sector was collapsing in September 2008, Republican nominee John McCain assured Americans that “the fundamentals of our economy are strong,” a statement Obama quickly used as evidence that the Arizona senator was out of touch. President George W. Bush had also been known for using that phrase. Sitting between Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Obama told his Cabinet to get some rest over the Thanksgiving holiday. But he said he also reminded his advisers that they have the chance to help millions of struggling people, and “we need to take advantage of that.” The president took no questions and did not respond to a reporter’s query about the president’s Afghanistan war review. Visit link: Obama: US economy has ‘core strengths’ (AP)

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HOUSTON (AP) — Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP said Monday that it expects to pay out an annual cash dividend of $4.40 per unit in 2010, up from $4.20 in 2009. Chairman and CEO Richard D. Kinder also said in a statement that the energy transportation and storage company expects to invest about $1.5 billion in expansions and small acquisitions in 2010. The board of directors will review and approve KMP’s 2010 budget at its January meeting. Shares of Kinder Morgan rose 22 cents to $56.85 in after-hours trading, after gaining 64 cents during the regular session to close at $56.63. Continued here: Kinder Morgan expects to pay $4.40 annual dividend (AP)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — First-time buyers taking advantage of a special tax credit gave sales of existing homes in October their biggest surge in a decade, raising hopes for a turnaround in the housing market and pleasing Wall Street. AP – In this Nov. 17, 2009 photo, A “sold” sign is seen outside a home in Los Angeles. October … {”s” : “bac,c,fnm,fre,jpm,wfc,zipr”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} While rising foreclosures and disappearing jobs still threaten the comeback, there are now bidding wars for houses in some cities, and home sales are nearly 36 percent above their low point in January. The National Association of Realtors said resales rose 10.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.1 million in October, from 5.5 million in September. It was the biggest monthly increase in a decade and far better than what economists expected, according to Thomson Reuters. Analysts said the gains mainly reflected the tax credit of up to $8,000 for new homeowners, which was due to expire this month before Congress extended it until spring — and expanded it to more buyers. The sales figures released Monday provided the juice for a rally on Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrial average, also lifted by a weak dollar, rose more than 130 points. The extension of the homebuyer tax credit should help sustain the housing market next year, economists said. Yet the overall economy will probably benefit only slightly from higher home sales. There are still too many factors weighing down the recovery. Foreclosures are rising. Job creation is slow. People remain reluctant to spend. And construction of new homes — as opposed to sales of existing ones — plunged in October. The biggest contribution the housing industry makes to economic growth is from home building. Commissions and fees generated from home sales also help, but far less than construction. “I wouldn’t want to bet the house on housing, really, in terms of the strength of the U.S. economy going forward,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial in Chicago.” That’s partly because shoppers seem in no mood to spend. In fact, 93 percent say they’ll spend less or about the same as last year, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. Half of all those polled say they’re suffering at least some debt-related stress. Next year is likely to bring only slight improvement, given high unemployment and tight credit, according to the National Association for Business Economics. Consumer spending will rise a lackluster 2 percent next year, restraining the recovery, NABE forecasters said. For now, the housing market is feeding on the homebuyer tax credit, along with falling home prices and low mortgage rates. Average rates on 30-year mortgages have hovered around 5 percent this fall. At the current sales pace, there’s a modest seven-month supply of previously occupied homes on the market. Sales are still running 16 percent below their peak in 2005, but real estate agents say the pace has definitely picked up. “People who are looking, they are serious,” said Harrison Tulloss, an agent with ZipRealty Inc. in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. “They’re not riding around with me if they need to go shopping or buy a turkey.” Joey Wilson and her husband made unsuccessful offers on 20 Las Vegas homes starting in midsummer before they closed on a four-bedroom, $136,000 home this month. “It’s insane,” said Wilson, who relocated from Kentucky. “I’ve never seen a market like this before.” Reduced home prices and federal programs to lower mortgage rates have brought more buyers into the market. The median sales price was $173,100 in October, down 7 percent from a year earlier and 25 percent below the peak. Many experts predict prices will hit a new low next spring, perhaps falling 5 to 10 percent further as more foreclosures spill into the market. The government has tried to counter that trend by offering the tax credit and keeping mortgage rates low. Without the a deadline looming for the tax credit, home sales are likely to fall over the winter as buyers hibernate for a few months. Analysts say the new deadline — buyers have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30 — means sales will surge next spring, before dropping back again later in 2010. What happens after that is anyone’s guess. “When we do kick those crutches out from under the housing market, will it be able to stand on its own?” said Mark Fleming, chief economist with First American CoreLogic. “It’s really hard to tell.” The government has also helped the housing market by acting to lower mortgage rates. The Federal Reserve, for example, has pumped $1.25 trillion into mortgage-backed securities to try to lower mortgage rates and loosen credit. That program is scheduled to end by March. If rates go up without the government help, homes would be less affordable, which could dampen demand. A disquieting report last week from the Mortgage Bankers Association said more fixed-rate home loans made to people with good credit were sinking into foreclosure as layoffs go on. A record-high 14 percent of homeowners with a mortgage were either behind on payments or in foreclosure at the end of September. In areas where foreclosures have hit hard, housing remains depressed, despite low prices, low mortgage rates and the tax credit. Yet for homebuyers with cash and access to credit, falling prices and low mortgage rates have proved irresistible. The Realtors’ report on October home sales reflects offers made before buyers knew the credit would be extended. In Raleigh, N.C., first-time buyer Louise Brunson snapped up a three-bedroom town house for $235,000. She and her husband had planned to buy a year and a half ago but decided to wait until prices fell further. The tax credit was a big plus, too. “We suspected that it might be extended,” said Brunson, a paralegal. “But we did want to go ahead and get it done to be on the safe side.” Associated Press writers Alex Veiga, Adrian Sainz and David Twiddy contributed to this report. Here is the original post: Tax credit gives home sales best boost in decade (AP)

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By Al Yoon NEW YORK (Reuters) – Freddie Mac, the U.S. mortgage finance giant, said on Monday it is seeking $595 million in loan payments and other funds hung up after the bankruptcy of lender Taylor, Bean & Whitaker. Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE – News ; NYSE: FRE – News ) said it filed a proof of claim for the money that “should remain” on deposit with Colonial Bank, the failed financial institution used by Taylor Bean as it collected mortgage principal and interest payments from borrowers, according to a regulatory filing. The claim could add to the fallout from the Taylor Bean bankruptcy, which came after the government suspended its relationship with the firm. Freddie Mac has previously said its exposure to Taylor Bean’s obligations to repurchase loans was about $500 million as of September 30. While total exposures to Taylor Bean are unknown, “the amount of additional losses related to such exposures could be significant,” the McLean, Virginia-based company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ocala, Florida-based Taylor Bean, which was the nation’s 12th-largest U.S. mortgage lender from January to June, filed for protection from creditors in August. Losses faced from Taylor Bean or Colonial would compound troubles for Freddie Mac, which as the second-largest U.S. provider of home funding is reeling from losses as the housing crisis unfolds. They may add to what the company needs from the U.S. Treasury, which since late 2008 has supplied $52 billion to keep the company solvent and active in the housing market. The Federal Housing Administration suspended Taylor Bean earlier in August, citing its failure to submit a required annual financial report, its having “misrepresented” that it had no unresolved issues with its auditor and “irregular transactions that raised concerns of fraud.” U.S. regulators seized Colonial’s banking operations on August 14 and sold its assets to BB&T Corp (NYSE: BBT – News ), the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based regional bank. Taylor Bean has said it could not access its Colonial bank accounts and was in talks with the FDIC to let it process payments for its mortgage borrowers. Freddie Mac’s claims on funds with Colonial, or the FDIC as Colonial’s receiver, include mortgage payoffs and taxes and insurance payments received by Taylor Bean as a loan servicer, it said in the filing. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Dan Grebler) More: Freddie says TBW-related loss may grow, files claim (Reuters)

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HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: KMP – News ) today announced its preliminary projections for next year, stating that it expects KMP to declare cash distributions of $4.40 per unit for 2010, a 4.8 percent increase over its 2009 budget target of $4.20 per unit. The company also reiterated it remains confident that it will achieve its 2009 targeted distribution per unit, which represents a 4.5 percent increase over 2008. Chairman and CEO Richard D. Kinder said, “Kinder Morgan’s stable and diversified assets continue to grow and increase cash flow, even during the recent recession and ongoing weak economic times. In 2010, we anticipate that our business segments will generate almost $3.4 billion in segment earnings before DD&A, an increase of more than $400 million over the 2009 forecast. We expect to distribute approximately $1.35 billion for 2010 to our limited partners.” Kinder noted that management anticipates investing approximately $1.5 billion at KMP in expansions and small acquisitions in 2010 to further grow the company. Approximately $400 million of the equity required for this investment program will be funded by Kinder Morgan Management (NYSE: KMR – News ) dividends. KMP’s expectations assume an average West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price of approximately $84 per barrel in 2010, which approximates the current forward curve for next year. The overwhelming majority of cash generated by KMP’s assets is fee based and is not sensitive to commodity prices. In its CO 2 segment, the company hedges the majority of its oil production but does have exposure to unhedged volumes, a significant portion of which are natural gas liquids. For 2010, every $1 change in the average WTI crude oil price per barrel is expected to impact the CO 2 segment by approximately $6 million (or less than 0.2 percent of our combined business segments’ anticipated segment earnings before DD&A). The board of directors will review and approve KMP’s 2010 budget at its January board meeting and that budget will be discussed in detail during the company’s annual analyst meeting on Jan. 28, 2010, in Houston. Kinder Morgan remains committed to transparency and will continue to publish its budget on the company’s web site, www.kindermorgan.com . The 2010 budget will be the standard by which KMP measures its performance next year and will be a target for determining employee bonuses. Kinder Morgan Management, LLC Kinder Morgan Management LLC (NYSE: KMR – News ) announced its preliminary projections for 2010 and expects to declare distributions of $4.40 per share. The distribution to KMR shareholders will be paid in the form of additional KMR shares. The distribution is calculated by dividing the cash distribution to KMP unitholders by KMR’s average closing price for the 10 trading days prior to KMR’s ex-dividend date. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: KMP – News ) is a leading pipeline transportation and energy storage company in North America. KMP owns an interest in or operates more than 28,000 miles of pipelines and 170 terminals. Its pipelines transport natural gas, gasoline, crude oil, CO 2 and other products, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals and handle bulk materials like coal and petroleum coke. KMP is also the leading provider of CO 2 for enhanced oil recovery projects in North America. One of the largest publicly traded pipeline limited partnerships in America, KMP has an enterprise value of over $25 billion. The general partner of KMP is owned by Kinder Morgan, Inc., a private company. For more information please visit www.kindermorgan.com . This news release includes forward-looking statements. Although Kinder Morgan believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that such assumptions will materialize. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements herein are enumerated in Kinder Morgan’s Forms 10-K and 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Visit link: Kinder Morgan Expects to Distribute $4.40 Per Unit for 2010 (Business Wire)

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NORWOOD, Mass. (AP) — Chipmaker Analog Devices Inc. said Monday its net income fell 27 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter, as demand declined for semiconductors in its industrial and communications business. But the company predicted revenue in its fiscal first quarter up 20 percent from a year earlier, and its outlook for earnings per share exceeded analysts’ forecasts. Analog Devices said it expected earnings of 36 cents to 37 cents per share in the first quarter, excluding restructuring charges related to the closure of its fabrication facility in Cambridge. That was higher than the 28 cents per share expected by analysts. CEO Jerald Fishman said in a statement the company was beginning to see the benefits of gradual improvement in the economy, customers replenishing their inventories and investments in new products paying off. Net income in the three months to Oct. 31 fell to $105.6 million, or 36 cents per share, from $143.9 million, or 49 cents per share, in the same period a year ago. Revenue dropped 13 percent to $571.6 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of 26 cents per share and revenue of $524 million, although they typically exclude the impact of one-time items. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of 20 cents per share. For the full year, net income fell 68 percent to $247.8 million, or 85 cents per share, while revenue fell 22 percent to $2.01 billion. Shares rose 31 cents to $28.30 in after-hours trading, after closing up 46 cents, or 1.7 percent, at $27.94. Read the original: Analog Devices 4Q earnings fall; 1Q outlook upbeat (AP)

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The federal agency in charge of product safety plans to announce a crib recall on Tuesday. “There is a crib recall tomorrow, and it’s going to be really important for all parents to pay attention,” said Scott Wolfson, spokesman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. “There is also a larger effort by CPSC to put in mandatory rules to make all cribs safer.” Wolfson did not provide further details, though media reports indicated that the recall will target drop-side cribs, cribs whose sides slide down. More than 5 million cribs, bassinets and play yards have been recalled since the beginning of 2007, according to CPSC. This includes the recall of 400,000 drop-side cribs by manufacturer Simplicity in July, as the result of some fatalities, according to the CPSC. The agency also said that 600,000 drop-side cribs were recalled by Delta Enterprise in October. The recalls were prompted by concerns that infants and toddlers could get trapped by the mechanism of the crib and suffocate. “This has certainly been a hazard that we’ve been aware of for some time,” said Nancy Cowles, director of Kids In Danger, a Chicago-based advocacy group. Drop-side cribs have been associated with “dozens of deaths” over the years, she added. Toys “R” Us, one of the largest retailers of nursery furniture, said it has decided to stop placing orders for drop-side cribs and expects to stop carrying them by the end of 2009. Jennifer Albano, a Toys “R” Us spokesperson, said the company supports proposed standards that would, among other things, require that cribs no longer be manufactured with a drop-side. Albano said a consortium of crib manufacturers, consumer safety advocates and a products standards organization met with the CPSC in March to discuss the possibility of changing voluntary production standards for cribs as part of ongoing efforts to improve safety. However, no official decision has been made and Toys “R” Us does still have some drop-side cribs in stock, Albano said. The legislature in Suffolk County, N.Y., at the eastern end of Long Island, banned sales of the drop-side crib in October. See the original post: Government agency to announce crib recall Tuesday (CNNMoney.com)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Citigroup Inc. upgraded its 2010 economic growth forecasts for several countries on Monday, and said it expects a sustained but uneven global recovery next year. The annual report, released by Citi’s global research unit, said almost all major economies exited recession in the second and third fiscal quarters. Central banks are unlikely to hike key interest rates through next year, and the threat of global inflation appears contained, according to the report. Citi said a recovery looks to be even across major economies in the beginning of the year, while Asia — excluding Japan — will see sustained momentum. While the U.S. will see fairly strong economic growth, Europe and Japan will experience a more gradual recovery. Citi lifted its 2010 growth domestic product outlook for the U.S., Japan, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Korea, Argentina, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Turkey. However, it said credit availability will likely be limited for at least another year or two as banks seek to raise extra capital. Michael Saunders, Citi’s global head of developed markets economics, warned that countries will need to adjust some fiscal policies. “Global economies need central banks and governments to successfully manage the exit strategies from extreme monetary accommodation, without creating further instabilities and denting future growth prospects,” he said. Saunders expects the rankings of global economies to change drastically in the next 15 years as resource-rich regions like the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Russia and Brazil see growth. Meanwhile, as emerging markets industrialize, consumer spending there is expected to fill the gap left by moderate spending in the U.S. and other industrial countries. See the rest here: Citi upgrades global 2010 economic growth forecast (AP)

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