Idaho Sen. Larry Craig resigns in storm over sex scandal

BREAKING NEWS

September 1, 2007

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig resigns in storm over sex sting in airport men's
room.

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig resigned Saturday over a men's room sex sting,
bowing to pressure from fellow Republicans worried about a scandal
dimming their election prospects. I apologize for what I have caused,"
Craig said.

Markets Friday, 08/31/2007

Friday, 8/31/2007

| Dow : 13357.74 up 119.01

| S & P : 1473.99 up 16.35

| NASDAQ: 2596.36 up 31.06

| Bond (10Y): 4.53%, 101.69

MARKETS:
Wall St.: Thanks Bernanke, Bush
Major gauges rise after Fed chief says bank will act as needed,
President announces plan to help homeowners.

Forums:

新聞評論:吳儀成為世界第二權威女性

中國副總理吳儀被《福布斯》評為2007年"世界百名權威女性"排名榜上位列第二。More...go
to

http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch

Forums:

新聞評論:吳儀成為世界第二權威女性

中國副總理吳儀被《福布斯》評為2007年"世界百名權威女性"排名榜上位列第二。More...go
to

http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch

Stocks closed higher with the Dow adding 117 pts. as investors were reassured by comments from Fed Chief Bernanke and President Bush.

Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:03:36 -0400

Stocks closed higher with the Dow adding 117 pts. as investors were
reassured by comments from Fed Chief Bernanke and President Bush.

Bush expands govt's ability to insure home loans; temporarily suspends debt-forgiveness tax to aid troubled homeowners.

Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007

Bush expands govt's ability to insure home loans; temporarily suspends
debt-forgiveness tax to aid troubled homeowners.

U.S. stocks up as Bush offers help to troubled home owners

11:51 am ET Aug 31, 2007

DJIA

13,366

+127.38

S&P

1,473

+15.64

NASDAQ

2,589

+23.97

10Yr

4.52%

+0.017

U.S. stocks up as Bush offers help to troubled home owners

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks climbed Friday as investors bypassed a slew of economic data
to focus on separate speeches by President Bush and Federal Reserve
Chairman Ben Bernanke, with the latter not saying anything to dissuade
investors from believing that cuts in interest rates are ahead.

The Fed: Bernanke to market: Fed is on the ball

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo.
The Federal Reserve is prepared to act as needed to prevent turmoil in
global financial markets from gathering enough strength to hurt the U.S.
economy, Fed chief Ben Bernanke vowed Friday.
Bush to offer proposals to stem mortgage crisis: reports

WASHINGTON
The Bush administration proposes to expand the role of the federal
government to stem a wave of mortgage defaults, according to published
reports.

Economic Report: Inflation remains moderate in July; incomes strengthen

WASHINGTON
Inflation remained cool while household incomes and spending
strengthened in July, before market turmoil in August shook Wall Street
and Federal Reserve policymakers.

Troubled housing market looks to Washington

WASHINGTON
As foreclosures rise and sales of existing homes fall, lawmakers and
regulators alike are feeling intensified pressure to do something fast
to help homeowners and contain the subprime-mortgage crisis.

Dow charges up 100 points after the opening bell as Wall Street looks ahead to Fed Chief Bernanke speech at 10 a.m.

Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:33:34 -0400

Dow charges up 100 points after the opening bell as Wall Street looks
ahead to Fed Chief Bernanke speech at 10 a.m.

July personal income: up 0.5%; personal spending up 0.4%; core consumer prices up 0.1%, below forecast.

Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 08:36:43 -0400

July personal income: up 0.5%; personal spending up 0.4%; core consumer
prices up 0.1%, below forecast.

Market Briefing Newsletter for Thursday, 08/30/2007

Thursday, 8/30/2007

| Dow : 13238.73 down 50.56

| S & P : 1457.64 down 6.12

| NASDAQ: 2565.30 up 2.14

|Bond (10Y): 4.50%, 101.94

MARKETS:
Wall St.: Shaky before Bernanke
Major gauges struggle as investors gear up for Fed chairman's speech on
Friday.

Stocks trade mostly higher, boosted by tech gains

11:51 am ET Aug 30, 2007

DJIA

13,305

+16.50

S&P

1,467

+3.26

NASDAQ

2,586

+23.29

10Yr

4.53%

-0.024

Stocks trade mostly higher, boosted by tech gains

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks traded mostly higher Thursday, buoyed by strong gains in the
technology sector, as the market remains jittery ahead of Federal
Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech tomorrow.

Commercial paper falls $62.8 billion, Fed says

WASHINGTON
Outstanding volumes of commercial paper fell $62.8 billion last week, or
3.1%, to $1.98 trillion, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.
Asset-backed paper fell by $59.4 billion, or 5.6%, to $998 billion. The
total decline in short-term securities over the past three weeks has
totaled $244 billion, or 11%.

Financial Stocks: Credit, mortgage problems seen pressuring brokers'
earnings

BOSTON
Financial shares moved lower Thursday, under pressure as credit problems
remain a thorn in the markets' side with analysts warning about
brokerage profits and several companies saying the outlook for the
mortgage market remains bleak.

Economic Report: U.S. growth revised higher to 4% in second quarter

WASHINGTON
The U.S. economy bounced back in the second quarter, growing at a 4%
annual real growth rate, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Earnings Outlook: New focus and strategies to highlight Dell Inc.'s
latest results

SAN FRANCISCO
The technology sector's bellwether companies bring the latest
earnings-reporting season to a close on Aug. 30, when Dell Inc. is
scheduled to deliver second-quarter results that analysts expect will
include a 37% growth rate for the PC giant's earnings per share.

Dow industrials sink 100 points within first few minutes of trade Thursday.

Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:33:36 -0400

Dow industrials sink 100 points within first few minutes of trade
Thursday.

Jobless claims rose to 334,000 last week, higher than expected; economy grew 4.0 percent in 2Q.

Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:40:35 -0400

Jobless claims rose to 334,000 last week, higher than expected; economy
grew 4.0 percent in 2Q.

Toys "R" Us recalls crayon, paint sets

August 30, 2007

Toys "R" Us recalls crayon, paint sets

Toys "R" Us has recalled 27,000 crayon and paint sets made in China
because the packaging of the wooden box contains lead, as does some of
the watercolor paint within, company and government officials said
Thursday.

U.S. stocks rally, Dow up nearly 250 points

4:06 pm ET Aug 29, 2007

DJIA

13,289

+247.44

S&P

1,463

+31.40

NASDAQ

2,563

+62.52

10Yr

4.55%

+0.023

U.S. stocks rally, Dow up nearly 250 points

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks rallied across the board Wednesday, in sharp contrast to the
steep decline in the previous session, boosted by strong gains in
technology and energy shares as well as particularly light trading
volume.

The Fed: New mortgage products could help, Bernanke says

WASHINGTON
The private sector and Congress should create new, affordable mortgage
products that would help some homeowners refinance their mortgages and
keep their homes, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested in a
letter released Wednesday.
Due Diligence: State Street dogged by concerns over conduits' commercial
paper

BOSTON
State Street Corp.'s stock has come under pressure this week with credit
markets gyrating as investors try to ascertain the financial services
giant's exposure to off-balance-sheet "conduits" that issue commercial
paper.

Apple sets off iPod rumors; event set for next week

SAN FRANCISCO
Apple Inc. shares got a bump Wednesday amid fresh speculation about
upcoming changes to the company's popular iPod digital music player that
may be announced next week.

Life Savings: How to keep the 'entitlement epidemic' from infecting your
family

SAN FRANCISCO
At a time when the coolest electronic gadgets are branded with a
self-centered "i," it's no wonder that so many kids and adults believe
they're entitled to the best, latest, hippest, greatest -- and to have
it first.

Markets Wednesday, 08/29/2007

Wednesday, 8/29/2007

| Dow : 13289.29 up 247.44

| S & P : 1463.76 up 31.40

| NASDAQ: 2563.16 up 62.52

|Bond (10Y): 4.56%, 101.47

MARKETS:
Big day on Wall Street
Stocks bounce back after Tuesday's big selloff; Dow gains almost 250
points; oil prices spike on inventory report.

2 years after Katrina, rebuilding pace depends on who's paying

Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007

NEWS

U.S. hands Iranians over to Iraqis
---------------------------------------------
A group of eight Iranians, including two diplomats, were released by
U.S. forces Wednesday after being detained because unauthorized weapons
were found in their car, the U.S. military said.

Taliban releases 3 hostages
---------------------------------------------
The Taliban's decision Tuesday to release 19 South Korean Christians
held since July in Afghanistan led to emotional celebrations by the
hostages'
families. Elsewhere, there were concerns that the Taliban may be
emboldened after securing

Pilgrims forced out of Karbala
---------------------------------------------
Sporadic gunfire echoed through the center of Karbala early Wednesday
after day-long clashes between rival Shiite militias claimed up to 51
lives and forced officials to abort a Shiite religious festival that had
drawn up to 1 million pilgrims from around the world.

MONEY |

Widening subprime fallout rattles Asian investors
---------------------------------------------
Asian financial markets were roiled on Wednesday by the widening damage
caused by the U.S. subprime mortgage sector meltdown, with investors
fearing more negative surprises will emerge in the region.

Smaller businesses struggle to recover from Katrina
---------------------------------------------
New Orleans has always been a city of family-owned meat markets, dry
cleaners,
diners and corner stores. These businesses tended to be the ones most
affected by Katrina because they had the least financial resources. Two
years later, many of them still haven't received the financial help they
need.

Tightrope: What makes a 'real entrepreneur'?
---------------------------------------------
Hello Gladys, I have had a home-based business for a few years and I am
getting tired of working from home. I don't feel like a real
entrepreneur. In
fact, most of my friends don't see me as a real business owner because I
work from home. ...

U.S. stocks rise sharply on bargain-hunting

11:50 am ET Aug 29, 2007

DJIA

13,179

+137.86

S&P

1,448

+16.28

NASDAQ

2,532

+32.17

10Yr

4.53%

+0.003

U.S. stocks rise sharply on bargain-hunting

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks rose sharply Wednesday, as traders fished for bargains
following the steep decline in the previous session, with Dow component
Intel Corp. and other technology shares posting strong gains.

Altria to pursue international spin-off

CHICAGO
Altria Group Inc. said Wednesday that it will pursue a spinoff of Philip
Morris International unit to its shareholders and the precise timing
will be announced in January.

DaimlerChrysler profit falls 14%; buyback announced

LONDON
DaimlerChrysler issued its first full earnings statement without
Chrysler Wednesday, reporting a 14% drop in second-quarter profit and
saying it will take a smaller charge than previously expected from
selling off most of the U.S. automaker.

Financials bounce back a bit after Tuesday drubbing

NEW YORK
Shares of U.S. financial stocks rebounded modestly on Wednesday after
taking a pounding in the previous session.

Wall Street unfazed by Google CFO's departure

SAN FRANCISCO
Normally, the unexpected departure of a company's chief financial
officer sets off warning bells with investors that things may be amiss
in the high executive suites.

Markets Tuesday, 08/28/2007

Tuesday, 8/28/2007

| Dow : 13041.85 down 280.28

| S & P : 1432.36 down 34.43

|NASDAQ: 2500.64 down 60.61

| Bond (10Y): 4.51%, 101.84

MARKETS:
Brutal day on Wall Street
Dow slumps 280 points, Nasdaq and S&P 500 tumble as investors eye Fed
minutes, drop in confidence index, weak housing, mortgage and credit
markets.

More bloodletting for stocks with the Dow tumbling about 275 points as economic fear stabs at investor confidence.

Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:02:45 -0400

More bloodletting for stocks with the Dow tumbling about 275 points as
economic fear stabs at investor confidence.

Forums:

新聞評論：中國女童長跑迎奧運

您對"東方小神鹿萬里長跑迎奧運"有什么看法？8歲女孩長跑3,500公里體現了什么精神？
More...go to

http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch

Stocks sink further, bonds extend gains after Fed said at Aug. 7 meeting it may step in if financial conditions worsen.

Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:24:39 -0400

Stocks sink further, bonds extend gains after Fed said at Aug. 7 meeting
it may step in if financial conditions worsen.

Fed said in minutes to last meeting that further financial deterioration might lead to action by central bank.

Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:01:46 -0400

Fed said in minutes to last meeting that further financial deterioration
might lead to action by central bank.

Stocks extend losses for a second day, Dow down nearly 1%

11:50 am ET Aug 28, 2007

DJIA

13,164

-157.78

S&P

1,446

-20.65

NASDAQ

2,524

-37.12

10Yr

4.53%

-0.068

Stocks extend losses for a second day, Dow down nearly 1%

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks extended their losses Tuesday as Citigroup and other bank
stocks took a hit and investors fretted over a drop in consumer
confidence and coming commentary from the Federal Reserve.

Financial Stocks: Downgrades weigh on Lehman, Bear and Citi

NEW YORK
U.S. financial stocks fell sharply Tuesday after Merrill Lynch
downgraded two top brokerage firms and reports unveiled hefty risk
exposure at State Street.

Economic Report: Consumer confidence falls sharply in August

WASHINGTON
Softening economic conditions and volatility in financial markets led to
a sharp decline in U.S. consumer confidence in August, the Conference
Board said Tuesday, although the fall wasn't as sharp as many expected.

Economic Report: U.S. home prices fall a record 3.2%, Case-Shiller says

WASHINGTON
U.S. home prices fell at a faster rate in the second quarter, down 3.2%
compared with the same period in 2006, Standard & Poor's reported
Tuesday.

Home Depot to net $7.9 billion for HD Supply, keep equity stake

NEW YORK
Home Depot Inc. on Tuesday said it agreed to sell 87.5% of HD Supply to
a trio of private-equity firms for about $8.5 billion -- nearly $2
billion below the original offer for the entire unit -- and keep an
equity stake in the business.

Afghan fights kill 8 coalition soldiers, 29 militants

08/28/2007

NEWS

U.S., Iraqi forces kill 33 insurgents
---------------------------------------------
Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi forces backed by helicopters and jet
fighters
attacked and killed 33 Sunni insurgents who were holding back the water
supply
to the Shiite town of Khalis, the American command said in a statement
Tuesday.

Bush to urge patience in Iraq
---------------------------------------------
President Bush aims to inspire patience with the war Tuesday by arguing
that
the fight against extremists in Iraq is crucial to U.S. security and
the
future of a strategic, struggling region.

Afghan fights kill 8 coalition soldiers, 29 militants
---------------------------------------------
Fighting between NATO troops and Taliban fighters killed eight soldiers
including six Westerners in eastern and southern Afghanistan, where
insurgent
attacks are running at their highest level since the U.S. invasion,
officials
said Monday.

Iran: We Will Help Fill Iraq Power Vacuum

Breaking News
August 28, 2007

Iran: We Will Help Fill Iraq Power Vacuum

Iran's hard line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said American
influence in Iraq is faltering, and his government, working with Iraq's
other neighbors, is ready and willing to fill the "power vacuum" lurking
on the horizon. 

U.S. stocks close lower under weight of unsold homes

4:03 pm ET Aug 27, 2007

DJIA

13,322

-56.74

S&P

1,466

-12.58

NASDAQ

2,561

-15.44

10Yr

4.60%

-0.037

U.S. stocks close lower under weight of unsold homes

NEW YORK
Stocks closed lower Monday amid data indicating the count of unsold
homes hit a 16-year high in July and word Dow component Home Depot cut
the price of its wholesale-supply unit, signaling a harsher financing
climate.

Economic Report: Home inventories hit 16-year high in July

WASHINGTON
Inventories of unsold single-family homes increased by 2.2% to 3.85
million in July, sending the inventory in relation to sales to the
highest level in 16 years, the National Association of Realtors reported
Monday.

Analysts laud Home Depot efforts to salvage division's sale

CHICAGO
Analysts on Monday cheered Home Depot Inc.'s apparent agreement to slash
by nearly 18% the price for which it will sell its supply division and
keep an equity stake in the business to get the deal done.

Markets Monday, 08/27/2007

Monday, 8/27/2007

| Dow : 13322.13 down 56.74

| S & P : 1466.79 down 12.58

| NASDAQ: 2561.25 down 15.44

| Bond (10Y): 4.57%, 101.41

MARKETS:
Stocks slide on housing woes
Dow, S&P, Nasdaq all fall after existing home sales report revives
worries about mortgage market, credit crunch.

Stocks end lower Monday after more housing and credit woes wash away some of Friday's gains.

Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:02:38 -0400

Stocks end lower Monday after more housing and credit woes wash away
some of Friday's gains.

U.S. stocks extend losses after home sales data

11:46 am ET Aug 27, 2007

DJIA

13,334

-44.22

S&P

1,470

-9.04

NASDAQ

2,562

-14.67

10Yr

4.60%

-0.035

U.S. stocks extend losses after home sales data

NEW YORK
Stocks on Monday fell further after data had inventories of unsold homes
climbing to a 16-year high in July and word Dow component Home Depot had
cut the price tag for its wholesale-supply unit, signaling a harsher
financing climate.

Economic Report: Home inventories hit 16-year high in July

WASHINGTON
Inventories of unsold single-family homes increased 2.2% to 3.85 million
in July, sending the inventory in relation to sales to the highest level
in 16 years, the National Association of Realtors reported Monday.

Attorney General Gonzales resigns

WASHINGTON
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced his resignation Monday,
ending a historic but embattled tenure marked by a fierce political
battle over the firings of federal prosecutors.

Gateway to be acquired by Taiwan's Acer for $710 million

NEW YORK
Personal-computer maker Gateway Inc. on Monday said it agreed to be
acquired by Acer Inc. for $710 million, giving the Taiwan-based vendor a
bigger foothold in the U.S. market.

Goldman to buy Japan property from Tiffany in $318 mln deal: WSJ

TEL AVIV
Tiffany & Co., the New York jewelry and luxury-products retailer, will
sell its flagship property in Japan to Goldman Sachs, a person familiar
with the situation told The Wall Street Journal.