U.S. stocks close ahead as data points to tame inflation

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 17:04:19 -0400

U.S. stocks close ahead as data points to tame inflation

U.S. stocks rallyafter April data calm worries about inflation, helping
lift financial and consumer discretionary stocks, and Freddie Mac
reports smaller losses than expected, offsetting credit-market jitters.

MarketWatch First Take: Whole Foods reality check

Whole Foods is up against some serious macroeconomics. Like Starbucks,
the high-end purveyor of organic foods with the killer cheese counter
has seen growth in its same-store sales slowly erode as it taps out its
core market of customers.

Economic Report: Consumer inflation tame in April

Growth in U.S. consumer prices moderates in April, up 0.2%, with
decelerating energy prices offsetting rising food prices. Labor
Department data show growth in food prices rising at the sharpest rate
in 18 years.

Analysts cast doubts on Icahn's reported Yahoo move

SAN FRANCISCO
Some Wall Street analysts are expressing doubt that billionaire activist
investor Carl Icahn would be successful in putting Yahoo back into
merger talks with Microsoft if he decides to mount a proxy battle for
control of the Web portal's board.

Election Notebook: Look for Clinton to exit after last primary,
strategists say

Her overwhelming victory in West Virginia notwithstanding, Hillary
Clinton will likely exit the Democratic race shortly after Montana and
South Dakota voters go to the polls on June 3.