General Business News - Fed might pause on rates: Bernanke (Reuters) Reuters - Federal
Fed might pause on rates: Bernanke (Reuters)
Reuters - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday said for the first time the central bank could at some point pause its 22-month interest-rate rising campaign to allow time to divine the economy's path.
Host’s Earnings Not So Inviting (The Motley Fool)
The Motley Fool - In the Wall Street world of “bigger is better,” Host Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: HST - News) is a brokerage-house favorite. With a nearly $8 billion market cap, the company formerly known as Host Marriott is by far the largest hotel real estate investment trust (REIT), and seventeen out of its 18 stock analysts recommend its shares. But after reviewing the company’s first-quarter earnings report, investors pursuing the hotel REIT space may be better served looking elsewhere.
Judge questions EU’s Microsoft case (Reuters)
Reuters - A European Union judge on Thursday challenged a landmark European Commission antitrust decision that software giant Microsoft abused its dominance by illegally muscling out rivals.
China raises lending rate to slow booming economy (Reuters)
Reuters - China took global markets by surprise on Thursday by raising interest rates for the first time in 18 months to slow a boom in credit and investment that risks destabilizing the world's fastest-growing major economy.
OfficeMax Sees $25 Million Quarterly Loss (AP)
AP - Office supplies retailer OfficeMax Inc. on Thursday posted a sharply wider first-quarter loss as costs from closing more than 100 stores weighed on its results.
Exxon posts another huge quarterly profit (Reuters)
Reuters - Exxon Mobil Corp. , the world's largest publicly traded oil company, posted its biggest first-quarter profit ever on Thursday, but higher taxes dragged the results below Wall Street forecasts.
Jobless claims rise 11,000 last week (Reuters)
Reuters - New claims for U.S. jobless aid rose by a larger-than-expected 11,000 last week, Labor Department data showed on Thursday, but remained at levels suggesting a healthy job market.
Stocks rise as Bernanke says Fed may pause (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. stocks rose on Thursday as banks, utilities and other interest-rate sensitive shares advanced after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed may pause in its 22-month campaign of raising borrowing costs.