Opposition slams Venezuela devaluation, shoppers fret

CARACAS (Reuters) – Opposition leaders derided another currency devaluation by President Hugo Chavez‘s government as evidence of economic incompetence, while some anxious Venezuelans hit shops on Saturday in fear of price increases.Though unseen in public since cancer surgery two months ago in Cuba, government ministers said Chavez personally ordered the fifth devaluation of the bolivar in a decade...

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As Blizzard Nemo Blankets Northeast, Snow Plow Makers Clean up

As winter storm Nemo prepared to sock the Northeast with several feet of snow, a Milwaukee business that makes snow plows and salt spreaders was getting ready to clean up. Douglas Dynamics is a snow plow pure play. It owns the Western, Fisher and Blizzard brands. Since May 2010, Douglas has been a public company, trading on the NYSE under the descriptive ticker symbol “PLOW.”Dire blizzard warnings...

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Stocks end higher for sixth straight week, tech leads

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Nasdaq composite stock index closed at a 12-year high and the S&P 500 index at a five-year high, boosted by gains in technology shares and stronger overseas trade figures. The S&P 500 also posted a sixth straight week of gains for the first time since August. The technology sector led the day's gains, with the S&P 500 technology index...

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Northeast storm disrupts travel for sports teams

Several professional and college sports teams were forced to rearrange their travel plans as a massive storm swept through the Northeast, dumping a few feet of snow in some areas.The NBA's New York Knicks were stuck in Minnesota after playing the Timberwolves on Friday night, hoping to try to fly home sometime Saturday. The San Antonio Spurs were also staying overnight in Detroit after seeing their...

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How Obama can end Congo conflict

Conflict in CongoConflict in CongoConflict in CongoConflict in CongoConflict in CongoSTORY HIGHLIGHTSPresident Obama can help end the Congo conflict for good, says Vava TampaObama has asked Rwanda to end all support to armed groups in the CongoFDLR militia gang is a threat to stability and must leave CongoObama must push for change in Congolese government, argues TampaEditor's note: Vava Tampa is...

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Springsteen says “freaky” to be honored at pre-Grammys tribute

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Bruce Springsteen was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday at a star-studded pre-Grammys event where some of the biggest names in music like Sting, Alabama Shakes and Neil Young paid homage to “The Boss.”The annual event, now in its 23rd year, celebrates a star’s musical achievements and philanthropic work, and is hosted by Grammy organizers to kick off the weekend...

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The Economy Likely Grew After All, Thanks to Oil

There were big headlines—here and elsewhere—after the government reported on Jan. 30 that the U.S. economy shrank in the fourth quarter.Never mind. A little more than a week later, surprisingly good trade figures today are leading economists to predict that the government will revise its gross domestic product estimate for the last three months of 2012 into positive territory.The Department of Commerce...

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Denver’s Housing Market Continued to Recover in January Offering an Unprecedented Opportunity for Sellers

DENVER, CO–(Marketwire – Feb 8, 2013) –  Year-over-year inventory levels continue to be low, home prices are up and average days on market (DOM) for Denver-area homes is down, making for a prime sellers’ market according to the latest reports from Metrolist®, which powers REcolorado.com, a free resource for Colorado home buyers, sellers, and owners.Since July of last year, the number of available...

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Market rises on data but caution settles on Wall Street

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks edged higher on Friday, with the benchmark S&P index hitting a five-year high after a batch of positive economic reports, but gains were capped as investors grew cautious about a further advance. Data showing stronger international trade from China and Germany and a report showing a smaller U.S. trade deficit in December were seen as encouraging signs of...

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Super Bowl blackout traced to preventive equipment

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An electrical device that had been installed expressly to prevent a power outage caused the Super Bowl blackout, the stadium's power company said Friday as it took the blame for the outage that brought the game to a halt for more than a half-hour.Officials of Entergy New Orleans, a subsidiary of New Orleans-based Entergy Corp., said the device, called a relay, had been installed...

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Why I dread Chinese New Year

Kids see Chinese New Year through rose-tinted glasses.STORY HIGHLIGHTSZoe Li: As an adult, Chinese New Year is an annual nightmareIt's a time when relatives have the right to be judgmentalSuperstitious Chinese New Year foods often aren't that tasty(CNN) -- For me, Chinese New Year used to be fun.When I was a kid, I was excited during Chinese New Year when I got lai see and I could stay up late. I...

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HMV boss Moore axed as one of 60 redundancies: source

LONDON (Reuters) – Administrators at HMV, the British music and video retailer which hit the rocks last month, have made the group’s chief executive Trevor Moore redundant, according to a source familiar with the situation.Deloitte, which was appointed as administrator by HMV after the firm struggled against competition from online retailers, supermarkets and streaming sites, had on Friday announced...

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How Samsung Is Winning the Ad War With Apple

FacebookLinkedInGoogle PlusEmailPrintPlay Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) — Bloomberg Businessweek’s Sam Grobart has bad news for Apple: Samsung is winning the messaging wars with ads that are more clever, more current and connect more directly with consumers.FacebookLinkedInGoogle PlusEmailPrintBusinessweek.com — Top NewsTitle Post: How Samsung Is Winning the Ad War With AppleUrl Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/how-samsung-is-winning-the-ad-war-with-apple/Link...

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US mortgage rates stay this week near record lows

The average U.S. rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage was unchanged this week near historic lows.Here’s a look at rates for fixed and adjustable mortgages over the past 52 weeks:Current avg.Last week52-week high52-week low30-year fixed3.533.534.083.3115-year fixed2.772.813.302.635-year adjustable2.632.702.962.631-year adjustable2.532.592.842.52All values in percentage pointsSource: Freddie Mac Primary...

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Wall Street dips on renewed euro zone concerns

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares fell on Thursday after the euro currency dropped against the safe-haven dollar and yen, raising worries about Europe's outlook and curbing investors' appetite for risky assets such as stocks. The euro sank after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the exchange rate was important to growth and price stability, which investors took as a sign the...

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NFL reinstates Williams, Titans add him to staff

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The NFL has reinstated Gregg Williams after suspending him for his role in the New Orleans' bounty scandal, and the Titans have added him to their coaching staff.The NFL ended Williams' indefinite suspension Thursday and approved the Titans' contract hiring Williams. Tennessee also announced in the same release that Williams had been hired as a senior assistant coach for its...

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Bring drones out of the shadows?

STORY HIGHLIGHTSJohn Brennan's confirmation hearing is a chance to ask about drone program, author saysSarah Holewinski: Brennan is one of a few officials who knows full story on dronesShe says senators need to ask about damage drone program does to civilians, U.S. reputationHolewinski: CIA should hand over drone program to Defense DepartmentEditor's note: Sarah Holewinski is executive director of...

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RBS fined $612 million for rate rigging

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Royal Bank of Scotland was fined $ 612 million and a subsidiary admitted to a criminal offence as regulators nailed a third bank in a global investigation into rigging of benchmark interest rates.RBS, 82-percent-owned by the state after a bailout at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, said on Wednesday it was cutting bonuses to help pay for the fine, in a bid to avoid...

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How To Transition Into A Finance Career

Transitioning into a finance career after you’ve spent many years in another industry may seem exciting to some and daunting to others. The world of finance may offer a greater challenge as well as potential improvements in compensation, among other benefits. If you are pondering a midlife career change that involves a transition into finance, then here are a few tips that will help you make the transition.Take...

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