German Billionaire Merckle Dies
online.wsj.com — FRANKFURT -- German investor Adolf Merckle has died after reportedly being hit by a train near Ulm, Germany, according to Die Welt newspaper......More… (Business)
US Service Industries Contracted for Third Month
bloomberg.com — By Shobhana Chandra Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- US service industries contracted in December for a third consecutive month as consumers retrenched and the housing slump worsened......More… (Business)
Stocks pare gains following mixed economic reports
google.com — NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks pared some of their earlier gains Tuesday following disappointing readings on pending home sales and factory orders......More… (Business)
Nov pending home sales drop 4 pct to 7yr low
reuters.com — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pending sales of existing US homes plunged to a seven-year low in November, data showed on Tuesday, as mounting job losses and a deepening economic recession kept potential house buyers on the sidelines......More… (Business)
Boston 4alarm fire destroys restaurants
news.bostonherald.com — By Jessica Fargen One hundred Boston firefighters braved the freezing cold overnight to battle a fast-moving fire that caused $5 million in damage to six restaurants and a dry cleaning business near Fenway Park [map], according to the Boston Fire ........More… (Business)
US Retail Sales Fell 0.8% in Week After Christmas Group Says
bloomberg.com — By Heather Burke Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Purchases at US retailers declined last week as post-Christmas markdowns failed to overcome what may have been the worst holiday shopping season in four decades......More… (Business)
Europe shares rise on rescue package hopes
forbes.com — By Christoph Steitz leaders in Asia and Europe. The leading riser was Volkswagen (other-otc: VLKAF.PK - news - people ) , up 9.8 percent after Germany's Porsche (other-otc: PSEPF......More… (Business)
Dow Considers Legal Options Against Kuwait
online.wsj.com — By KEVIN KINGSBURY Dow Chemical Co. said it will pursue "legal options" against Kuwait following the country's pullout of a multibillion-dollar joint-venture that was a cornerstone of Dow's effort to transform itself......More… (Business)