updated Wed January 02, 2008

Shares of California Water and SJW Jump After Analyst Upgrade on Expected Weather Improvement

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of two California water utilities jumped Monday after an analyst said their low valuations present a buying opportunity, despite ongoing drought conditions in the state.Brean Murray Carr...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Cache Shares Hit Year Low As Analysts Downgrade Retailer on Expected Continuing Weak Sales

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Cache Inc. hit a 52-week low on Monday, after two analysts downgraded the apparel retailer after it said it won't meet its previous fourth-quarter forecast.On Friday, Cache Inc. said ...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Delta Petroleum Shares Surge to Highest Point in 2 Months on News of Kerkorian Offer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Investors drove shares of Delta Petroleum Corp. sharply higher Monday after a $684 million bet by Kirk Kerkorian offered a year-end vote of confidence in the oil and natural gas producer. Early...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Bank of New York Mellon Downgraded to "Neutral" by Janney Montgomery Scott Analyst

NEW YORK (AP) -- Bank of New York Mellon was downgraded Monday to "Neutral" from "Buy" by Janney Montgomery Scott LLC based on the stock's current price.Shares of Bank of New York Mellon rose 26 cents to $48.76...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

FCC Decision Clears Way for Citadel's Buyout of Television Operator Ion Media Networks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Government regulators on Monday cleared a private equity group's buyout of television station operator Ion Media Networks, denying an investor complaint that would have stopped the transactio...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Regal Entertainment Shares Waver, After Hitting a 52-Week Low Despite Analyst Optimism

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Regal Entertainment Group wavered Monday, after hitting a 52-week low earlier in the session despite an analyst's prediction that the year-end box office rally points to strong movie ...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Citigroup, GM and Home Depot Lead Decliners on Dow Jones Industrial Average in 4th Quarter

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Citigroup Inc. declined the most during the fourth quarter compared to other stocks in the Dow Jones industrial average, hurt by continued turmoil in the credit markets.On Monday, the...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Intuitive Surgical, Millicom International, Baidu.com Help Lift Nasdaq 100 During 4th Quarter

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Nasdaq 100 index finished slightly higher in the fourth quarter, boosted by gains from Intuitive Surgical Inc., Millicom International Cellular SA, and Baidu.com Inc.The index, which includ...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Crocs, Hansen Natural and Garmin Emerge As Year's Widely Traded Stocks

NEW YORK (AP) -- In a year highlighted by turmoil in the credit and housing markets, Crocs Inc. and Hansen Natural Corp. played major roles in shaping some of the most widely traded stocks for the year. Shares ...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Tiny Cyprus, Malta Join Euro, As Tough Expansion Lies Ahead

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) -- EU newcomers Cyprus and Malta adopted the euro Tuesday, tying two tiny countries on the edge of Europe to its core institutions -- but raising consumer fears of higher prices.The Mediter...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

GM's Lutz Leads Automaker's Vehicle Renaissance

DETROIT (AP) -- Before Bob Lutz joined General Motors Corp. as vice chairman of product development in 2001, the left brain, by most accounts, was dominating the right when it came to making cars.The rational l...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Delphi Reports Net Loss of $231 Million in November Amid Bankruptcy Proceedings

NEW YORK (AP) -- Auto-parts supplier Delphi Corp. on Monday reported a net loss of $231 million for November.The Troy, Mich., company, which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2005, said in a filing with the Se...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Venezuela Launches New Currency As Chavez's Government Seeks to Stem Inflation

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuela launched a new currency with the new year, lopping off three zeros from denominations in a bid to simplify finances and boost confidence in a money that has been losing valu...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Existing Home Sales Nudge Up, but Overall Picture Remains Bleak

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sales of previously owned homes nudged up in November, but that didn't improve the broader picture of a feeble housing market racked by record-high foreclosures and harder-to-get credit. The ...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Asian Markets Strong in 2007; Next Year Clouded by Energy, Inflation and US Woes

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Asian stock markets had a strong, if volatile, year with China leading the pack as investors bet on the region's continued growth prospects.Several exchanges notched gains of more than...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Wall Street Wraps Up 2007 in a Somber Mood, but Dow Has Annual Gain of More Than 6 Percent

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street ended a painful year with another steep loss Monday as investors glumly anticipated that 2008 would bring more of the uncertainty and turbulence of 2007.The Dow Jones industrials fe...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Myanmar Government Quashes Rumors of Fuel Rationing Cuts in Face of Rising Oil Prices

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Myanmar's ruling military, apparently wary of igniting another outbreak of mass demonstrations, tried to quash rumors Tuesday that fuel rations would be slashed in the face of rising glo...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Mechanized Chili Harvesting Could Ensure Future of New Mexico's Signature Crop

LAKE ARTHUR, N.M. (AP) -- Workers no longer stoop over to hand-pick the red chili crop on Cecil Conklin's farm. They drive a mechanical harvester that plows through row after row of chili plants, methodically p...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

Patrons of Self-Service Dog Washes Spare No Expense on Pets, Keep Their Homes Clean

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- Maureen Lafferty is anti-fur. Anti-fur in her tub. Anti-fur on her towels. And anti-fur in the drain.That's why she and the one big ball of fur she does love, Jackson, a yellow Labrador ...

updated Wed January 02, 2008

PHH Scraps Deal to Sell Itself to GE, Blackstone Amid Financing Difficulties

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- PHH Corp., a top provider of mortgages and services for managing vehicle fleets, said Tuesday it ended a $1.8 billion agreement to be bought by General Electric Capital Corp. and The ...