http://www.alpinebusinessbrokers.com/ Small Business Real Time News And Information from Alpine Business Broker News Online en-us Copyright (c) 2005 Alpine Business Brokers, LLC All rights reserved. http://www.alpinebusinessbrokers.com/small-business-headline-news.rss Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:20:25 -0400 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve lowered a key U.S. interest rate by a modest quarter percentage point on Wednesday and hinted the move could be the last in a series dating to mid-September. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/280547552/idUSN2932860320080430 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A buildup in inventories kept the U.S. economy afloat in the first quarter despite the weakest consumer spending since 2001 and reduced business investment, a government report on Wednesday showed. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/280762275/idUSN2932297520080430 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks gave up gains on Wednesday following the Federal Reserve's widely anticipated quarter percentage point rate cut. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/280696148/idUSL2816127720080430 DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp posted a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss on Wednesday as sales gains in Asia and Latin America overshadowed a slump in the U.S. market, sending its shares up 13 percent. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/280756252/idUSN3042306820080430 NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. securities regulators filed civil charges against two former executives at employment listings website Monster Worldwide Inc on Wednesday for allegedly engaging in fraudulent stock options backdating, according to court documents. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/280854201/idUSN3028172520080430 Posted: 8:04 AM- NEW YORK - The stock market rose Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates and its assessment of the economy. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9105769?source=rss Posted: 7:52 AM- WASHINGTON - The bruised economy limped through the first quarter, growing by only 0.6 percent as housing and credit problems forced people and businesses alike to hunker down. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9105641?source=rss WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve is widely expected today to call a halt to its eight-month series of interest rate cuts after announcing a final trim, likely a quarter-point. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9101553?source=rss The Salt Lake Chamber, which has singled out health care reform as its top public policy priority, is rolling out its first health plan for small-business members who are skipping insurance for their employees because they can't afford it. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9101550?source=rss HONOLULU - Aloha Airlines has shut down its cargo division because its primary lender decided not to provide further financing.     Aloha carries 85 percent of the state's interisland air cargo, including all mail to and from Maui and the Big Island. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9101544?source=rss The Federal Reserve has cut a key interest rate by a quarter-point, a smaller move than the aggressive easing it undertook earlier this year. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24385539/ Wall Street gave up sharp gains Wednesday after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter point but left investors in the dark about the central bank?s next move. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3683270/ The bruised economy limped through the first quarter, growing at just a 0.6 percent pace as housing and credit problems forced people and businesses alike to hunker down. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24384893/ A gas tax holiday proposed by U.S. presidential hopefuls John McCain and Hillary Clinton is viewed as a bad idea by many economists. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24388777/ General Motors Corp. struggled to a $3.3 billion first-quarter loss, due in part to a weak U.S. market, a strike at a major supplier and plummeting sales of sport utility vehicles and pickups. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24383373/ Time-share purchases are becoming increasingly popular ? sales of these vacation deals t0pped $10 billion last year. These tips can help you avoid getting trapped in a time-share nightmare. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24357286/ Oil prices fell Wednesday after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates and a government report said U.S. fuel supplies unexpectedly fell last week. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12400801/ AFP - Swiss banking giant UBS on Monday declined comment on a report which claimed that the group, currently the worst-hit financial institution by the subprime home loan crisis, would cut 8,000 jobs. http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080428/bs_afp/switzerlandbankingearningscompanyubs The Federal Reserve has cut its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point, but the central bank's statement signaled it may be the last rate cut for at least a while, CNNMoney.com reports. It is the seventh cut since September, and it comes as the Fed is trying to balance between fears of recession and inflation. http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_us/~3/280981863/index.htm The Federal Reserve will decide today whether to continue cutting interest rates. Here's how it will (or won't) affect your wallet. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/30/pf/saving/toptips/index.htm?section=money_latest Truly determined optimists purported to divine good news amidst the wreckage of General Motors' $3.25 billion first-quarter loss. To be sure, the financial results were better than some had expected, GM made money everywhere except in North America, and the automaker is doing better controlling its costs. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/30/news/companies/gm.fortune/index.htm?section=money_latest Stocks rallied Wednesday afternoon, with the Dow briefly crossing 13,000 after the Federal Reserve cut a key short-term interest rate by a quarter-percentage point, as expected, and signaled it may soon pause its rate-cutting campaign. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/30/markets/markets_fed/index.htm?section=money_latest This statement was posted on the Federal Reserve Web site on April 30, 2008. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/30/news/economy/Fed_Statement/index.htm?section=money_latest The lesson from Wednesday's economic numbers is that even a mild slowdown can inflict plenty of damage on workers. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/30/news/jobgrowth.weakness.fortune/index.htm?section=money_latest In this economic dip, the lessons found in Jim Champy's new book, Outsmart! ($22.99), should prove particularly apt for any business owner looking to grow. The management consultant who co-authored the bestselling Reengineering the Corporation, Champy introduces us to entrepreneurs who thrive amid chaos by outsmarting and outpacing their competitors. Here are a few of their stories. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/29/smbusiness/Champy_book_excerpt.fsb/index.htm?section=money_latest Oil fell sharply Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it would lower interest rates by 1/4 of a percentage point. Earlier in the day, oil prices eased following a report that showed supplies of crude increased more than expected last week. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/30/markets/oil_eia/index.htm?section=money_latest It looks like we'll have to wait another few months to see if the economy is actually going to decline or just continue to muddle along with practically no growth. http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/30/markets/thebuzz/index.htm?section=money_latest