Dell's largest independent shareholder has teamed with activist investor Carl Icahn in another challenge to founder Michael Dell's $24.4 billion bid to take the struggling computer maker private.
Southeastern Asset Management and Icahn said in a letter sent Thursday to the Dell Inc. board that they want to let shareholders keep their stock and give them either $12 per share in cash or additional shares in a deal that keeps the company publicly traded. They said this would give shareholders a stake in future gains made by the Round Rock, Texas, company.
4. House passes bill to prioritize US debt payments - Friday, May 10, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — The GOP-controlled House voted Thursday to make sure U.S. bondholders and people on Social Security get paid if the government hits its borrowing limit.
The move comes as Republicans grapple with the hot-potato issue of raising the government's borrowing limit later this year, one of the few must-do items on a dysfunctional Washington's agenda this year. The legislation is a nonstarter with Democrats controlling the rest of Washington and is likely to be an afterthought when the debt limit debate turn serious this summer or fall.
5. House passes bill to prioritize US debt payments - Friday, May 03, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — The GOP-controlled House voted Thursday to put U.S. bondholders and people on Social Security at the front of the line to be paid if the government hits its borrowing limit.
6. Record profit signals healthier Fannie Mae - Friday, May 03, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fannie Mae said something Thursday that would have been unthinkable a few years ago: It earned a record $58.7 billion profit in the January-March quarter.
And it made clear it's on the cusp of repaying taxpayers for the most expensive bailout of a single company in the financial crisis.
7. Internet sales tax bill faces tough sell in House - Friday, May 03, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Traditional retailers and cash-strapped states face a tough sell in the House as they lobby Congress to limit tax-free shopping on the Internet.
The Senate voted 69 to 27 Monday to pass a bill that empowers states to collect sales taxes from Internet purchases. Under the bill, states could require out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes when they sell products over the Internet, in catalogs, and through radio and TV ads. The sales taxes would be sent to the states where a shopper lives.
8. Senate bill to let states tax Internet purchases - Friday, May 03, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is aiming to help traditional retailers and financially strapped state and local governments with a vote Monday that would widely subject online shopping — for years a largely tax-free frontier — to state sales taxes.
9. Music City mourns country legend George Jones - Friday, May 03, 2013
NASHVILLE (AP) — For a guy who sang so many sad songs, George Jones left behind a lot of laughs.
There was more humor than sadness at Jones' funeral Thursday at the Grand Ole Opry House as thousands gathered in Nashville — some arriving hours before sunrise — to pay their respects to the man whose voice has defined country music for more than half a century.
10. Ford adding 2,000 workers to Missouri plant - Friday, April 26, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. said Thursday that it's adding 2,000 workers to the Missouri plant that makes the F-150 pickup because of surging U.S. truck demand.
11. A country legend and few loose screws - Friday, May 03, 2013
FRANKLIN – “I’m an intellectual,” says legendary songwriter John D. Loudermilk, apologizing without reason for his classical guitar playing. “I changed my strings last night and trimmed my fingernails the night before.”
12. Detroit boosted by truck sales; Honda, Nissan gain - Friday, April 26, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — Ford, GM, Chrysler and Nissan all reported double-digit U.S. sales increases last month, signaling the best April for car and truck sales in six years.
A rebound in pickup truck sales led the way, especially for the Detroit automakers. Small businesses are replacing aging trucks that they've kept since the Great Recession.
13. Chrysler US sales up 11 percent in April - Friday, April 26, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — Strong demand for the Ram pickup truck helped drive Chrysler's sales up 11 percent last month as the company posted its best April in six years.
The increase is another sign that Americans continue to buy cars and trucks despite high unemployment and mixed economic signals. All automakers report monthly sales Wednesday, and industry analysts expect an overall increase of around 10 percent over April of last year. That would make it the best April since 2007.
14. Best Buy exits Europe, selling joint venture stake - Friday, April 26, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Best Buy is looking to exit Europe, selling its stake in its joint venture there to partner Carphone Warehouse Group PLC in a cash-and-stock deal valued at 500 million pounds (about $775 million).
15. Army says no to more tanks, Congress insists - Friday, April 26, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Built to dominate the enemy in combat, the Army's hulking Abrams tank is proving equally hard to beat in a budget battle.
Lawmakers from both parties have devoted nearly half a billion dollars in taxpayer money over the past two years to build improved versions of the 70-ton Abrams.
16. The ‘double-edged sword’ of infill - Friday, April 26, 2013
There are certain things about Sylvan Park that lured resident Steve Swartz away from Belle Meade seven years ago, like the variety in architecture and diversity in character of the neighbors.
“One of the charming things about Sylvan Park I thought was that it had a very mixed neighborhood,” says Swartz, president of the Sylvan Park Neighborhood Association. “But the neighborhood has changed.”
17. Apple to dole out $100B to shareholders - Friday, April 19, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple is opening the doors to its bank vault, saying it will distribute $100 billion in cash to its shareholders over two years. At the same time, the company said it expects sales for the current quarter to fall from the year before, which would be the first decline in many years.
18. Stocks gain on earnings; fake tweet rattles market - Friday, April 19, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Companies that do the best when the economy is improving led the market higher Tuesday after several of them reported strong quarterly earnings.
Coach, a maker of luxury handbags, and Netflix, which streams TV shows and movies over the Internet, were winners after announcing profits that impressed investors. Financial stocks rose after Travelers' earnings beat the expectations of financial analysts who follow the company.
19. Tax-free Internet shopping jeopardized by bill - Friday, April 19, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tax-free shopping on the Internet could be in jeopardy under a bill making its way through the Senate.
The bill would empower states to require online retailers to collect state and local sales taxes for purchases made over the Internet. The sales taxes would be sent to the states where a shopper lives.
20. Haslam: Pilot reputation swings from best to worst - Friday, April 19, 2013
NASHVILLE (AP) — Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on Monday acknowledged a massive hit to the credibility of the family-owned Pilot Flying J truck stop chain following FBI allegations of the widespread fraud of customers at the country's largest diesel retailer. Haslam announced at the company's Knoxville headquarters that he has suspended several members of the sales team after an affidavit filed in federal court disclosed secretly recorded conversations in which Pilot staff boasted about taking advantage of less-sophisticated trucking company customers.
21. Former Google CEO shares vision in tech treatise - Friday, April 19, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Some illuminating books already have been written about Google's catalytic role in a technological upheaval that is redefining the way people work, play, learn, shop and communicate.
22. Stocks recover slightly, ending tough week - Friday, April 19, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Strong earnings from a pair of technology giants helped the stock market recover some of its losses Friday, a positive end to Wall Street's worst week in five months.
Microsoft and Google both beat earnings expectations, yields of government bonds ticked up and copper — a key industrial metal — continued its fall, losing 2 percent.
23. New legislator learns about unintentional consequences - Friday, April 19, 2013
As a freshman lawmaker, state Sen. Steven Dickerson (R-Nashville) says he spent his first legislative session “pretty-tightly circumscribed.”
In part, this was because he was new.
24. New TSU leader: 5 points to better future - Friday, April 19, 2013
She may have graduated quietly from Tennessee State University in 1974, but Glenda Baskin Glover, Ph.D, CPA, JD, has created quite a buzz by coming “home” with excitement and determination as its newly appointed president.
25. AutoNation profit up 14 pct. on growing car sales - Friday, April 12, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — AutoNation's first-quarter net income rose 14 percent as the country's largest auto dealership chain reaped benefits from a U.S. car and truck sales recovery that is gaining strength.
26. Stock market rebounds from worst day of the year - Friday, April 12, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Strong housing and earnings reports helped stocks rebound from their worst day of the year.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 157.58 points, or 1.1 percent, on Tuesday, to 14,756.78, winning back more than half of the 265 points it lost a day earlier. The Standard & Poor's 500 index logged its second-best day of the year.
27. Microsoft escalates advertising assault on Google - Friday, April 05, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft is skewering Google again with scathing ads that say as much about the dramatic shift in the technology industry's competitive landscape as they do about the animosity between the two rivals.
28. Stocks rise ahead of earnings season - Friday, April 05, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks ended modestly higher Monday, shrugging off an early decline, as investors waited to see whether big U.S. companies would deliver on expectations of strong earnings in 2013.
29. Best Buy stores to feature Samsung kiosks - Friday, April 05, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Best Buy jumped on Thursday after it announced plans to create store-within-store kiosks for Samsung products — a vote of confidence from a major consumer electronics retailer that the brick-and-mortar format is still an important way to sell products.
30. Camry battles spruced-up rivals in midsize market - Friday, March 29, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — For nearly two decades, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord have ruled the mid-sized car market.
Nobody accused them of being stylish or fast. But the cars rarely broke down, and they held their value better than competitors. For drivers who wanted a family car, Camry and Accord got the job done and were good enough to become two of the best-selling cars of all time.
31. US construction up 1.2 percent in February - Friday, March 29, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Spending on U.S. construction projects rebounded in February, helped by a surge in home construction, which rose to the highest level in more than four years.
Construction spending rose 1.2 percent overall in February compared to January, when construction had dropped 2.1 percent, the Commerce Department reported Monday.
32. Dell drama takes new twist with 2 new buyout bids - Friday, March 22, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The two new suitors pursuing Dell have a message for Wall Street: Don't allow Michael Dell to hoard potential gains from the PC maker's expansion into more profitable technology products and services.
33. Ryanair gives Boeing a boost with big order - Friday, March 15, 2013
DUBLIN (AP) — Ryanair has made the biggest-ever order of Boeing planes by a European airline, announcing Tuesday it will buy 175 aircraft in a major boost for the U.S. aerospace giant.
Neither side disclosed the purchase price for the 737-800s, but budget carrier Ryanair said it did negotiate a bulk discount off the total list price of $15.6 billion. Industry analysts said Ryanair almost certainly was paying less than half price, meaning a total bill below $8 billion, or $45 million per aircraft.
34. Use your imagination to make it a perfect house - Friday, March 15, 2013
Sales numbers from the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors’ show unit sales for the area up 18 percent compared to the same period last year, with year-to-date sales up 18.2 percent compared to 2012.
35. Icahn proposes alternative to Dell buyout - Friday, March 01, 2013
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn wants Dell Inc. to remain a public company and proposed rewarding shareholders with a large dividend payment instead of becoming private in a $24.4 billion buyout.
He says the amount being offered by a group led by Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell substantially undervalues the slumping PC maker.
36. Schools shift from textbooks to tablets - Friday, March 01, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Well before the cleanup from Superstorm Sandy was in full swing, students could read about the weather system that slammed the East Coast in their textbooks.
Welcome to the new digital bookcase, where traditional ink-and-paper textbooks have given way to iPads and book bags are getting lighter. Publishers update students' books almost instantly with the latest events or research. Schools are increasingly looking to the hand-held tablets as a way to sustain students' interest, reward their achievements and, in some cases, actually keep per-student costs down.
37. Dell committee defends $24.4B sale as best choice - Friday, March 01, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Dell Inc. committee that negotiated the slumping PC maker's $24.4 billion buyout is standing behind the deal despite the misgivings of major shareholders who believe the price is too low.
38. Dow Record: Three tales of ups, downs and changes - Friday, March 01, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. When it closed at an all-time high of 14,253.77 on Tuesday, it wasn't so much a time for celebration as it was for reflection.
39. US construction spending down 2.1 percent - Friday, March 01, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Spending on U.S. construction projects fell in January by the largest amount in 18 months as home construction stalled and spending on government projects fell to the lowest level in more than six years.
40. Chrysler, VW, GM report sales growth in February; Nissan down - Friday, March 01, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — Americans want new cars and trucks, and they're not going to let higher gas prices or political dysfunction in Washington stand in their way.
General Motors, Toyota, Ford and most other automakers posted at least modest sales gains for February. Industry analysts estimate last month's sales rose about 7 percent from a year earlier as pent-up demand and cheap financing kept the U.S. auto sales recovery powering along.
41. US pending home sales rise to highest since 2010 - Friday, February 22, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of the number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in January from December to the highest level in more than 2 ½ years. The increase suggests sales of previously occupied homes will continue rising in the coming months.
42. US new-home sales jump to highest in 4½ years - Friday, February 22, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. new-home sales jumped in January from the previous month to the highest level since July 2008, a sign that the housing recovery is accelerating.
The Commerce Department said Tuesday that new-home sales rose nearly 16 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 437,000. The percentage increase was the largest in nearly 20 years. And December's sales were revised higher to 378,000 from 369,000.
43. Dow bounces from 2-day slide to a 3-digit gain - Friday, February 22, 2013
Strong earnings from big U.S. companies pushed the Dow Jones industrial average to a rare triple-digit gain Friday, but the S&P 500 index still posted its first weekly loss of the year.
Hewlett-Packard had the biggest gain in the Dow and the Standard & Poor's 500 index. It posted fiscal first-quarter earnings late Thursday that beat all forecasts, a relief after months of bad news for the computer maker. H-P rose $2.10, or 12.3 percent, to $19.20.
44. Dow closes near all-time high - Friday, February 15, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Talk of more deal-making sent the stock market higher Tuesday, putting the Dow Jones industrial average within close reach of its all-time high.
Reports that retailers Office Depot and OfficeMax are discussing a merger came after big corporate deals for Heinz and Dell were announced in recent weeks. Some investors are betting that more deals could be on the way as buyers pay premium prices for publicly traded companies.
45. Comcast doubles down on TV in $16.7B deal for NBCU - Friday, February 08, 2013
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Comcast's $16.7 billion deal to buy the remaining half of NBCUniversal ahead of schedule represents a resounding vote of confidence in the future of TV, even as the growth of Internet video reshapes the entertainment landscape.
46. Dow closes at highest level of year, nears record - Friday, February 08, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow rose to its highest close of the year Tuesday, ending 146 points from a record. Stocks gained after impressive results from two big consumer brands.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 47.46 to 14,018.70, putting it within 1 percent of the record close of 14,164.53 set in October 2007. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 2.42 points to 1,519.43, also close to its record.
47. US consumer debt up in Dec. on student, auto loans - Friday, February 08, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans stepped up borrowing in December to buy cars and attend school. But they cut back sharply on credit card use, continuing a trend that could hold back growth this year.
48. US consumer debt up in Dec. on student, auto loans - Friday, February 01, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans stepped up borrowing in December to buy cars and attend school. But they cut back sharply on credit card use, continuing a trend that could hold back growth this year.
Consumer borrowing rose $14.6 billion in December from November to a total of $2.78 trillion, the Federal Reserve said Thursday. That's the highest level on record.
49. Stocks retreat as weak earnings provide no joy - Friday, February 01, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slumped on Wall Street Thursday, suggesting that the rally which has pushed indexes close to record levels may have run its course.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 46 points to 13,942, having earlier slid as much as 134 points. The index has traded largely sideways this week, after logging its best January in almost two decades.
50. Don’t hold out for the bargain of the century - Friday, February 08, 2013
Houses in Nashville and, generally, everywhere sell for what they are worth. That statement sounds rational enough and, some would think, unworthy of mention. Of course, houses sell for what they are worth. Their value is determined by the amount a buyer will pay for those properties.
51. Bare finds right label for dream folk album - Friday, February 08, 2013
Bobby Bare has a simple explanation for why it took him 25 years to put out his dream album of folk songs.
“There’s no demand for an old fart doing an album,” the affable 77-year-old shrugs.
52. Dell's founder strikes deal to turn it around - Friday, February 01, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — It's easy to forget now, but Michael Dell was the Mark Zuckerberg of his day.
Hailed as a young genius, he created the inexpensive, made-to-order personal computer in his University of Texas dorm room and sold it straight to the public. In the 1980s and '90s, his face appeared on magazine covers, and well before he turned 40, he was a college dropout-turned-billionaire CEO, ranked alongside Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
53. US sues S&P over pre-crisis mortgage ratings - Friday, February 01, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government is accusing the debt rating agency Standard & Poor's of fraud for giving high ratings to risky mortgage bonds that helped bring about the financial crisis.
54. 10 Super Bowl ads that stood out - Friday, February 01, 2013
In a nail biter, the Baltimore Ravens topped the San Francisco 49ers during the Super Bowl XLVII, during which a half-hour long blackout added to the drama. But in between plays there were 10 ads that stood out. Here are the ads that will be the buzz around the water cooler — and on social media sites — on Monday.
55. US automakers, Toyota report big sales gains; Nissan up 2% - Friday, February 01, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — American consumers ignored tax increases and tromped through the winter chill to buy new cars and trucks at an unusually strong pace last month.
"(January) was like a sprinter out of the starting blocks," said Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation Inc., the country's largest auto dealership chain.
56. 10 spots to look out for during Super Bowl Sunday - Friday, February 01, 2013
Celebrities, humor, babies and cute animals will once again rule the commercial breaks on Sunday during Super Bowl XLVII, advertising's biggest showcase, when more than 111 million people are expected to tune in. Marketers have spent millions and pulled out all the stops to 'wow' viewers this year.
57. Super Bowl sure thing: Clever ads - Friday, February 01, 2013
The victory of the Ravens or the 49ers won’t be all people are talking about after the Super Bowl.
After all, there are the commercials, and considering 110 million viewers are anticipated for this year’s football matchup, it’s no wonder advertisers pony up big bucks. Thirty-second spots went for $3.8 million to $4 million this year – an all-time record, up from $3.5 million in 2012.
58. Microsoft retools Office for touch screen, Web use - Friday, January 25, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft's retooled version of its Office software is hitting the market as the company tries to extend one of its key franchises beyond personal computers.
Tuesday's debut comes six months after Microsoft previewed the new-look Office, which includes popular word processing, spreadsheets and email programs.
59. US home prices accelerate in November - Friday, January 25, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices accelerated in November compared with a year ago, pushed higher by rising sales and a tighter supply of available homes.
The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 5.5 percent in November compared with the same month a year ago. That's the largest year-over-year gain in six years.
60. Tight inventory slows US pending home sales - Friday, January 25, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell last month after reaching a 2 ½-year high in November. Sales were held back by a limited supply of available homes.
61. US new-home sales fell in December; 2012 best year since 2009 - Friday, January 25, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of new U.S. homes cooled off in December compared with November, but sales for the entire year were the best since 2009.
The Commerce Department said Friday that new-home sales fell 7.3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 369,000. That's down from November's rate, which was the fastest in 2 ½ years.
62. Can Apple maintain its shine? - Friday, January 18, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — For many investors, Apple's best days are behind it. Competitors are catching up, they believe, and the latest iPhone is stumbling.
The company's doubters have backed their conviction with billions of dollars. Last week, the stock fell below $500 for the first time in 11 months. Since Apple's stock peaked at $705.07 on Sept. 21 — the day of the iPhone 5's release — it has fallen nearly 30 percent, cutting Apple's market capitalization by nearly $200 billion.
63. US factory output rises for 2nd straight month - Friday, January 11, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. factory production rose in December for the second straight month, buoyed by more output of autos, electronics and business equipment.
The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that factory output increased 0.8 percent last month compared with November. That followed a 1.3 percent rise in November, which partly reflected a rebound from Superstorm Sandy.
64. Best Buy shares jump on holiday results - Friday, January 11, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Best Buy Co. jumped on Friday after the electronics chain showed signs of starting to reverse declining sales during the critical holiday selling season, a better-than-expected result.
65. NYC firm hit hard on 9/11 gives $10M in Sandy aid - Friday, January 04, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York City brokerage firm that lost 658 employees in the Sept. 11 terror attacks announced that it will "adopt" 19 schools in communities hit hard by Superstorm Sandy and will give each family in those schools $1,000 to spend as they see fit.
66. Target unveils year-round online price match - Friday, January 04, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Target Corp. said Tuesday that its pledge to match prices of select online rivals this past holiday season is now a year-round promise.
67. Bank of America in $10B-plus mortgage settlement - Friday, January 04, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America will pay $10.3 billion to the government mortgage agency Fannie Mae to settle claims resulting from mortgage-backed investments that soured during the housing crash.
68. Chevrolet Sonic tells story of Detroit comeback - Friday, January 04, 2013
DETROIT (AP) - When the word reached the Orion Assembly Plant, it spread along the serpentine assembly line like news of a death or natural disaster: General Motors, the biggest automaker in the world, had filed for bankruptcy protection.
69. US economy adds 155K jobs, rate stays at 7.8 pct. - Friday, January 04, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs in December, a steady gain that shows hiring held up during the tense negotiations to resolve the fiscal cliff.
The solid job growth wasn't enough to reduce the unemployment rate, which remained 7.8 percent last month, the Labor Department said Friday. The rate for November was revised up from an initially reported 7.7 percent.
70. US auto sales end 2012 on strong note; Nissan tops 1M for 1st time - Friday, January 04, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — A steadily improving economy and strong December sales lifted the American auto industry to its best performance in five years in 2012, especially for Volkswagen and Japanese-brand vehicles, and experts say the next year should be even better.
71. US auto sales end 2012 on strong note - Friday, December 28, 2012
DETROIT (AP) — Strong U.S. sales in December capped a remarkable year for the auto industry — especially Japanese brands — and 2013 should be even better.
Sales of new cars and trucks are expected to total 14.5 million after all carmakers announce figures on Thursday. That is 13 percent better than 2011 and the best performance in five years.
72. Fiscal-cliff deal no recipe for a robust economy - Friday, December 28, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — Housing is rebounding. Families are shrinking debts. Europe has avoided a financial crackup. And the fiscal cliff deal has removed the most urgent threat to the U.S. economy.
So why don't economists foresee stronger growth and hiring in 2013?
73. Bass, Berry & Sims receives honor for ‘Deal of the Year’ - Friday, January 04, 2013
The law firm of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC has won the mergers and acquisitions “deal of the year” award in the $50 million to $100 million category from M&A Advisors.
The deal for which Bass Berry won the award was announced earlier this year. It involved Luminex Corp. – a health care and life sciences research company – acquiring privately held GenturaDx, a molecular diagnostics company focused on making nucleic acid testing affordable and practical for any lab.
74. Infill homes allow more to enjoy first-tier suburbs - Friday, January 04, 2013
Downtown Nashville has transformed itself over the past decade, adding a full menu of upscale hotels, trendy restaurants and cultural amenities, along with the Titans and Predators.
That transformation has created a strong demand among home buyers looking to enjoy all those attractions, and they are turning to first-tier suburbs such as Belmont, Green Hills and East Nashville to accomplish that goal.
75. US pending home sales rise to highest in 2½ years - Friday, December 28, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes increased last month to its highest level in two and a half years, the latest sign of improvement in the once-battered housing market.
76. No deal in sight as deadline for fiscal deal nears - Friday, December 21, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — A last-gasp effort Thursday to avoid automatic tax increases and spending cuts got off on the same convulsive, partisan tone that marked congressional attempts to resolve the impasse before lawmakers left Washington to go home for Christmas.
77. Stores look to week after Christmas for sales - Friday, December 21, 2012
Bargain-hungry Americans will need to go on a post-Christmas spending binge to salvage this holiday shopping season.
Despite the huge discounts and other incentives that stores offered leading up to Christmas, U.S. holiday sales so far this year have been the weakest since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession.
78. How to push your most valuable product - Friday, December 28, 2012
Another possible client said “no” today, and you don’t know what to do.
You’ve followed everything you’ve been taught in school and in on-the-job training. You’ve dressed the part of the executive, put plenty of work into meetings, and tried to be serious about your presentation. You’ve even taken the initiative to email everyone who’s involved and you still heard “no.”
79. Gulch condos continue to prove doubters wrong - Friday, December 28, 2012
I was standing in line with a Metro firefighter recently and asked him if Christmas trees were the source of fires. Surprisingly, he responded that they were not as the LED lights do not pull much electricity and consequently fail to emit enough heat to ignite a branch.
80. US home sales surge to highest level in 3 years - Friday, December 21, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of previously occupied homes jumped to their highest level in three years last month, bolstered by steady job gains and record-low mortgage rates. The report was the latest sign of a sustained recovery in the housing market.
81. US home sales jump to highest level in 3 years - Friday, December 14, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of previously occupied homes jumped to their highest level in three years last month, bolstered by steady job gains and record-low mortgage rates. The report was the latest sign of a sustained recovery in the housing market.
82. Brittle finds his niche playing real estate infill - Friday, December 21, 2012
Over the past few years, many have noticed homes being “scraped,” or bulldozed, to make way for new construction. In 2007, as the market plummeted in its pre-recession implosion, these teardowns, as they were known, seemed to have lost their luster as banks were no longer lending money to builders who wanted to demolish their collateral.
83. US homebuilder confidence at 6 1/2-year high - Friday, December 14, 2012
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Confidence among U.S. homebuilders inched up this month, to the highest level in more than six and a half years, as builders reported the best market for newly built homes since the housing boom.
84. Stocks close higher as budget talks progress - Friday, December 14, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose on Wall Street as investors were encouraged by signs of progress in budget talks in Washington. Just two weeks remain before tax increases and government spending cuts take effect if no deal is reached.
85. Stocks lower as investors watch Washington - Friday, December 07, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped Thursday on Wall Street after more signs of tension emerged from federal budget talks in Washington.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 70 points at 13,174 just after 1 p.m. EST. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down 10 points at 1,418. The Nasdaq composite index was down 24 points at 2,989.
86. Dozens sue pharmacy in meningitis case, but compensation uncertain - Friday, December 07, 2012
NASHVILLE (AP) — Dennis O'Brien rubs his head as he details ailments triggered by the fungal meningitis he developed after a series of steroid shots in his neck: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, exhaustion and trouble with his speech and attention.
87. Haslam says no to state health insurance exchange - Friday, December 07, 2012
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam announced Monday that Tennessee will not create a state-run health insurance exchange, but the Republican governor said he remains undecided about whether to expand Medicaid.
88. Cliff negotiations: Higher rates or fewer tax breaks _ what's worse? - Friday, December 07, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — In the fiscal cliff wars, a pivotal battle is raging between Democrats demanding to raise revenue by boosting tax rates on the nation's highest earners and Republicans insisting on eliminating deductions and other tax breaks instead. Which is better for the economy? Analysts say it depends.
89. Shoppers' habits not changed by garment plant fire - Friday, November 30, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — Before purchasing a shirt, shoppers will run their hands over the fabric, look at the price tag and wonder how it will hold up in the washing machine. Some might even ask if it makes them look fat.
90. Will offensive coordinator’s exit translate into wins? - Friday, November 30, 2012
The shortcomings of the Tennessee Titans offense weren’t all Chris Palmer’s fault.
Palmer, the Titans’ offensive coordinator until Tuesday morning, didn’t throw a single interception, miss any blocks, drop any passes or fumble one time this year.
91. US consumer confidence at highest in 4½ years - Friday, November 23, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers are growing more confident about the job market, companies are ordering more equipment and home prices are rising in most major cities.
The latest batch of government data suggests that the economy is improving just as the holiday shopping season begins. The only threat is a package of huge spending cuts and tax increases, known as the "fiscal cliff," that will kick in unless Congress strikes a budget deal by year's end.
92. Stocks slide on 'fiscal cliff' warning - Friday, November 23, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slumped on Wall Street Tuesday after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he was frustrated by the lack of progress in talks over the U.S. budget impasse in Washington.
93. Cyber Monday likely to be busiest online sales day - Friday, November 23, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — Bye-bye Black Friday. So long Small Business Saturday. Now, it's Cyber Monday's turn.
Cyber Monday, coined in 2005 by a shopping trade group that noticed online sales spiked on the Monday following Thanksgiving, is the next in a series of days that stores are counting on to jumpstart the holiday shopping season.
94. Nashville’s success is great for Music City - Friday, November 23, 2012
So Nashville has been picked up for a full season. While I leave entertainment reporting to my pal Brad Schmitt, the show, along with a number of other developments, must have Chamber of Commerce President Ralph Schulz, Mayor Karl Dean, his director of Economic and Community Development, Matt Wiltshire, along with Butch Spyridon, overcome with giddiness.
95. Best Buy reports 3rd-quarter loss - Friday, November 16, 2012
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Best Buy Co. says it recorded a loss in the third quarter, hurt by a continued sales slump and charges related to its restructuring plan. Shares fell 6 percent in premarket trading.
96. Tobacco farmers see rebound in leaf prices - Friday, November 16, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Burley tobacco farmers in Kentucky and Tennessee are reaping some of their best paydays since plunging into the free market, capitalizing on tight leaf supplies and a quality crop that bounced back from an early-season drought.
97. More American workers to pick their insurance - Friday, November 16, 2012
For some American workers, picking the right health insurance is becoming more like hunting for the perfect business suit: It takes some shopping around to find a good fit and avoid sticker shock.
In a major shift in employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, companies such as Sears Holdings Corp. and Darden Restaurants Inc. are giving employees a fixed amount of money and allowing them to choose their own coverage based on their individual needs.
98. Sunscreen, other bits of wisdom for graduates - Friday, November 16, 2012
“Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.” Thus wrote Mary Schmich in her Chicago Tribune column, June 1, 1997.
99. Buyer personas give sales team an easy target - Friday, November 16, 2012
To deliver a stellar performance, great actors engage in an extensive process to get inside the head of their characters – understanding their persona. Similarly, imagine if your sales force were armed with such a deep understanding of their buyers. Not only would it improve their ability to connect with prospects in a more meaningful way; it would also allow them to tailor their pitch to ensure it moves prospects to buy.
100. Stocks slide as impasse over budget deficit looms - Friday, November 09, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — Investors drew little hope Wednesday for a quick compromise in U.S. budget talks after President Barack Obama insisted that higher taxes on wealthy Americans would have to be part of any deal.