Stocks News

"Both organisations are strong businesses, with iconic brands, strong and highly complementary cultures and long track records of delivering for customers, employees, shareholders and the community"

Westpac seeks merger with St George Both banks' shares in trading halt Sort out your own finances with our Money section WESTPAC Banking Corporation is in merger discussions with St George Bank to create ... via NEWS.com.au

Stocks faded under the weight of rising oil prices and more fallout from the credit crunch. via Today's 6

Entertainer Michael Jackson said on Sunday a foreclosure sale on his Neverland Ranch set for this week was averted after a loan on the California property was sold to Colony Capital, a large real estate ... via WNED.org

"If we firm up here, then what we'd see is the dollar firming up the against the euro and probably the (British) pound."

With higher prices at the gas pump and the grocery store, consumers might not be looking favorably at the dollar - one of the reasons for the recent run-up in commodities prices. via Press-Telegram

Oil rose above $126 a barrel for the first time yesterday, bringing its advance this week to nearly $10, as investors questioned whether a possible confrontation between the U.S. and Venezuela could cut exports ... via GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA

"There's no excuse not to do this"

Investors who thought they could count on the stock market to make up for the mediocre savings they have socked away in 401 s and IRAs are having an awakening. via Hartford Courant

"The bottom line is that shareholders need some new representation"

Yahoo investors who wanted to accept a Microsoft buyout are not seen as likely to try to oust the board, and instead seem to be channeling their ire through lawsuits and a campaign to turn July's annual meeting ... via Reuters

High investment costs remain out of mind when overall returns are strong. Why sweat decimal points when basking in 20 percent gains? But when returns turn meager or slide downward, hefty expenses become visible ... via The Morning Call

- Power Corporation of Canada (TSX:POW) is raising its quarterly dividend by 20 per cent, the holding company announced Friday along with its first-quarter financial report, which included higher net income despite lower investment gains

The dividend to be paid on Power Corp.'s participating preferred and subordinate voting shares will rise by 4.875 cents per share to 29 cents per share per quarter, or $1.16 on an annualized basis.

Net income was $376 million or 80 per share in the first quarter compared with up from $363 million or 78 per share in the first quarter of 2007, with the increase due to $72 million or 16 cents per share from non-operating earnings at Power Financial, its main subsidiary. Read more

"Even during all the market uncertainty the Stock Picker RT software continued to pick great stocks. Friday we had a handful of stocks up more than 10% and some up to 14% in just one session."

"The broader markets sold off a little this week," said William McKinley, President of Investing Systems. via PR-inside.com