Analysts expect more bailed-out firms to fail in the months ahead. Others may survive but will struggle to repay the government.
About $400 billion of federal investments remain in the corporate sector, much of it channeled through TARP. Critics of the program say losses were inevitable, in many cases
CIT's bankruptcy raises new questions about bailout - washingtonpost.com
Luxury chains like Nordstrom Inc. and Bloomingdale's say shoppers are spending again on items like shoes and dresses, but still shopping for lower prices and classic pieces that get a lot of use.
On the other hand, discounters like Wal-Mart are lowering prices even further to coax their less-well-off shoppers to keep spending. And it's not on anything glamorous. We're talking basics, like food and socks.
Wal-Mart has noted more pronounced swings in spending between paycheck cycles -- a sign that its customers have little extra to spend.
Click on the following for the full story: Nordstrom clique shopping, Wal-Mart folks scrimping :: The Courier News :: Business
Most of the candidates believe there have to be changes in benefits offered. For some, that means changing benefits offered within the defined benefit plans now in existence, creating a two-tiered system. A defined benefit plan guarantees a qualified participant a pension payment for life, based on a pre-determined formula.
For other candidates, it means elimination of a defined benefit plan and replacing it with a defined contribution plan, like the 401(k) plans common among private sector employers. The amount of the retirement benefit depends on how much a person saves. It is not guaranteed.
Click on the following to read each candidate’s statement: Gubernatorial candidates all agree pension system needs serious work - Quad Cities Online
Serosun Farms, a 410-acre conservation community that reinvents the rural lifestyle on the suburban fringe.
More than 300 acres - or 75 percent of the property - is designated open space, preserved farm and restored prairie, said John DeWald, principal for John DeWald and Associates. The 114 estate homes on one-acre plots will sit among an equestrian center, walking trails, fishing ponds and an organic farm. Sustainable elements of the community listed on the development's Web site include using wind and solar energy, waste recycling and reuse through composting and mulching, soil and water conservation, as well as organic farming practices that will provide food products for the community.
Click on the following for more details: Daily Herald | Green development approved near Hampshire
Not really—I guess.
store vacancy rate, based on square footage, is now above 10 percent. While not a historic high, it has doubled in the last 31/2 years ago, Schaumburg's Community Development Director Christopher Huff said.
The bigger problem, say village officials and retailers themselves, is that remaining stores and restaurants are seeing fewer sales.
Schaumburg vacancies haven't reached a historic high, they are at their highest since the early '90s….retail market analyst at McMillan/Doolittle LLP in Chicago, said current store vacancy rates are generally 10 to 15 percent, though "super-regional" malls like Woodfield and areas like downtown Chicago are probably being hit the least.
Click on the following for more details: Daily Herald | Schaumburg's retail experience a barometer for region
