Grave business - my financial world

Payrolls in the U.S. probably fell in August for an eighth month and manufacturing stalled, signaling growth faltered, economists said before reports this week.
Employers probably cut 75,000 jobs this month, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey ahead of a Labor Department report Sept. 5. A private poll in two […]

With Tropical Storm Gustav setting its sights on the Gulf of Mexico, oil facilities in the region are facing their first major threat since 2005, when Hurricanes Rita and Katrina knocked out nearly every barrel of oil production and sent prices soaring to then-record levels.
But this time around, if Gustav intensifies and heads into […]

As things in the economy have gotten worse, the number of people and businesses heading to bankruptcy court has spiked.
Bankruptcy filings surged 29% in the 12 months that ended June 30, according to government figures released Wednesday.
Total filings rose to 967,831 from 751,056 a year earlier.
Business filings jumped more than 41% to […]

Workers’ compensation insurance rates in New York state will decline again in 2009, according to Gov. David Paterson.
The rates will drop 5 percent from this year’s level. At the same time, the maximum weekly benefit for workers will rise above its current level of $550 a week.
Overall, insurance rates have dropped 25.5 percent since 2007, […]

As mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac struggle with continuing credit losses, their ability to raise needed capital is uncertain and, analysts say, is complicated by the possibility of a government bailout of the two companies.
"We’re in uncharted water with this," Bert Ely, an Alexandria, Va.-based banking industry consultant and longtime critic of […]

US Airways said Thursday that Merrill Lynch has agreed to buy 19 million of the airline’s shares in a new public offering.
Merrill Lynch (MER, Fortune 500) is the sole underwriter of the deal. The firm’s stock rose 2% in afternoon trading.
The carrier said it requested a suspension in trading "to permit an orderly distribution […]

Goldman Sachs appears to be losing some of its luster.
A trio of high-profile bank analysts cut either their rating or earnings estimates for the investment bank this week, suggesting that even the venerated Wall Street firm is not immune to the ills of the broader financial services industry.
"In short, Goldman is no longer as […]

Shares of Qwest Communications International Inc. rose in morning trading Monday after a Citi Investment Research analyst upgraded the stock, saying Qwest could report improved sales and top Wall Street’s expectations.
Michael Rollins raised his rating to "Buy" from "Hold." He said Qwest (Q, Fortune 500) should report improved enterprise sales because it has expanded […]

Looks like Wall Street bankers can kiss those fat bonuses goodbye this year.
Some bankers’ bonuses will be slashed by nearly half in 2008, and most can expect a 15% to 25% reduction from last year’s levels, according to a recent projection from compensation consultancy firm Johnson Associates.
Johnson Associates expects the bigwigs to give up […]

A published report says Chrysler LLC and Nissan Motor Co. are in talks over an agreement to jointly produce midsize cars.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the discussions, that Chrysler is discussing an agreement with Nissan (NSANY) under which the Japanese automaker would produce midsize sedans that Chrysler would sell […]