News Corp. is now set to unveil the world’s first iPad-only newspaper, The Daily, in New York next Wednesday. Get the full story »
With earnings glow over, Motorola Mobility shares fall
Shares in Motorola Mobility Holdings were down more than 11 percent, to $30.67, Thursday, a day after strong smart phone launches boosted the handset maker’s results in the fourth quarter.
Bloomberg reported Thursday that the imminent arrival of Apple Inc.’s iPhone at Verizon Wireless had slowed sales at Motorola’s biggest carrier.
To blunt the effect, Bloomberg reported, Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Jha said the company is introducing new phones including the Atrix, trying to sell more handsets through other U.S. carriers and bulk up sales in China and Latin America.
Groupon hires Christopher Guest to direct ad
Christopher Guest.
Christopher Guest — the mockumentary director behind “Waiting for Guffman” and “Best in Show” — will direct Groupon’s spots for the Feb. 6 Super Bowl broadcast, a rep for Guest has confirmed.
It’s not clear what will be in the ads or how long they will run, but Groupon employees will be “eating mini-quiches” and not taking bathroom breaks about 30 minutes before the game and during the “Glee” episode airing later, a source close to the company joked. Get the full story »
Associated Bank appoints staff for Chicago effort
Associated Bank, a Green Bay-based bank that has been on a hiring spurt in the Chicago area and seeks to crack the Top 10 in deposit market share here in the next five years, on Thursday announced seven personnel appointments in its retail division, including a new retail director for Illinois and a senior residential sales manager for Chicago. Get the full story »
Beware Virgo drivers, Allstate data warn
Don’t call them aggressive drivers. Call them “resourceful” drivers, and that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the worst on the road.
Virgos, known for being practical, industrious and perfectionists, were 700 percent more likely to be in a car accident in the last year than passionate, determined Scorpios, according to Allstate Insurance, which recently compared claims data against the revised astrological calendar. Get the full story »
Tammie Souza back, Amy Freeze out at Ch. 32
Tower Ticker | Fox-owned WFLD-Ch. 32 on Thursday announced its re-hire of weathercaster Tammie Souza, a move rumored so long that viewers can be excused for thinking it occurred. It also has hired an Indianapolis anchor as a general assignment reporter.
As expected, WFLD will not be renewing the the contract of lead weathercaster Amy Freeze, who’s expected to leave in the next month after four years at the station. Bill Bellis, the chief meteorologist at Phoenix’s KNXV-TV since 2003, is set to slide into Freeze’s Channel 32 post in late February.
Sources said there were discussions with Freeze about continuing at WFLD in a non-weather role, but nothing has come of that.
In a move not involving the weather department, WFLD has hired Tisha Lewis, an anchor at Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co.’s WXIN-TV in Indianapolis, as a general assignment reporter, beginning Feb. 2.
Goolsbee: Obama open to any tax simplification
The Obama administration is open to any possible reform of the U.S. tax code “that’s going to simplify, make it more efficient and generate revenue,” top White House economist Austan Goolsbee said Thursday.
Goolsbee was speaking to a YouTube roundtable two days after President Barack Obama said in his State of the Union address that he wanted to pursue ideas for tax reform.
GM withdraws application for Energy Dept. loans
General Motors Co. has withdrawn its application for $14 billion in subsidized loans from the Department of Energy, saying it has the financial strength to fund investment in more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles on its own.
The move could provide a public-relations boost to GM, which has struggled to distance itself from a $50 billion bailout and the stigma of having become ”Government Motors” after being restructured in bankruptcy. Get the full story »
Brunswick loss narrows, says boat demand at bottom
Brunswick Corp. reported another quarterly loss Thursday as economic uncertainty continued to keep buyers out of marine showrooms.
The world’s largest maker of recreational boats posted a fourth-quarter loss of $104.1 million, or $1.17 a share, compared with a loss of $124 million, or $1.40 a share, a year earlier. Get the full story »
GM speeds national rollout of Volt to year-end
General Motors’ top car designer says the company will accelerate distribution of the Chevrolet Volt electric car so it’s sold in every U.S. state by the end of this year.
Design chief Ed Welburn made the announcement Thursday in a speech at the Washington, D.C., auto show. Get the full story »
With Berwyn store, Meijer closing in on Chicago
Meijer continues to expand its footprint in the Chicago area and edge closer to the city of Chicago.
This summer it will open a store in Melrose Park and this week, Berwyn’s City Council approved plans to locate a Meijer store at the southeast corner of Cermak Road and Harlem Avenue, a store that will create 100 jobs. Get the full story »
Moody’s puts Illinois in top 5 in debt, pension needs
Illinois’ fiscal woes have translated into another dubious distinction for the state: A newly released analysis by Moody’s Investors Service ranks Illinois among the five states with the highest debt and pension funding needs.
Connecticut has the greatest funding needs, followed by Hawaii, Massachusetts, Mississippi and Illinois, Moody’s found.
Moody’s looked at each state’s combined pension and long-term debt as a percentage of personal income, gross domestic product and state revenue, and calculated its debt per capita. Illinois’ combined pension and debt burden translates to $6,692 per person, fifth highest in the country. Get the full story »
Pending home sales rise 2% in December
The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in December, marking the fifth increase in six months.
The National Association of Realtors says its index of sales agreements for previously occupied homes rose 2 percent last month. The index posted a 3.1 percent increase in November. Get the full story »
Mortgage rates tick up to 4.8%
The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage rose slightly this week, following increases in bond yields.
Freddie Mac says the average rate rose to 4.80 percent this week from 4.74 percent the previous week. It hit a 40-year low of 4.17 percent in November. Get the full story »
