Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News articles from February 18 2005

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News archives from February 18 2005

Agere reverse split approved.
February 18, 2005... By Jeanne Bonner, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Agere Systems received approval from its shareholders Thursday to effect a reverse stock split in any of four proposed ratios. That paves...

Lehigh Valley Air to offer service to Florida.
February 18, 2005... By Kurt Blumenau, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Lehigh Valley International Airport officials, fighting to restore routes, unveiled a start-up air service Thursday that will reconnect the...

Harleysville posts solid year-end profit.
February 18, 2005... By Kurt Blumenau, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Harleysville Group Inc. officials heralded 2004 as a strong start to a transition period, reporting solid fourth-quarter and year-end profit...

Good employees hard to find.
February 18, 2005... By Gloria Irwin, Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Employees who can be counted on to come to work on time, write a complete sentence and accept supervision are hard to find in the Akron-Canton area,...

Boeing creates wireless spot on 737s.
February 18, 2005... By Dave Hirschman, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Boeing wants airline passengers to slip the surly bonds of earth without cutting their ties to the Internet. The jet maker has created a...

World Air Holdings' annual revenue increases 6 percent.
February 18, 2005... By Kirsten Tagami, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--World Air Holdings, the Peachtree City-based parent of charter carrier World Airways, posted a sharp rise in net profit for the fourth...

Coca-Cola bottler's net income drops 11.6 percent.
February 18, 2005... By Scott Leith, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Coca-Cola Enterprises said its net income tumbled 11.6 percent in 2004 as sales volume fell in both North America and Europe. Atlanta-based...

Delta, AirTran Airways plan new flight destinations from Atlanta.
February 18, 2005... By Russell Grantham, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Atlanta's two biggest carriers plan new flights this spring to radically different destinations. Delta Air Lines has U.S. government...

Southern Co. to ask for a permit for nuclear reactor site.
February 18, 2005... By Margaret Newkirk, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The casual observer might be forgiven for wondering just what the nation's nuclear power companies are up to these days. There they all...

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Wall Street column.
February 18, 2005... By Tom Walker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The Dow Jones industrial average took its fourth-worst hit of the new year on Thursday -- almost 81 points -- and fell back into negative...

Home Depot looks to hire 20,000 employees nationwide.
February 18, 2005... By Dave Goldberg, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The Home Depot is looking to hire 20,000 employees across the country this year and has partnered with four national Hispanic organizations to...

ChoicePoint expands notification.
February 18, 2005... By Rob Varnon, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A Georgia company that released sensitive personal information on 145,000 Americans to a ring of suspected identity thieves blamed any delays in...

UI parent posts net income of $4.7m.
February 18, 2005... By Rob Varnon, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Higher electricity consumption in the state helped the parent company of United Illuminating Co., UIL Holdings Corp., post net income of $4.7...

Farmland advocate promotes agricultural easements.
February 18, 2005... By Steve E. Swenson, The Bakersfield Californian Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A local farmland advocate wants to gauge the community's interest in preserving farmland through voluntary agricultural easements. An...

San Jose bank seek share of small-business loan market.
February 18, 2005... By Matt Phillips, The Bakersfield Californian Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A San Jose-based business bank is trying to get a piece of the local small-business loan market. "We like a lot of the demographics of what we...

Banker ready for new challenges.
February 18, 2005... By Scott Wuerz, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--BELLEVILLE -- After 17 years at the company's downtown bank and trust facility, longtime Belleville banker Tom Holloway announced Thursday he is...

'Perfect storm' closes eatery.
February 18, 2005... By Scott Wuerz, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The war in Iraq, anti-French sentiment and the high price of dairy products worked together to close one of downtown Belleville's fancier...

Aaron's Sales and Lease increases metro-east presence.
February 18, 2005... By Will Buss, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--GRANITE CITY -- Aaron's Sales and Lease has doubled its coverage in metro-east. One of two new stores celebrated its grand opening Thursday at...

Mergers, public offerings faring well, venture capital slower.
February 18, 2005... By Matt Branaugh, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--LONGMONT -- Established medical device makers and drug development companies in the area will be glad to hear the merger and acquisition market is...

Mayors sign agreement to spur industry.
February 18, 2005... The Brownsville Herald, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The mayors of Brownsville, Matamoros and South Padre Island signed an agreement on Wednesday to create a marketing campaign that is designed to bring more...

Arum not sold on Bay Area potential.
February 18, 2005... By Jay Heater, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--BURLINGAME -- Legendary promoter Bob Arum was visiting the Bay Area last week but not to promote a local event. That's in contrast to...

American Airline's finances to get worse before improving, CEO says.
February 18, 2005... By Eric Torbenson, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--American Airlines Inc.'s finances are likely to worsen before they get better, the carrier's top executive said Thursday. Ever since the carrier...

United CEO urges mergers for industry survival.
February 18, 2005... By Eric Torbenson, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Bankrupt for two years, United Airlines Inc. has a new role in mind if it can reorganize: industry consolidator. Taking cues from the...

Man after bin Laden bounty held in U.S.
February 18, 2005... By David Ashenfelter, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A Texas man is in federal custody after telling agents at Detroit Metro Airport that he was on his way to Syria to try to claim the $25-million bounty...

Compuware testimony against IBM begins.
February 18, 2005... By Jewel Gopwani, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Compuware Corp. started to build its case against IBM Corp. on Thursday, addressing claims that Compuware gouged clients on prices and revealing...

Women say men tricked them to U.S., stripping.
February 18, 2005... By David Ashenfelter, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Two Livonia men were detained Thursday pending trial on a charge of luring four Ukrainian women to the United States and forcing them to work as exotic...

Ikea says no to Canton site.
February 18, 2005... By John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A seemingly minor property dispute has derailed, at least for now, Swedish retailer Ikea 's plans to open its first Detroit-area store in Canton Township...

Detroit Free Press shopping column.
February 18, 2005... By Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--ORVIS CATALOG COMPANY IS SELLING KITS FOR 6 LUXURIOUS LOG HOUSES: From the most recent Orvis catalog, you can buy rods and reels, flies, waders and a log...

Detroit Free Press Tom Walsh column.
February 18, 2005... By Tom Walsh, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--EDUCATION IS GLOBAL TAIWANESE STUDENTS STUDY IN MOTOWN: One guy owns and operates an Indonesian restaurant. Another is a 57-year-old lawyer and wanna-be...

Detroit Free Press Mike Wendland column.
February 18, 2005... By Mike Wendland, Detroit Free Press Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--INTERNET VIA POWER LINES RECEIVES JOLT OF SUPPORT: The movement to open another Internet pipe using signals carried to homes and businesses via electric...

Daily Mail, London, business briefs column.
February 18, 2005... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--CRESTCO SLASHES TARIFFS BY 67PC: UK securities settlement house CrestCo is to cut its tariff on UK "netting trades" by 67pc to 5p from April 1 -- a saving equivalent to...

Daily Mail, London, Alex Brummer column.
February 18, 2005... By Alex Brummer, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--YAWNING PENSIONS DIVIDE: Private companies are forced to face up to their pension liabilities on a daily basis. Across the universe of firms there has been...

Shop Giants Fight To Corner The Market.
February 18, 2005... By Lucy Farndon, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Poky petrol station stores and run-down corner shops are suddenly hot property. Three years ago, supermarket chains would not have wasted their time on small...

Aurora Bill Fails To Dent Carnival.
February 18, 2005... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Cruise company Carnival revealed that the bill for the aborted maiden voyage of the Aurora had soared a further [pounds sterling]4.25m to [pounds sterling]26.25m. And there...

Shut down the problem pubs, says Diageo chief.
February 18, 2005... By Ian Lyall, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Diageo boss Paul Walsh outlined his plans to call time on binge drinking and ruled the company out of the bidding for rival Allied Domecq. Walsh, whose...

Kingfisher Battles To Keep Aloft.
February 18, 2005... By Lucy Farndon, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Kingfisher blamed a consumer slowdown for the worst sales in more than three years at its B&Q DIY outlets. Chief executive Gerry Murphy said: "It is...

Bonanza For Aberdeen's Directors.
February 18, 2005... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Bosses' pay is rising again at Aberdeen Asset Management as it strives to put the split capital investment trusts debacle behind it. Chief executive Martin Gilbert's...

Daily Mail, London, market report column.
February 18, 2005... By Geoff Foster, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--SAINSBURY PUNTERS QUEUE AS TAKEOVER GOSSIP SWIRLS: For the umpteenth time in recent weeks, hungry punters gorged themselves on J Sainsbury. As reheated...

Luminar Dives After Another Resignation at top.
February 18, 2005... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Shares in nightclub group Luminar slumped after it announced that it is parting company with respected finance director Andrew Burns. He is the second director to resign in...

Cairn Gusher Boosts Shares.
February 18, 2005... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Cairn Energy's path to riches in Rajasthan has many twists and turns. The latest sent the shares 64p higher to 1130p. After a disappointing dry well in December north of...

LSE prompted the suspension of White Nile.
February 18, 2005... By James Quinn, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The surprise suspension of shares in oil exploration minnow White Nile four days after its float was prompted by the London Stock Exchange, the Mail can...

Shut Down The Problem Pubs, Says Diageo Chief.
February 18, 2005... By Ian Lyall, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Diageo boss Paul Walsh outlined his plans to call time on binge drinking and ruled the company out of the bidding for rival Allied Domecq. Walsh, whose...

Sugar Is On A High As Amstrad's Sales Soar.
February 18, 2005... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Sir Alan Sugar, star of TV show The Apprentice, showed his acolytes how it is done as electronics group Amstrad doubled its profits to [pounds sterling]14.2m on the back of...

Corus Axes An Extra 400 Jobs In Shake-Up.
February 18, 2005... Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Steelmaker Corus is to axe more than 400 jobs at two of its UK sites in the latest stage of its restructuring. The Anglo-Dutch company said it would move steel rail...

Reed Boss Embraces LSE Takeover from overseas.
February 18, 2005... By James Ashton, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Reed Elsevier boss Sir Crispin Davis became the first FTSE 100 leader to welcome an overseas takeover of the London Stock Exchange, though he insisted that...

City building to be redeveloped into private offices, housing.
February 18, 2005... By Jane Brissett, Duluth News-Tribune, Minn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A Duluth, Minn., developer is proposing to add a fourth floor to the Water and Gas building at 414 W. First St. and convert it into offices and...

Frederick County man launches Website for liberal thinkers.
February 18, 2005... By Ed Waters Jr., The Frederick News-Post, Frederick, Md. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--FREDERICK -- Jack Lynch is seeking writers. Mr. Lynch, who is currently coordinating a grant program for Volunteer Frederick...

DHL plans East Coast hub in Pennsylvania.
February 18, 2005... By Niala Boodhoo, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--International delivery giant DHL, which runs its Americas operations from Plantation, on Thursday unveiled plans for a $107 million distribution hub...

Florida overhauls homeowners insurance plan, creates hurricane reserve.
February 18, 2005... By Kathy Bushouse, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A game plan to overhaul homeowners insurance in Florida was approved Thursday by a group of state legislators, ranging from revamping the...

Marina overhaul to include condos, retail space.
February 18, 2005... By Alexandra Navarro Clifton, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Overhauling the Rybovich Spencer marina in West Palm Beach will transform the existing 12-acres into a $100 million project that will...

State reviewing insurance rates after storms.
February 18, 2005... By Kathy Bushouse, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--State Farm Florida submitted a proposal Wednesday to increase its mobile home policy rates by a statewide average of 17.5 percent, despite state...

Home foreclosures fall in 2004.
February 18, 2005... By Sanford Nax, The Fresno Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The number of homes entering foreclosure fell last year to the lowest level in 13 years, a real estate tracking service said. DataQuick reported...

Experts craft plan to help minority-owned businesses.
February 18, 2005... By Bethany Clough, The Fresno Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--FRESNO -- A group of experts met Thursday to create a game plan for minority-owned businesses: how to produce more of them and help existing ones...

Changes will bring savings at American Airlines, Arpey says.
February 18, 2005... By Trebor Banstetter, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--American Airlines' top executive said the carrier will score big savings this year with changes to onboard food and flight-crew schedules...

Rumsfeld says decision not final on halting F/A-22.
February 18, 2005... By Dave Montgomery, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, bolstering the hopes of F/A-22 supporters, told lawmakers Thursday that the Pentagon has not...

Interpreting health care: Hospitals help patients, staff communicate.
February 18, 2005... By Maria M. Perotin, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--FORT WORTH -- When 2-year-old Daniel Flores was hospitalized this week, his frightened mother had lots of questions for the doctors and...

Rumsfeld says Pentagon still considering F/A-22s.
February 18, 2005... By Dave Montgomery, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, bolstering the hopes of F/A-22 supporters, told lawmakers Thursday that the Pentagon has not...

RadioShack's shares fall 10 percent.
February 18, 2005... By Andrea Ahles, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--FORT WORTH -- Shares of RadioShack dropped 10 percent Thursday after the retailer announced lower-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. ...

Airline: Wright law still wrong on long-haul flights.
February 18, 2005... By Bryon Okada, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Southwest Airlines' top lobbyist says the carrier's efforts to repeal the Wright Amendment will continue with or without the support of the...

Union Pacific faces federal scrutiny.
February 18, 2005... By Sean Wood, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Fort Worth-based Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. isn't the only rail company under Justice Department scrutiny. Union Pacific has also...

15 firms now face annuities inquiries.
February 18, 2005... By Andrew Caffrey, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Fifteen financial firms, including some of the nation's largest brokerage companies, are being questioned by state regulators in their widening...

The Boston Globe Downtown column.
February 18, 2005... By Steve Bailey, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--LARRY MEANS WELL: How could one of the smartest people on the planet, a man who has done so much right, get in so much trouble so fast? The story of Larry...

Scientist urges pulling of 'bad actor' pain drugs.
February 18, 2005... By Diedtra Henderson, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- The government should yank "bad actor" painkillers, a Food and Drug Administration scientist who repeatedly has sparred with the...

Talk Of Possible Sale Lifts Sepracor.
February 18, 2005... By Ross Kerber, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Shares in Sepracor Inc. rose 8.4 percent on a report the Marlborough sleeping-pill developer has hired an investment bank to advise it on "strategic options"...

Executive Who Built Staples Plans To Try His Hand As Venture Capitalist.
February 18, 2005... By Robert Weisman, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Staples Inc. founder Thomas Stemberg, who built the Framingham company into an office supplies giant with 1,600 stores and $15 billion in annual revenue, is...

Boost Mobile Offers 'Virtual Network' Service In Boston.
February 18, 2005... By Peter J. Howe, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The number of cellphone companies may be shrinking. But for consumers, the number of cellphone brand choices is proliferating. In the latest of several...

Struggling state farmers see improvement.
February 18, 2005... By Mary Klaus, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--A year after the state Agriculture Department created an organization to help dairy farmers, Pennsylvania has more cows producing more milk. ...

Aetna To Sell HSAs To Wider Audience.
February 18, 2005... The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Aetna said Thursday it will start offering its "consumer-directed" health plans May 1 to small employers and individuals in Connecticut and other states. Various...

SEC Won't Fight Cut In Retirees' Dental Benefit.
February 18, 2005... By Diane Levick, The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Aetna Inc., beseeched by its retirees to restore dental insurance subsidies, won't have to put the issue to a shareholder vote that retirees want....

The Hartford's Probe Satisfies Labor Group.
February 18, 2005... By Diane Levick, The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The AFL-CIO, satisfied with The Hartford's internal investigation and promise to disclose results, has withdrawn its proposal for the company's...

Lincoln National's income in fourth quarter declines.
February 18, 2005... The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Lincoln National Corp.'s fourth-quarter net income declined 2.3 percent because of lower investment gains, but operating income grew 6.3 percent to a record level,...

Former Gerber Scientific Executive Settles With SEC.
February 18, 2005... By John M. Moran, The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--The Securities & Exchange Commission said it has settled insider trading allegations against Richard Curtiss, former director of corporate...

Plastics maker Rogers Corp. delays quarterly earnings release due to tax probe.
February 18, 2005... The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Rogers Corp., the maker of industrial plastics and specialty materials, said it was forced to postpone its scheduled release of quarterly earnings because of an...

Officials call for Wal-Mart reform.
February 18, 2005... By Ritu Kalra, The Hartford Courant, Conn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Wal-Mart's controversial settlement with the federal Department of Labor over child labor violations led some members of Congress Thursday, including...

Sagging A&P to serve high, low ends.
February 18, 2005... By Kevin G. DeMarrais, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Combine the cheerful ambience of a new supermarket, the mouth-watering allure of your favorite Kings and the "natural" appeal of any Whole...

Poll sees big year for Internet phone technology.
February 18, 2005... By Martha McKay, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Internet-based telephone technology will be a key growth area this year for New Jersey telecommunications companies. That's according to...

Twelve women file sexual discrimination suit against Novartis.
February 18, 2005... By Lewis Krauskopf, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Eight months pregnant, Jennifer Waxman-Recht interviewed last August for a sales promotion at Novartis for which she appeared to be very...

Future could hold use of smart cards, tokens, 'Passfaces'.
February 18, 2005... By Brian Kladko, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--What's your computer password? Don't want to tell? Good for you. When office workers were asked the same question outside a London subway...

Budget may extend sales tax.
February 18, 2005... By John P. McAlpin, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Buy a paper plate in New Jersey and pay no tax. But going for a disposable plastic plate costs an extra 6 percent. That tax code discrepancy...

Ken Lay asks for a December trial date.
February 18, 2005... By Mary Flood, Houston Chronicle Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--From the day of his indictment last July and at every opportunity since, former Enron Chairman Ken Lay has insisted he wanted a speedy trial. That changed...

Houston Chronicle Moneymakers column.
February 18, 2005... By Anne Belli, Houston Chronicle Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--CONSUMER AWARENESS TAKING HOLD IN HEALTH CARE: One of the biggest worries in corporate America is the rising cost of employee health insurance. The average...

President of Oracle offers reassurance.
February 18, 2005... By John C. Roper, Houston Chronicle Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--Just shy of six weeks after closing its takeover of PeopleSoft, Oracle dispatched its president to Houston to assure key customers here not to be alarmed by...

Houston Chronicle Loren Steffy column.
February 18, 2005... By Loren Steffy, Houston Chronicle Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--MURKY MUNI BOND MARKET GETS A LITTLE PRICING CLARITY: Almost three weeks ago, a light went on in one of the darkest corners of U.S. securities markets. ...

Tech breakthroughs benefit oil industry.
February 18, 2005... By John C. Roper, Houston Chronicle Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 18--It may have come as a surprise to some attending Cambridge Energy Research Associates' big energy conference in Houston that Steve Ballmer, chief executive...