Investor's Business Daily articles from June 2004

Investor's Business Daily archives from June 2004

Consumer Confidence Soars To 2-Year High As Job Prospects Rise; Retailers Suffer June Gloom; Optimism augers well for economic growth in Q3 -- and Bush re-election.(A)
June 30, 2004... Byline: JED GRAHAM Consumer confidence jumped to a two-year high in June as the job recovery started to hit home. The Conference Board said Tuesday its confidence index unexpectedly leapt to 101.9 from 93.1 in May, blowing out...

Ex-Retail Leader Kohl's Faltered As Laggards Co-Opted Formula; Value-priced chain says troubles are in the past, but Wall St. is still wary.(A)
June 30, 2004... Byline: MARILYN MUCH After losing its way last year, value-priced chain Kohl's is striving to regain its status as a retail all-star. But rivals are trying to steal the limelight. Kohl's, with over 580 stores, has carved a niche...

IBD'S TOP 10.(A)
June 30, 2004... Consumers More Upbeat On Jobs 1The consumer confidence index surged 8.8 points to 101.9, the best since June '02 and far above views. The present situation index shot up 14.3 points to 104.8, also a 2-year high. Attitudes about business...

AFTER THE CLOSE.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... RESEARCH IN MOTION made 36 cents a share in Q1, reversing a year-ago loss of a penny and beating views. Shares rose. MICROSOFT made a deal to settle a class-action suit in Massachusetts, agreeing to provide up to $34 mil in vouchers for...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... MEDICAL Generic drug sales to hit $80 bil As health providers use more cheap versions of medicines that have gone off-patent, worldwide generic drug sales are expected to bypass the branded sector, growing 22.1% annually in 7 markets...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... TECHNOLOGY AMD will snag Dell, analyst says Adding fuel to an oft-repeated rumor, an analyst with brokerage Susquehanna Financial Group said Dell plans to sell its 1st computers using chips from Advanced Micro Devices. Tai Nguyen...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... TELECOM Flextronics inks deal with Nortel The Singapore contract manufacturer will take over all the telecom equipment making operations for Nortel Networks. The Canadian firm, bogged down by an accounting scandal, will receive $675...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... CONSUMER American Greetings stock jumps The greeting card company rose 4% to 22.80 despite a drop in Q1 profit to $4.2 mil, or 6 cents a share vs. 27 cents a year ago. Included in the quarter's profit were $23.9 mil in debt...

THE ECONOMY.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... Crude oil prices slide southward Aug. crude oil futures fell 58 cents to $35.66 a barrel, the lowest close since early April. The move was prompted by the return of striking Norwegian oil workers to work and news of increased Iraqi oil...

IN BRIEF.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... Siebel was charged a second time with violating fair-disclosure rules by the SEC. The SEC also charged CFO Kenneth Goldman and senior officer Mark Hanson. In Nov '02, Siebel agreed to a $250,000 civil penalty to settle SEC allegations. Shares...

NATION.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... Bush, Kerry tied in Florida poll A Quinnipiac poll had them at 43% each, with Ralph Nader getting 5%. Without Nader in the race Kerry leads 46-44%. Florida is the largest swing state in the nation, with 27 electoral votes up for grabs....

WORLD.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... U.N. threatens action in Sudan U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says his trip to Sudan this week could lead to Security Council action against Khartoum if it doesn't act to ease a humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Fighting broke out last...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... Woman pregnant post transplant In a first, a 25-year-old woman has conceived a baby after receiving a transplant of her ovaries, which had been removed and frozen while she underwent chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma, said French...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
June 30, 2004... ** The FDA OK'd blood-sucking leeches for a treatment to heal skin grafts or restore circulation. The aquatic worms, used for thousands of years for medicinal blood-letting, will be marketed by French firm Ricarimpex SAS. ** A possible...

Dave Longaberger Put All His Eggs In One Basket; Create Your Market: He closed two successful businesses (a grocery store and a restaurant) to bet it all on basket-weaving.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(BEST OF LEADERS & SUCCESS)
June 30, 2004... Byline: JED GRAHAM Dave Longaberger was nobody's choice for "Most Likely to Succeed." He suffered epileptic seizures as a boy, and stuttered so badly that he dreaded having to read aloud in class. He was held back three years...

DON'T BE AFRAID TO INNOVATE Fresh First Impressions.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)
June 30, 2004... Byline: Amy Alexander 8 The interview's over. You've shaken hands with all the aces. New suit. Polished shoes. First day on the job. You just can't wait to set the company ablaze with your great ideas, showing off your years of...

Painting In Three Dimensions; Building The Future: Form, function and fun all blend in architect Frank Gehry.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)
June 30, 2004... Byline: PATRICK SEITZ Frank Gehry tries not to dwell on things he could have done differently. When a project is finished or nearing completion, he might make a mental note for future projects about possible changes, but then he...

Rivals Ask What Anti-Virus Plan Microsoft Is Germinating; Giant Attracts Attention; Software leader say it's serious about this field; is acquisition possible?(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 30, 2004... Byline: DONNA HOWELL Microsoft's been claiming that it's serious about raising the security bar. How it proceeds could affect anti-virus vendors' business for better or worse, analysts say. The first effects may be felt this summer. ...

AT&T's Stock Swoon Might Open A Door To Hostile Takeover; "Poison Pill' Provision Looms; Ma Bell says a shareholder vote that could block such a strategy is "nonbinding'.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 30, 2004... Byline: REINHARDT KRAUSE Is it time for Ma Bell to adopt a poison pill to deter a hostile takeover? With its stock near an all-time low, one-time telecom king AT&Tmight be ripe for the taking. And a takeover might be best for...

A Donkey Not Only Sidekick For Shrek; So Is Hewlett-Packard; HP and IBM lower-cost wares finding a role with movie animation wizards.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 30, 2004... Byline: KEN SPENCER BROWN Don't expect to see Carly Fiorina's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame or Sam Palmisano's cement footprints near Grauman's Chinese Theatre anytime soon. But the CEOs of Hewlett-Packard and IBM are taking on...

NEW-ISSUE PIPELINE It Looks To Bulk Up With Wall Street Move.(THE NEW AMERICA)
June 30, 2004... Byline: Kirk Shinkle Life Time Fitness Eden Prairie, Minn. (952) 947-0000 lifetimefitness.com Lead underwriters: CS First Boston, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America Offering price: $17-$19 Expected date: week...

SOMANETICS CORP. Troy, Michigan; Medical Supplier No Longer Bleeds Red Ink.(THE NEW AMERICA)
June 30, 2004... Byline: DAVID ISAAC Ask a heart-surgery patient what he'd like as he's wheeled into the operating room for surgery, and chances are he'll say: "I want to wake up." A device made by Somanetics makes it more likely he'll do so in...

Stock Fund Inflow Slows To $564 Mil; But June Pickup Seen; Bond funds post record outflow of $16.15 billion as interest rates climb.(A)(INVESTMENT TRENDS)
June 30, 2004... Byline: MURRAY COLEMAN New money invested in stock mutual funds slowed to a crawl in May. But several big fund groups said inflow picked up in June. The latest figures released by the Investment Company Institute showed stock...

Why Hike?(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
June 30, 2004... Economy: The markets say it's a done deal -- the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates today. But there are good reasons not to -- and very good reasons to go slowly, if the Fed feels it must raise them. A rate hike has now become so...

Leaning Right.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
June 30, 2004... Canada: The liberal party failed to hold its majority in Monday's election. Maybe the world isn't moving left as fast as some of the pundits say. The Liberal Party in Canada still holds the most seats (135), but it lost 33, falling below...

FACT BOX.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)
June 30, 2004... ON THIS DAY In 1972, Vice President Spiro Agnew called Sen. George McGovern, who would be nominated by the Democratic Party a month later, one of the greatest frauds ever to run for president. The comment came two weeks after five...

Rx For GOP Victory In Fall: Pro-Trade, Pro-Immigration.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(VIEWPOINT)
June 30, 2004... Byline: JACK KEMP A struggle is under way for the soul of the Republican Party between a minority of protectionist xenophobes and those who are pro-trade and pro-immigration. It's beneath the radar screen, but it's not so quiet. I...

THE REAL MOST ACTIVE Dow, S&P 500, 600 Pick Up In Higher Volume.(MAKING MONEY)
June 30, 2004... Byline: JONAH KERI NYSE stocks rose in slightly higher volume Tuesday as the market's focus shifted to Wednesday's Federal Reserve meeting. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, the Dow 0.5%, the small-cap S&P 600 0.9%. Plantronics surged out of a...

Analyze, Profit From IBD's Market Charts.(GENERAL MARKET & SECTORS)
June 30, 2004... Analyzing the price and volume changes in the major market averages each day is essential to successful investing. They reveal major tops and bottoms in the stock market. Most stocks follow the general market's trend. They tend to rise...

Amcol, Jarden Fight Rough Market Waters.(B)(NYSE STOCKS IN THE NEWS)
June 30, 2004... Byline: Jonah Keri Amcol International has groped for a comeback since peaking in mid-January. The stock had started the right side of its base in April when the choppy market knocked it below its 200-day moving average. The stock...

THE REAL MOST ACTIVE Techs Gain Ground As Fed Rate Meeting Starts.(B)
June 30, 2004... Byline: CRAIG SHAW Stocks rose Tuesday as consumer confidence hit a two-year high and the Fed began its two-day open market committee meeting. The Nasdaq advanced 0.7% on subpar trade, the large-cap Nasdaq 100 0.8%. Chip gear,...

Scrap Metal Recycler Climbs Steep Pattern.(B)(NASDAQ STOCKS IN THE NEWS)
June 30, 2004... Byline: Craig Shaw Metal Management marked gains on brisk volume the last two weeks as it mounts the right side of its four-month base. The 48% decline in its pattern is steeper than the ideal maximum of 35%. But the stock was due for a...

Incomes Offset Prices To Fuel Spending Jump; Fed To Start 2-Day Meeting.(A)
June 29, 2004... Byline: JED GRAHAM Healthy income gains fueled a burst of consumer spending in May, offsetting rising inflation, Commerce Department data showed Monday. Spending rose 1% from April, the most since October 2001, as autos flew off the...

PC Purchase Plans Bode Ill For Two Big Sales Periods; Third Straight Monthly Drop; Consumers may be saving for HD TVs, but computer makers see no slowing yet.(A)(IBD/TIPP POLL)
June 29, 2004... Byline: PATRICK SEITZ Fewer consumers are putting personal computers on their back-to-school and Christmas shopping lists, judging from the latest IBD/TIPP poll results on PC purchase intent. The percentage of U.S. households...

IBD'S TOP 10.(A)
June 29, 2004... Iraqis Regain Sovereignty Early 1In a surprise move, the U.S. handed over power to the interim Iraqi government 2 days early in a low-key ceremony. Iraqi leaders hoped to wrong-foot terrorists likely planning attacks for Wednesday. They...

AFTER THE CLOSE.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... WASHINGTON MUTUAL cut its '04 profit forecast from $4.35 a share to $3-$3.60, below views of $4.05, based on the assumption the Fed Funds rate will rise 75-125 basis points. It also said it would cut jobs this year. Shares fell sharply,...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... FINANCE Credit Suisse in trading probe Credit Suisse First Boston has been subpoenaed by the SEC and N.Y. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer over its mutual fund trading practices, the company disclosed. The company said it was...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... RETAIL Wal-Mart, Target to miss views Wal-Mart cut its June same-store sales growth forecast to 2%-4% from its old target of 4%-6%. The world's No. 1 retailer said sales in key categories were flat vs. last year, when it had its best...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... MEDICAL Watson guides Q2, '04 down Shares dropped 15% to 27.49, their lowest point in 19 months, after the drug maker sees making 39-41 cents a share ex items in Q2 and $1.85-$1.90 a share in '04; views see 51 cents and $2.14,...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... SECURITY Taser rises on stun gun news The weapons maker's shares rose 2% to 42.92 as the firm continued its string of good news with a 265-unit order for stun guns and accessories from the Dayton, Ohio, Police Department. Taser's...

THE ECONOMY.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... Cattle prices fall on disease worry June live cattle futures dropped as much as the daily trading limit allows Monday before closing down 2.5 cents at 87.1 cent a pound. August feeder cattle dropped 3 cents, the daily limit, to 11.150...

IN BRIEF.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... Goodyear Tire & Rubber said it intends to sell about $150 mil of convertible notes in a private placement, sending its shares down 6% to 9.26. SBC reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on...

NATION.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... High court takes up medical pot The Supreme Court said it will consider whether sick people who smoke pot on a doctor's orders are subject to a federal ban on marijuana. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court in San Francisco ruled in December that...

WORLD.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... Serbs elect pro-West president Candidate Boris Tadic defeated an ally of Slobodan Milosevic in elections. Tadic is the first noncommunist president of Serbia since World War II. He promised to push for integration with Europe and to...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... U.S. quitters outpace offshoring Of the 4 mil Americans who lost their jobs in April, about half left voluntarily, according to Bain & Co. Just 1% lost their jobs due to offshoring, it said. It sees 40,000-80,000 jobs outsourced outside...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
June 29, 2004... ** Violent deaths at U.S. schools totaled 48 in the just completed school year, 200% higher than the year earlier, said National School Safety and Security Services. The private firm used media sources to track the number of homicides and...

Arthur Murray Put His Stamp On Dance Instruction; Innovate: He drew on his architectural experience to diagram dance moves step by step -- and then mailed them to millions.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(BEST OF LEADERS & SUCCESS)
June 29, 2004... Byline: AMY ALEXANDER Arthur Murray Teichman wanted to be a ballroom dancer. But fresh out of high school and strapped for cash, the teenager thought it best to be practical. He took a job at an architect's office. By day, he learned...

FOCUS YOUR TIME AND MONEY Draw From Others' Well.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)
June 29, 2004... Byline: Adelia Cellini Linecker 7 Greeting-card queen Mary Engelbreit has known what she wanted out of life since she was 11 years old. Engelbreit's mother read to her every night, and the books she used inspired her daughter. "They...

He Broadened Our Horizons; Go Farther: Explorer Christopher Columbus changed the way we look at the world.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)
June 29, 2004... Byline: CURT SCHLEIER When it came to making a pitch, Christopher Columbus knew preparation and tailoring were crucial. In May 1486, he had an audience scheduled with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. He knew it might be...

Speech Technology Starting To Make Its Voice Heard; "Tremendous Potential'; Accuracy must improve, though, before speech systems go mainstream.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 29, 2004... Byline: SARAH Z. SLEEPER It's the stuff of science fiction. People in computerized homes speak commands: "Wash the dishes. Lock the doors." And the building and appliances comply. That type of pervasive speech recognition -- long...

Yahoo's New Service To Take On Google On Crucial Local Turf; Target: Mom And Pop Shops; Service helps smaller firms reach nearby customers using geographic settings.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 29, 2004... Byline: PETE BARLAS Yahoo is battling Google again. And this time, the prize is mom and pop shops. A new search service offered by Yahoo's Overture Services unit aims to make it easier for small businesses to find local customers. By...

DNA Chips Could Find Bio Threats; Tiny Germ Detectors; Nanotech startup looks to use DNA molecules in formation of circuits.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)(Q & A)
June 29, 2004... Byline: DOUG TSURUOKA As part of a warning system against terror attacks, researchers are developing computer chiplike devices that test for anthrax and other germs. The products are based on nanotechnology, or the science of making...

EBay's Growth Spurs A New Auction Niche; Helping Sellers, Buyers; AuctionDrop and others set up physical facilities to aid online transactions.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 29, 2004... Byline: PETE BARLAS As an entrepreneur in California'a Silicon Valley, Randy Adams has founded and sold several technology companies. But the spark for Adams' latest venture -- a company called AuctionDrop -- came indirectly from his...

NEW AMERICA SPOTLIGHT Maker Of Golf Shafts Battles Out Of Trouble; Aldila Inc.; Poway, Calif. Aldila.com.(THE NEW AMERICA)
June 29, 2004... Byline: David Isaac Aldila is an Italian word. It means beyond perfection. It's what golfers who use Aldila's equipment hope people will say about their game. Founded in 1972, the maker of graphite golf shafts has captured the...

ZENITH NATIONAL INSURANCE CORP. Woodland Hills, California; Insurer Compensates For Tough Conditions.(THE NEW AMERICA)
June 29, 2004... Byline: MARILYN ALVA Zenith National Insurance knows all about trouble. After all, it's a workers' compensation insurer in California, where the business has been in crisis mode for years. Now Zenith itself is in a tough spot. The...

UMB Fund Has Two-Pronged Attack; Charts Assist In Hunt; Scout Small Cap uses fundamental research, technical analysis tools.(MUTUAL FUNDS)(MUTUAL FUND PROFILE)
June 29, 2004... Byline: MURRAY COLEMAN Institutional money manager David Bagby spun UMB Scout Small Cap Fund in a new direction when he took its reins four years ago. The fund had been pursuing stocks selling well below their proper values. Bagby...

Job Well Done.(SERIES: WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR)(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
June 29, 2004... Iraq: The U.S. early handover of sovereignty to Iraqis strikes a severe blow to the terrorists. More important, it gives hope to Iraqis for a better life. It's ironic that, as the carnage has grown in recent weeks in Iraq, average...

Palme b'Ore.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
June 29, 2004... "Fahrenheit 9/11": The critics seem to agree on Michael Moore's latest: "superb!" -- "riveting!" -- "scorching!" Which is why we don't feel qualified to do film reviews. Because "sad" would be our reaction. Sad, yes, that "Fahrenheit...

Add Gun Control To Litany Of Misbegotten Gov't Plans.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(VIEWPOINT)
June 29, 2004... Byline: John Lott and Eli Lehrer The gun-control movement is in trouble internationally. From Britain to Australia to Canada, promises of lower crime rates from gun control have turned into historic increases in crime. While the...

THE REAL MOST ACTIVE NYSE Stocks Rally, Retreat On Iraq News.(MAKING MONEY)
June 29, 2004... Byline: JONAH KERI NYSE stocks bobbed and weaved Monday before finishing slightly lower. The Dow and S&P 500 edged down 0.1% each, the small-cap S&P 600 0.5%. The market shot higher at the open as the U.S. handed over control of...

Analyze, Profit From IBD's Market Charts.(GENERAL MARKET & SECTORS)
June 29, 2004... Analyzing the price and volume changes in the major market averages each day is essential to successful investing. They reveal major tops and bottoms in the stock market. Most stocks follow the general market's trend. They tend to rise...

Medical Device Maker dj Setting Up In Base.(B)(NYSE STOCKS IN THE NEWS)
June 29, 2004... Byline: Jonah Keri A regular in the weekly IBD 100 and featured on page B2 June 21, dj Orthopedics has appeared in IBD's pages numerous times in recent weeks. The stock tried to break out April 5, only to immediately fall back into its...

THE REAL MOST ACTIVE Stocks Give Up Gains Despite Iraq Power Shift.(B)
June 29, 2004... Byline: CRAIG SHAW Optimism over the early handoff of power in Iraq faded Monday as investors looked ahead to the Fed's midweek rate meeting. The Nasdaq let an 0.7% gain shrink into an 0.3% loss on lighter trade. The large-cap Nasdaq 100...

Sport Sandal Maker Builds Winning Streak.(B)(NASDAQ STOCKS IN THE NEWS)
June 29, 2004... Byline: Craig Shaw Deckers Outdoor marked its fifth straight up day Monday as it crafts the right side of its nine-week base. You'd like to see it trace a handle within 10%-15% of its 52-week high before breaking out. The stock rallied...

Fed To Snug Rates, Hoping Slow Pace Can Match Inflation; 1/4-Pt. Move Seen June 30; Some say policy-makers will step it up eventually; others call prices tame.(A)
June 28, 2004... Byline: JED GRAHAM The Federal Reserve has become so sure of its ability to hold down inflation that it didn't mind giving inflation a head start. But this week, with its patience having run out after a considerable period, the Fed...

MARKET TOOL BAR.(A)
June 28, 2004... S&P 500 INDEX 1134.43 -6.22 (-0.5%) But 400, 600 are up; gainers edge losers DOW JONES IND. 10,371.84 -71.97 (-0.7%) Boeing up 5th week to a 34-month high NYSE VOL. (MIL) 1,785 +389...

Kerry Woos Young Fla. Cubans By Calling For Easing Embargo; New arrivals, U.S. born differ from older exiles, who back stiff sanctions.(A)
June 28, 2004... Byline: SEAN HIGGINS Politicians have traditionally appealed to Cuban-Americans by being tough on Fidel Castro. But Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is taking a softer approach. "A policy of isolation and deprivation sends the wrong message...

IBD'S TOP 10.(A)
June 28, 2004... U.S. Launches Strike In Fallujah 1The U.S. launched its 3rd airstrike of the week on a suspected safe house for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group in the Sunni city, with an estimated 20-25 killed. The Jordanian terrorist took credit for...

AFTER THE CLOSE.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... ORACLE may have to pay $1.96 bil in refunds to PeopleSoft customers if its contested bid for the software maker succeeds. That's 26 percent more than Oracle's earlier estimate. Shares fell . AXA's auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers said the...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... STEEL Steel Technologies lifts outlook The metals processor raised its Q3 forecast to 75-78 cents a share on $225 mil in sales, more than seven times the year-ago profits of 10 cents a share on $129.6 mil. Views see 67 cents a share....

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... RETAIL Higher costs hurting restaurants O'Charley's became the latest restaurant operator to warn that rising food expenses are cutting into profits. The chain lowered its Q2 guidance as sales slowed in May and June amid higher...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... MEDICAL News lifts Advanced Magnetics The biotech's shares shot up 41% to 12.06 after saying the FDA looked kindly on additional data it's gathering to support the approval of cancer-detection agent Combidex. Regulators had said in...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... SECURITY Taser rises on retail speculation The stun weapon maker's shares jumped 19% to 42.09 after a Morgan Keegan analyst wrote that a consumer version of its x26 Taser product will be out this summer and stocked at a national...

THE ECONOMY.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... ECRI leading index slips in week The Economic Cycle Research Institute's gauge of the U.S. economic outlook eased to 132.3 in the week ending June 18 from 132.7 the prior week as raw materials prices fell and jobless claims rose. The...

IN BRIEF.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... Martha Stewart's sentencing has been delayed to July 16 from July 8. Prosecutors also filed papers opposing Stewart's request for a new trial because a Secret Service worker allegedly lied on the stand. MCI will cut about 2,000 jobs, or...

NATION.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... House rejects budget ceiling Late Thursday, members voted 268-146 against a bill that would require automatic cuts in federal agency budgets if spending exceeded $821 billion next year. It would have also required cuts to cover any...

WORLD.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... Ireland Braces For Bush Visit Thousands of troops, police and protesters have lined up ahead of the arrival of President Bush for an EU summit. Opposition to the Iraq War will likely mean a cool reception. Three protesters were arrested....

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... Disease threatens chocolate Two separate fungal infections have swept through South American cocoa farms, reducing the crop yields by up to 90% and affecting an estimated 2 mil people directly or indirectly. Although South America...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
June 28, 2004... ** Toshiba developed a thumb-sized fuel cell that uses methanol to produce 100 milliwatts of electricity, or 20 hours of use for an MP3 player. The electronics firm plans to sell the cells in '05. ** The number of cancer survivors...

Looking For Space Deep In Mojave; Can private companies turn old Marine Corps base into "rocket desert'?(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 28, 2004... Byline: BRIAN DEAGON After a 100-mile drive from Los Angeles, I pulled into Spaceport Mojave (aka Mojave Airport), a sprawling desert airstrip that was once a Marine Corps air station. It was last Sunday and I had come to see...

Investors Fret Cable Firms' Spending Spree Isn't Over; Upgrade Tab Hits $85 Billion; Competition could force even more improvements just a few years down road.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 28, 2004... Byline: REINHARDT KRAUSE Eighty-five billion bucks -- and the tab is still rising. Cable TV companies have spent that huge sum since 1996 to upgrade their networks and the wiring going into homes. They had to open their wallets to...

Intel Rolls Out 64-Bit Xeon Chips; Code-named Nocona, processors to challenge AMD's Opteron chips.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 28, 2004... Byline: JAMES DETAR Intel last week launched a massive barrage of new Pentium 4 processors, adding new features for personal computer users. Now it's time for Round 2. The company Monday will roll out its new 64-bit Xeon chips, which...

Anti-Virus Businesses Adjust Product Lines As Competition Rises; Firms Expand Into New Areas; Growth of online threats spurs demand for software both at home and at work.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
June 28, 2004... Byline: DONNA HOWELL As online threats evolve, anti-virus firms are working hard to keep up with the times and each other. The big vendors are broadening product sets to bolster safety and carve deeper market share as competition between...

C.R. BARD INC. Murray Hill, New Jersey; Medical Gear Maker Gets A New Diagnosis.(THE NEW AMERICA)
June 28, 2004... Byline: PETER BENESH What happens when a company steamrolls over quarterly earnings views? When C.R. Bard beat first-quarter estimates by as much as 16 cents a share, analysts immediately suggested the company downplayed the facts....