Investor's Business Daily articles from September 2003

Investor's Business Daily archives from September 2003

Factories Finally Hiring As Growth Speeds Up In Aug. Chicago Survey Consumer Outlays Up 0.8% Tax cuts and refinancings fattened wallets in July; what fuels spending now?(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: JED GRAHAM Chicago-area factories, racing to keep up with demand, added workers in August for the first time in 40 months, the National Association of Purchasing Management-Chicago reported Friday. The association's business...

Market Struggles In September, But Stocks Seem In Good Shape Leaders are setting up, economy accelerating and pessimism is high.(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: KEN HOOVER Summer vacation is over. Look for volume to pick up as traders and money managers get back to work. Will this mark the beginning of another leg up in the bull market? The signs are good. The economy is looking...

AFTER THE CLOSE.(A)(AFTER THE CLOSE)
September 2, 2003... GILLETTE asked a federal judge to stop rival Energizer's launch of its Schick Quattro razor because it infringes on Gillette's patents. It filed a suit on Aug. 12. ESPN plans to give its Motion Web video service some TiVo-like...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(A)
September 2, 2003... MEDICAL Teva to appeal Merck drug ruling The Israeli firm plans to appeal a Thursday ruling blocking the generic drug maker from marketing a copycat of Merck's Fosamax once-weekly osteoporosis drug. A Delaware court found Teva...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(A)
September 2, 2003... MEDIA Ad spending up 6.8% in 1st half TNS Media Intelligence/CMR says spending hit $61.6 bil, with more than half going to TV. All of the new TV spending went to cable, which grew 17% over last year. Network TV had a slight decline....

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(A)
September 2, 2003... TELECOM Motorola sells out Symbian stake Nokia will become the top shareholder in the mobile software venture when it and British software partner Psion buy Motorola's 19% stake. Motorola wants to focus on phones that use Sun Micro's...

THE ECONOMY.(A)
September 2, 2003... Fed not reason for smooth cycles That's according to a National Bureau of Economic Research paper presented at the annual Jackson Hole, Wyo., Fed conference. The paper said the drop in economic volatility of the past two decades has more...

NATION.(A)
September 2, 2003... Congress to focus on blackout The aging U.S. power grid takes center stage this week as lawmakers return from their summer recess. Several hearings on the massive August blackout already are set. Congress will also grapple with a promised...

WORLD.(A)
September 2, 2003... U.S. soldier dies in Afghan battle The U.S. military said a member of the Special Forces succumbed to wounds sustained in an accident during overnight operations in the fifth day of fighting with Taliban forces. U.S. troops are supporting...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(A)
September 2, 2003... Youngest kids in a class stressed Regardless when the school year starts, the youngest in any group face more stress than older peers, says a survey by King's College in London. Many end up with serious mental health problems. Past studies...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(A)
September 2, 2003... ** People revived from a stopped heart are 21% more likely to survive long term than they would have 25 years ago, says a University of Washington study. Possible reasons: new drugs and defibrillator implants. ** Sage may lead the way to...

Make Yourself Accountable.(A)(IBD 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)
September 2, 2003... Byline: Morey Stettner 2It rarely pays to keep your goals secret. By telling others, you strengthen your commitment to follow through. Many leaders join peer groups where they meet regularly to announce new goals and give updates on...

Conductor John Philip Sousa Innovate: Patriot composed marches to the beat of a different drummer.(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: SEAN HIGGINS When John Philip Sousa was offered the chance in 1892 to form his own touring band, he was torn. It meant he'd have to quit as the conductor of the U.S. Marine Band. He'd spent 12 years turning it into the finest...

Sony, Microsoft Look To Lure Video Game Players Online Football Spurring Internet Play So far, Net game services haven't boosted revenue, but that could be changing.(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: PATRICK SEITZ Are you ready for some online football? Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. hope so. The two video game console rivals are counting on thousands of armchair quarterbacks to kick their fledgling online services into...

Server Sales Finally Tick Up -- Just Barely First Increase In 10 Quarters Rise could signal rebound as corporate customers finally start spending again.(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: BRIAN DEAGON In the second quarter, for the first time in 10 quarters, sales of computer servers rose from the year-ago period, says an industry report. The increase was barely noticeable -- up a scant 0.2% to $10.6 billion --...

Segway Conference In Chicago Lures Device's Die-Hard Fans.(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: PATRICK SEITZ Fans of the Segway Human Transporter, the electric, self-balancing superscooter, converged on Chicago Friday for the device's first-ever owners convention. About 80 Segways zipped quietly around the McCormick...

DSP Group Says Cordless Phone Market In Line To Grow.(A)(Q AND A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: JAMES DETAR When it comes to telephone technology, cell phones generate most of the excitement. But don't count out standard cordless phones. Cordless landline phones continue to evolve. Just a few years ago, 2.4-gigahertz...

STAPLES INC. Framingham, Massachusetts Office-Supplies Chain Beats Economic Blues.(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: MARILYN ALVA You can't accuse Staples Inc. of being a stick in the mud. As the economy faltered and unemployment rose, the 1,500-unit office supply chain could have blamed outside events for a slowdown in its own business, then...

Kopp Emerging Comes Roaring Back Up 61% So Far In 2003 After it dived 35% in '01 and 52% in '02, fund's fast growers catch hold.(A)
September 2, 2003... Byline: KEN HOOVER The managers of Kopp Emerging Growth Fund were forced to take a hard look at their holdings as the stock market slumped to its bear-market low last October. Though discouraged that their small-cap growth stocks were...

Earnings Reports.(A)
September 2, 2003... Earnings Reports Corinthian Posts 69% Increase in Net Income on 53% Higher Revenues for 2003 Fiscal Year Record Results Driven by Branch Campus Openings, Acquisitions, Online Learning and Curricula Adoptions SANTA ANA, CA -...

Government Work.(A)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
September 2, 2003... Unions: Now that organized labor has settled into the public sector, it's less of a counterweight to private capital and more of a thorn in the taxpayer's side. A lot of history goes into Labor Day, along with a touch of irony. The holiday...

In Need Of Justice.(A)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
September 2, 2003... Terrorism: A man believed to be behind an Internet worm that hit last month has been arrested. If he's guilty, he should be severely punished. The worms and viruses named Blaster, Sobig.F and Nachi that struck in August cost businesses...

Washington's Biggest Deficit Is The Shortfall Of Courage.(A)(NATIONAL ISSUE)
September 2, 2003... Byline: STEPHEN MOORE The new estimates by the federal budget office that the budget deficit this year will reach $400 billion and next year will reach $500 billion should be a major source of embarrassment to the Republicans in Washington...

Check Chart Before Making Buys Or Sells.(B)
September 2, 2003... Byline: CHRIS GESSEL The Investor's Business Daily 100 focuses on some of the fastest growing businesses in the U.S. The list gives you insight into the sectors driving the economic rebound. Retail, medical and Internet companies all...

The Best Stocks Eventually Fall; Catch Profits With Good Sell Rules.(B)(INVESTOR'S CORNER)
September 2, 2003... Byline: DAVID SAITO-CHUNG When you have a good stock, hold on to it. Sell it too quickly, and one thing is certain: You forfeit the chance of making a major gain. "After spending many years in Wall Street and after making and losing...

NYSE Indexes End Week Higher On Light Trade.(B)
September 2, 2003... Byline: NANCY GONDO NYSE stocks opened slightly lower Friday, but rallied on an upbeat regional manufacturing report on low volume going into Labor Day weekend. The Dow gained another 0.4%; the S&P 500 rose 0.5% to extend its uptrend to...

Hard Disk Drive Firm Flexes Strong Growth.(B)
September 2, 2003... Byline: David Saito-Chung Western Digital broke out to new 52-week highs in late March and April and rallied as much as 49%. But during the July correction, the stock slid back below its pivot point. It's now trying to recover to its high....

Nasdaq Extends Winning Run To Seven Months.(B)
September 2, 2003... Byline: CRAIG SHAW A surprisingly strong upsurge in Midwest factory activity helped lift the Nasdaq to its third straight week of gains. The composite index advanced 0.6% Friday, 2.6% for the week. It also marked its seventh straight up...

Wireless Phone Firm Bursts Above 50-Day.(B)
September 2, 2003... Byline: Craig Shaw Nextel's Telecom-Wireless Services group earns an A+ Industry RS Rating. It's up 54% this year, led by Russian telecoms Mobile TeleSystems and Vimpel Communications. Cost Plus has shaped a seven-week consolidation...

Factories' Activity Up, But Still No New Jobs In ISM's Aug. Survey; Production Best In 4 Years; Productivity gains, China cited for lack of new jobs; experts see hiring ahead.(A)
September 3, 2003... Byline: JED GRAHAM U.S. factories ramped up production in August at the fastest pace in four years, but continued to cut workers, the Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday. The ISM's manufacturing activity index rose to 54.7...

Cautiously, Tech Reports Broach The Awaited "R' Word: Rebound; Analysts quick to note that recovery remains in a precarious position.(A)
September 3, 2003... Byline: Mike Angell, Brian Deagon & James DeTar It's a new month and -- perhaps -- a new day for technology. No less than seven reports released Tuesday speak of better days ahead for chips, cell phones, networking gear, software,...

IBD'S TOP 10.(A)
September 3, 2003... Stocks Rally As Volume Returns 1 Stock indexes marked 52-week highs on fresh signs of a faster economic recovery. The Nasdaq and small-cap S&P 600 led with 1.7% gains. The S&P 500 jumped 1.4%, the Dow 1.1%. Volume rose as the summer...

AFTER THE CLOSE.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... HAIN CELESTIAL met Q4 views of 19 cents vs. last year's 38-cent loss. Sales for the organic food seller rose 23.4% to $117.8 mil. But it warned '04 will fall short. Hain hit a 52-week high in regular trade, but fell after the close. ...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... TRANSPORTATION Toyota's new Prius helps park car The No. 1 Japanese automaker said its redesigned Prius, which has a hybrid gasoline-electric engine, uses sensors and automated steering to help guide the car into parking spots. Toyota...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... RETAIL Labor Day sales lift retail outlook Strong Labor Day weekend sales, driven by favorable weather and improving consumer attitudes, point to a good holiday shopping season, analysts said. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi expects a...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... MARKETS SEC seeks details on Grasso's pay The agency says the NYSE chairman's $140 mil pay package "raises serious questions" on how well the exchange governs itself. SEC head William Donaldson, himself a former NYSE chairman, wants...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... INTERNET Tech firms battle online ID theft Retailers such as Amazon.com and eBay are teaming up with the likes of Microsoft, VeriSign and Visa to form the Coalition on Online Identity Theft. The group will educate users, share info on...

THE ECONOMY.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... Announced layoffs slip in Aug. Planned layoffs at U.S. firms slid 6% to 79,925 from 85,117 in July, job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said. Telecom firms led layoffs for the first time in quite awhile. Overall, year-to-date...

IN BRIEF.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... ** Deutsche Telekom's mobile unit doesn't expect to launch commercial 3G services this year, a German newspaper said. T-Mobile called the report "speculation." ** DHL will lay off 2,870 U.S. workers after acquiring rival Airborne's...

NATION.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... 100 death sentences undone A federal appeals court threw out the cases in Arizona, Idaho and Montana because the inmates were sent to death row by judges instead of juries. The ruling stems from a 2002 Supreme Court decision that juries,...

WORLD.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... North Korea will keep talking Retreating from its initial hostile reaction to last week's six-way nuclear talks, the country's official news agency said the government still wants to resolve a dispute over its atomic arms programs through...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... Fewer children given antibiotics Prescriptions for U.S. children ages 3 months to 3 years fell 6%-39% in '96-'00, researchers said in Pediatrics. Researchers have urged less use of antibiotics to help avoid creating resistant bacteria....

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
September 3, 2003... ** Scientists are working on a supercomputer system that eventually will be a greater resource than the World Wide Web, making accessible even information the average computer user can't currently get. ** More medical students are...

TAKE ACTION Tough Luck? Get Tougher.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)
September 3, 2003... Byline: Cord Cooper 3 W. K. Kellogg invented wheat flakes accidentally while working at his brother's health spa in Battle Creek, Mich. By the time he'd invented corn flakes, copycats had packed the small town, turning Battle Creek...

He Has Left Batters Out Of It; Plan To Win: Baseball's Randy Johnson strode the long path to pitching greatness.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)
September 3, 2003... Byline: JONAH KERI When the Montreal Expos wanted a big-name pitcher, they traded three lesser-knowns for the privilege. One of the three, Randy Johnson, had a mean fastball. But he was so wild, the Expos feared they'd never make a...

At 35, Software Firm SPSS Is Older Than Digital Dirt; True Pioneer/Survivor; Player in analytics field began writing its code long before most others.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
September 3, 2003... Byline: J. BONASIA In software, many companies come -- and go. SPSS Inc. came -- and stayed. It might not be a household name, but the maker of statistical analytics software this month celebrates its 35th anniversary. In...

New Stars Emerging In Chip Design Field; Synopsys, Magma Make Gains; Software sales increases coming at the expense of former leader Cadence.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
September 3, 2003... Byline: JAMES DETAR The market for chip design software has become a two-horse race, with Cadence Design Systems Inc. and Synopsys Inc. trading the lead. Synopsys is out front after passing Cadence in sales late last year. The company...

Crimped By Dot-Bust, InfoSpace Finds Room.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
September 3, 2003... Byline: PETE BARLAS InfoSpace Inc. is still searching for profit, but the company seems to be on the right track. One of several Internet companies shaken in the dot-com bust, InfoSpace appears to be getting vitality from its search...

HOT TOPIC INC. City Of Industry, California; Give Us Your Hipsters, Your Punks And Goths; The Trend's The Thing; By keeping up with teen fashions, apparel chain keeps socking it away.(THE NEW AMERICA)
September 3, 2003... Byline: KIRK SHINKLE Wall Street analysts and company officials went back and forth during a recent conference call, wrestling with the big questions: When is the new Korn record coming out? And how was OzzFest this year? The call...

SPECTRALINK CORP. Boulder, Colorado; Telecom Gear Manufacturer Enters New Era.(THE NEW AMERICA)
September 3, 2003... Byline: AMY REEVES When a tech company first starts up, it's all about the gadgets. But sooner or later, management and continuity take on more importance. Such is the story at SpectraLink Corp., maker of wireless phone networks. ...

Fund Is Focused In Number, Not Size; Holds Just 34 Stocks; Marsico 21st Century runs gamut of cap sizes, has 15% in small fry.(MUTUAL FUNDS)(MUTUAL FUND PROFILE)
September 3, 2003... Byline: PAUL KATZEFF Focused funds aim to boost gains by not diluting strong picks with a lot of also-rans. That's what Marsico 21st Century Fund is doing. The $92 million portfolio is part of Marsico Funds, which specializes in...

Saved By Tax Cuts.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
September 3, 2003... Economy: Don't look now, but the tax cuts that many experts derided last year as a giveaway to the rich or too piddly to matter seem to be working their magic. President Bush's tax cuts have barely hit Americans' paychecks, but already...

Fat And Happy.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
September 3, 2003... Sprawl: Suburbia now stands accused of feeding America's obesity epidemic. No word yet on whether it also causes warts or the heartbreak of psoriasis. According to a just-released analysis of development patterns and health data in 448...

LETTERS.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(Letter to the Editor)
September 3, 2003... Difference In Deficits With regard to "Handy Bludgeon" (Editorial, Thursday), you forgot to reveal why a $38 billion California state budget deficit is cause to remove Gov. Gray Davis from office, while a projected $405 billion federal...

THE REAL MOST ACTIVE Traders Return, Provide Lift To Dow, S&P 500.(MAKING MONEY)
September 3, 2003... Byline: JONAH KERI NYSE stocks bolted higher Tuesday, as investors returned in earnest after the long weekend. The S&P 500 rose 1.4%, the Dow 1.1% on much higher volume compared with Friday's rush-for-the-Hamptons volume. The small-cap S&P...

Analyze, Profit From IBD's Market Charts.(GENERAL MARKET & SECTORS)
September 3, 2003... 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...

Botox Boosts Sales, Earnings For Allergan.(B)(NYSE STOCKS IN THE NEWS)
September 3, 2003... Byline: Jonah Keri Allergan has traded in a tight base, mostly between 75 and 80, for the last 12 weeks. The stock has straddled its 50-day moving average during that time, and currently sits above that line. It's 2% off its high. ...

THE REAL MOST ACTIVE Stocks Rush Higher Following Labor Day Holiday.(B)
September 3, 2003... Byline: IBD STAFF The Nasdaq overcame another sluggish start to gain 1.7% Tuesday. Volume soared from Friday's unusually low level. The day's biggest winners on heavy volume were far from the typical large-cap names that constantly...

Network Security Firm Enjoys Rapid Growth.(B)(NASDAQ STOCKS IN THE NEWS)
September 3, 2003... Byline: David Saito-Chung SafeNet, featured here on Aug. 21, broke out on heavy volume Tuesday. Please see the Nasdaq Real Most Active column on page B6 for more details. Its industry peer NetScreen Technologies has been working on a long...

N.Y. Probe Spotlights Mutual Fund Practices Allowing Illegal Trades; Investors Are Losing Billions; Canary hedge fund sings, implicating BofA, Janus and other fund families.(A)
September 4, 2003... Byline: KEN HOOVER New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, fresh from victory over top Wall Street investment banks, launched a probe Wednesday targeting illegal mutual fund practices that he said cost ordinary investors billions of...

One Quarter Of Small Businesses To Increase Their IT Spending Business owners say good prices, optimism have spurred buying.(A)(IBD/TIPP POLL)
September 4, 2003... Byline: PATRICK SEITZ While large companies are postponing investments in new computer gear, small businesses have helped pick up the slack. That trend could continue the rest of the year. A new IBD/TIPP poll shows that small...

IBD'S TOP 10.(A)
September 4, 2003... Spitzer Is Probing Mutual Funds 1New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer accused several mutual fund families, including Janus and a Bank of America unit, of permitting illegal trading practices that cost ordinary investors billions of...

AFTER THE CLOSE.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... HOT TOPIC'S Aug. same-store sales rose 11.8%, with total sales up 31%. The rocker clothing chain also raised its Q3 forecast a penny to 26 cents a share. AEROPOSTALE'S Aug. comps rose 1.6%. Total sales for the teen clothing chain rose...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... FOOD/BEVERAGE Pepsi Bottling cuts '03 profit view The world's No. 1 Pepsi bottler expects Q3 profit at the low end of its 66-70 cent range due to weak volume. Pepsi Bottling cut its '03 forecast to $1.55-$1.57 a share vs. views for...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... TELECOM Adtran ups Q3 sales, EPS outlook The telecom gear maker says shipments are much higher than expected. It sees $98-$100 mil in sales, up about 12% -- the best in years -- and above analyst views of $94.1 mil. Its new profit...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... TRANSPORTATION Airline traffic stabilized in August Southwest's load factor rose half a point to 73.2%. AirTran's traffic soared 33%, while its load factor rose to 78% from 71%, driving an 8% surge in its shares. Continental saw a 1.7%...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... MEDICAL Caremark picks up AdvancePCS Late Tuesday, the pharmacy benefit manager said it'd buy its rival for $5 bil, valuing AdvancePCS at $54.61 a share. Caremark will swap the equivalent of 2.15 shares per Advance share. 90% will be...

THE ECONOMY.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... Home loan demand dips in week The Mortgage Bankers Association of America's overall gauge of mortgage applications fell 1.6% last week to 628.7. A gauge of demand for new home loans rose 5.5% to 396.1, just 14% below the late May peak. But...

IN BRIEF.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... Philip Morris USA will test market a Marlboro Menthol cigarette this year and plans to launch a "safer" product using reduced-exposure technology next year, the tobacco firm said. Antigenics said the FDA suspended late-stage clinical trials...

NATION.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... ID theft tab: $53 bil in one year Nearly 10 mil people were victimized to the tune of $5 bil in the past year, the FTC said. Banks and other businesses swallowed $48 bil in losses. Complaints to the FTC doubled, but most crimes aren't...

WORLD.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... More open trade may help poor The World Bank says rich countries are needlessly pouring money into farm subsidies and urgently need to take the lead in cutting trade barriers. It said a multination pact to open trade could lift 144 mil...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... Firms still supporting 401(k) plans Despite the sluggish U.S. economy and a shaky stock market, 84% of big firms continued matching contributions to the retirement plans this year, a Hewitt Associates survey found. 7% even upped the company...

TRENDS & INNOVATIONS.(TO THE POINT)
September 4, 2003... ** Studies showed how the fatty acid oleyethelanolamide, which is found naturally in the diet, bonds with cells to tell the body to stop eating, scientists said in Nature. ** A new scanner can build a 3-D image of the body and measure the...

NEVER STOP LEARNING Go The Distance Online.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)
September 4, 2003... Byline: Brian Deagon 4 It was a simple cable TV commercial that changed C.J. Desantis' life. It was an ad for a distance-learning course at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Desantis, founder and president of...

U.S. Navy Hero Daniel Gallery; Focus On Goals: He captured a German U-boat by anticipating its every move.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)
September 4, 2003... Byline: DOUG TSURUOKA Some military leaders wait for opportunities to surface in war. Capt. Dan Gallery went straight for his target. He made capturing a German submarine with its secret encoding equipment one of his overriding...

Buying In Bulk: EBay Recasts Itself As Wholesaler Source.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
September 4, 2003... Byline: PETE BARLAS E-tailer eBay Inc. is pushing deeper into wholesale. In October, eBay plans to start an ad campaign to tell businesses that it can help them buy and sell products in bulk online. EBay's plan to send e-mails to...

TECH ANALYSIS.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
September 4, 2003... Millicom International Cellular SA The provider of wireless telephone services primarily in emerging markets in Latin America, Asia and Africa recently reported that in the second quarter of 2003 its worldwide operations added 223,121 net...

Gallery At A Glance.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)
September 4, 2003... Gallery At A Glance Born: 1901 in Chicago. Died: 1977 in Bethesda, Md. Education: Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1920. Achievements: ** Commanded the Navy task force that captured the German submarine U-505 in...

Pioneering Web Airline Ticket System Travels Overseas.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)
September 4, 2003... Byline: KEN SPENCER BROWN ITA Software Inc., one of a few firms credited with changing the way U.S. travelers buy airline tickets, is taking a trip overseas. Executives are showcasing a version of ITA's breakthrough flight search...

Apax Sees World Of Opportunity For High-Tech Investing.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)(Q & A)
September 4, 2003... Byline: NICK TURNER Apax Partners Ltd. isn't one of the best-known names on Sand Hill Road, the venture capital Mecca of Silicon Valley. But the London-based venture and private-equity firm has a worldwide presence that few can match....

TRACTOR SUPPLY CO. Nashville, Tennessee; Retail Chain Uses Horse Sense To Plow New Growth Avenues.(THE NEW AMERICA)
September 4, 2003... Byline: KIRK SHINKLE When you walk into the produce section of your local grocery store, you probably don't expect a farmer to help you pick the best lettuce. But at Tractor Supply Co., shoppers have better luck. The retailer...

How Funds Helped The Timers; Shareholders Paid Price.(MUTUAL FUNDS)(INVESTMENT TRENDS)
September 4, 2003... Byline: KEN HOOVER Most mutual fund managers hate market timers. Traders who move in and out of funds quickly hurt the fund's performance by imposing transfer fees on other shareholders. It forces managers to hold additional cash to...

Gas Pains.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
September 4, 2003... Energy: California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante suggested recently that high gas prices might be reason to socialize the oil industry in his state. Typical. Politicians often think they're smart enough to plan and run everything. When they're...

Pleasure Dome.(ISSUES & INSIGHTS)(EDITORIALS)(Editorial)
September 4, 2003... Zimbabwe: "Millions for my palace, not a dollar for my people" would have been an apt campaign slogan for President Robert Mugabe during elections this week. The president is putting the finishing touches on his "retirement home" 16 miles...