http://finabc.com Your business library Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:52:04 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The U.S. housing market will begin to mount a turnaround this year, building toward a solid recovery in 2013, according to a forecast issued Wednesday by the chief economist of a homebuilding industry trade group. The outlook by National Association of Home Builders Chief Economist David Crowe calls for U.S. ... http://finabc.com/builders-group-sees-pickup-in-housing-this-year/ Officials in Greece are under pressure to reach an agreement on a new bailout package, as the threat of a default hangs over the country. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos met with officials from the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank Monday to try and hammer ... http://finabc.com/greece-on-the-brink/ Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos secured an outline agreement from the three political party leaders supporting his interim government on measures demanded by international creditors to release a 130 billion euro ($171 billion) financial rescue package. The four men agreed in a five-hour meeting to make additional budget ... http://finabc.com/papademos-greek-leaders-agree-on-deal-framework-bloomberg/ The cost for St. Louis-area residents to cool their homes in the summer, wash clothes and charge cell phones has risen four of the past five years. And it's poised to jump again. Ameren Missouri on Friday said it was seeking approval to raise electric rates by $376 million, or ... http://finabc.com/ameren-missouri-seeks-15-percent-electric-rate-hike/ The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell this week to a record low, the ninth time that has happened in the last year. Even with the cheapest rates in history, the housing market remains depressed. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan ... http://finabc.com/rate-on-30-year-mortgage-falls-to-record-387-pct/ The U.S. budget deficit will shrink this year to $1.1 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office said today in a report sure to inflame the election-year debate over the government shortfall. The deficit, which would be down from last year http://finabc.com/us-will-run-11-trillion-deficit-cbo-says-washington-mover-bloomberg/ Greek lenders Eurobank and Alpha Bank say a planned merger to create the country's largest bank by assets could be put on hold because of debt-relief negotiations between the crisis-hit country and private creditors. The banks said Monday that "an accurate timeline cannot be given" to complete the deal announced ... http://finabc.com/greece-banks-warn-bond-deal-could-delay-merger/ Updated at 12:15 p.m. with comments from Solutia's chairman, president and CEO Jeffry Quinn. Specialty chemical company Eastman Chemical Co. is buying Town and Country-based Solutia Inc. in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $3.4 billion. The Tennessee-based manufacturers says Solutia will broaden Eastman's presence in the Asia Pacific region ... http://finabc.com/eastman-chemical-to-buy-solutia-for-34-billion/ Ross & Baruzzini Inc. engineering and architectural planning firm appointed Karl Miller as senior project manager for its St. Louis area office. Miller manages selected regional and national projects. He also provides senior-level electrical engineering support. He brings nearly 18 years of experience in managing projects. He previously served as ... http://finabc.com/karl-miller-named-senior-project-manager-at-ross-barruzini/ International investors say capitalism is in crisis, with almost one in three backing radical changes to the system, according to a Bloomberg survey. As the global financial and business elite gather in Davos for their annual forum, a majority in the Bloomberg Global Poll agree that income inequality ... http://finabc.com/capitalism-seen-in-crisis-by-investors-poll-bloomberg/