Business & Economics

'We will need to make many painful decisions and execute them, but I believe these are unavoidable for Sony's future.' Kazuo Hira, incoming CEO says.

New Sony CEO pledges comback

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 2/3/2012

When Kazuo Hirai, who at 51 is Sony's youngest chief executive, takes over in April from Howard Stringer, he has some daunting tasks in order to bring the company up to speed. Japan's ailing electronics company has announced that it is heading for a bigger-than-expected $2.9 billion annual ...

The manufacturing sector added 50,000 jobs last month. Manufacturing has accounted for 14 percent of the job gains in the last 13 months.

Unemployment down for the fifth month in a row

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 2/3/2012

While a jobless rate of 8.3 percent is still unacceptably high, there was no arguing that the recent figures are good news for the U.S. economy. Employers substantially stepped up their hiring in January, bringing the unemployment rate down for the fifth month in a row. LOS ANGELES, CA ...

Chrysler declared a 24 percent jump in U.S. auto sales in 2012, leading the way to a 22 percent increase in sales worldwide to 1.86 million vehicles. Revenue rose 31 percent in the year to just under $55 billion.

From bust to billions: Chrysler bounces back

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 2/2/2012

A federal bailout, a bankruptcy and a takeover by Italian car maker Fiat . but times change, and every cloud has a silver lining, as they say. Venerable U.S. car maker Chrysler Group has reported its first annual profit since 2005 this week. Furthermore, Chrysler says that even better times ...

According to a report released late last year, that's due largely because minority homebuyers with good credit were often steered into high-interest loans, adjustable-rate mortgages and other risky arrangements.

Foreclosures topples hard-won success for minorities

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 1/31/2012

With foreclosure running rampant throughout the United States, even the most affluent neighborhoods are being emptied out of families. The mass evacuation is perhaps not as noticeable - many exclusive communities forbid "For Sale" signs being put in yards as par of their beautification ...

Apple petitioned - will anything change?

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 1/31/2012

Activists and consumers are telling Apple they want an "ethical iPhone" referring to the iPhone 5 and Apple's production centers in China. Will Apple respond and will prices for Apple products increase? At least a pair of petitions are now circulating online. LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) ...

Pretax earnings for the quarter and full year improved in Ford's home North American market due to increases in both the pricing and the volume of vehicles sold. The company's profit margin in the region also moved upward.

2011: Ford's second most profitable year in history

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 1/27/2012

In a year of economic downturn and disappointments, Ford reported its second greatest year in its 109-year-old history. It didn't top its earnings that were recorded in 1998. However, a net income of $20.2 billion is still highly substantial, making 2011 a very good year for the U.S. auto ...

Despite strong spending early in the holiday season, retail sales declined in the final weeks of last year.

American economy enjoys modest growth

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 1/27/2012

The U.S. economy ended a disappointing year with only modestly stronger growth. 2011 was still far less than what was hoped for by many analysts. The nation's gross domestic product, or GDP, the total value of goods and services produced in the U.S. rose 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter ...

Atlas of Giving, a group which measures and forecasts charitable giving in the United States, said giving expanded at a faster rate than overall economic growth for the year.

More Americans gave more to charity in 2011

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 1/27/2012

The year 2011 was a highly difficult year financially for most Americans - however, many in the U.S. gave a total of nearly $347 billion to charity in 2011, which was a 7.5 percent increase over 2010. LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Atlas of Giving, a group which measures and forecasts ...

AT&T has also retained its position as the premier U.S. iPhone carrier, beating Verizon Wireless' 4.3 million iPhone activations handily.

AT&T remains dependent on iPhone to stay afloat

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 1/26/2012

AT&T Inc. activated 7.6 million of them in the latest quarter, or one out of every five iPhones sold globally. AT&T remains deeply indebted to the iPhone to gain and keep customers. A promise by CEO Randall Stephenson a year ago to "very aggressively" market competing Smartphone in 2011 ...

'By supporting the Global Fund, we can help to change the fortunes of the poorest countries in the world,' Bill Gates said in a statement. 'I can't think of more important work'

Bill Gates donates $750 million to battle AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) • Catholic Online • 1/26/2012

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $750 million into the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The announcement was made this week at the World Economic Forum. The investment comes on top of $650 million the ...