Old man winter and the fat man in a big red suit are just around the corner. With the United States economy bouncing around this year – starting off the year contracting before climbing back in the second quarter – many are wondering how holiday sales will perform this year? A new … [Read more...]
Bank of England Proposed Rules to Protect Consumers from Bank Runs
In case of a bank failure, British depositors will have an easier time withdrawing their money. The Bank of England (BOE) announced Monday it has proposed a series of sweeping reforms in order to make the British financial system safer. The United Kingdom central bank will protect … [Read more...]
To Stay Competitive Sprint Corporation Has to Cut Jobs
Sprint Corporation (NYSE:S), the third-largest wireless carrier in the United States, announced in a regulatory filing that it would be slashing its workforce by an unspecified number this month. The purpose of the job cuts is to reduce costs and to compete with its primary … [Read more...]
EU Gives Seal of Approval to Facebook WhatsApp Acquisition
You can now officially welcome WhatsApp to the Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) family. The European Commission has approved Facebook’s $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp, a popular instant messaging application for smartphones and other mobile devices. The purpose of the deal is to give the … [Read more...]
Current U.S. Tax System is Hurting Working Class
The United States currently maintains the highest corporate tax rate in the world – upwards of 35 percent – but critics say that businesses are finding ways to circumvent paying those taxes. This is why many present the case that the tax system needs to be reformed – proponents concur … [Read more...]
Drag Queens Have Their Panties in a Bunch Over FB Rule
Social media juggernaut Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) apologized to drag queens and noted that it will revise its rules on how to deal with accounts that do not use their real names. The social network received staunch criticisms in the past couple of months when it was caught deleting … [Read more...]
ECB’s New Plan to Boost Inflation Similar to Quantitative Easing
European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi said in remarks Thursday that the central bank will purchase assets for two years in order to boost inflation and spur economic growth, a move similar to the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing. Draghi told reporters at a press … [Read more...]
Physicians Received Billions from Pharmaceutical Companies
Physicians and teaching hospitals in the United States received $3.5 billion from pharmaceutical firms and medical device companies in the final five months of 2013, a finding that has many questioning if prescriptions and other medical decisions are somehow being influenced by these … [Read more...]
FCC Wants to Regulate Internet TV to “Benefit Consumers”
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is mulling over a new plan that would potentially change how it regulates Internet television, an initiative that would place the Internet on the same level as conventional cable and satellite television. A change such as … [Read more...]
First Social Media Platform to Create Cryptocurrency
Popular social media website Reddit announced that it raised $50 million in the latest round of funding. The funding will help add to its staff to a total of 60, expand its mobile application and improve relationships with third-party developers. The round of fundraising was led by … [Read more...]
HP $199 Laptop & $99 Tablet Just In Time for Christmas
Christmas is still far away, but that hasn't stopped retailers and tech companies from already unveiling its line of products for the upcoming holiday season. Add Hewlett Packard (NYSE: HPQ) as a firm that is attempting to make some major buzz during the (highly competitive) spirited … [Read more...]
PayPal, eBay Corporate Breakup to Appease Investors
EBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) announced early Tuesday that it would be launching an initiative to split the auction website and PayPal into two separately traded public companies by next year, a move that has been regularly recommended by activist hedge fund magnate Carl C. Icahn this … [Read more...]
ATM Fees Up 5% This Year Alone
If you recently thought that it has gotten more expensive to access your money as of late then you’re right. According to a new study released Monday by Bankrate.com, a customer will pay five percent more this year to simply access their funds on an ATM that is not owned and … [Read more...]
Comcast Attempts to Repair its Customer Service Reputation
This past summer, a video of a recording with a Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) customer service representative was published on YouTube. It was an eight-minute video of a customer attempting to cancel their service with Comcast, but the CSR wouldn't have any of it. Since then, there have been … [Read more...]
Survey Says Consumers Prefer Desktops to Laptops & Tablets
Will personal computer desktops make a comeback or finally meet its untimely demise? After years of consumers shafting the desktop in favor of laptops and tablets, some tech analysts are suggesting that consumers may be heading back to the conventional desktop. According to a new … [Read more...]
U.S. Bank Hit With $5 Million Fine for Illegal Credit Monitoring Charges
U.S. Bancorp, or U.S. Bank, will pay $57 million in consumer reimbursements and penalties after a federal regulator ruled that the financial institution unfairly charged more than 420,000 customers for credit-monitoring and identity protection services that they never received in the … [Read more...]
Obamacare Has Cost Taxpayers $73 Billion Since 2010
The federal government’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise colloquially known as Obamacare, has come with a price-tag of $73 billion since 2010, a number that is far greater than what was initially (2010) projected by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Obamacare’s high costs … [Read more...]
Canadian Real Estate Market is Hot but For How Much Longer
The Canadian real estate market is hot right now. The average sale price of a detached house in the city of Toronto reached $965,000 this past April, while the average sale price of a detached home in Vancouver is between $932,000 (east) and $2.2 million (west). Industry experts warn … [Read more...]
Public Pension Funds Facing $2 Trillion Shortfall
Is the public pension fund system facing a collapse or a temporary shortfall in part to the financial crisis from a few years ago? A new report suggests that it’s more than just a provisional monetary gap, and a fiduciary problem that needs to be addressed immediately. A new report … [Read more...]
Study: Credit Card Late Fees & Penalties Can be Waived
Have you ever wanted to avoid paying late fees on a statement or not pay outlandish interest on your purchases? Well, all you have to do is...ask. According to a new study by CreditCards.com, a credit card comparison website, the findings suggests that cardholders who simply … [Read more...]
