Iceland Rejects Icesave Depositors Bill in Referendum

Icelanders rejected by a massive majority a bill that would saddle each citizen with $16,400 of debt in protest at U.K. and Dutch demands that they cover losses triggered by the failure of a private bank.
Ninety-three percent voted against the so-called Icesave bill, according to preliminary results on national broadcaster RUV. Final results […]

Provides fast cash advance payday loans nationwide with no credit checks required.

Revenue drops at all local casinos, except the beleaguered President

January was a tough month for St. Louis-area casinos, as the recession and cold weather teamed up to tamp down business.
Gambling revenue at the region’s six casinos fell by 4 percent in the month compared to last year, according to figures out Wednesday from Missouri and Illinois regulators. Every casino saw business fall. […]

Luxury prices: To cut or not to cut?

Step into Nordstrom a year ago for handmade Italian pumps and flats from designer Anyi Lu and you’d be shelling out as much as $595 a pair. This season, everything in the spring collection that hits stores next month goes for under $400. For CEO David Spatz, adjusting prices downward simply made sense: "The […]

Gold hits record on talk of Indian buying

Gold prices hit record highs above $1,180 an ounce in Europe on Wednesday, boosted by the euro’s move through $1.50 against the dollar and by a report that India may consider buying more bullion from the IMF.
U.S. gold futures for December delivery on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $21.20 […]

One less slice of pumpkin pie?

For Christy Harp, a math teacher from Ohio, it was a great year for competitive gourd growing — her 1,725-pound giant pumpkin shattered the world record by more than 30 pounds.
But that achievement is a lone bright spot in the Midwestern world of pumpkins. In Morton, Ill., the "Pumpkin Capital of the World," […]

UBS client money still flowing to regional banks

Swiss regional banks attracted money from their bigger, troubled rival UBS AG in the third quarter but at a slower pace than previously, the head of the banks’ association told Reuters.
Hanspeter Hess said the influx of client money was largely due to changed client perceptions toward UBS, the big Swiss bank shaken by billions […]

Why ’say on pay’ won’t work

Waiting for investors to slam the brakes on runaway executive pay? Don’t hold your breath. Although Congress may give shareholders more of a say on pay soon, big money managers seem content to keep their mouths shut.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D.-Conn., unveiled a financial reform plan this month that would give […]

Swiss Economy Past Worst, Deflation Risks Eased, Gerber Says

The Swiss economy is probably past the worst of the recession and deflation risks have eased, the government’s head of economic affairs said.
“The recession has probably bottomed out but the situation isn’t without risks,” Jean-Daniel Gerber, who heads the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, said in an interview in his office in Bern […]

European Exports Decline 5.8%, Most in Seven Months

European exports declined the most in seven months in August as the region struggled to emerge from the deepest recession since World War II and the euro’s appreciation threatened to undermine the recovery.
Exports from the 16-nation euro region fell a seasonally adjusted 5.8 percent from July, when they rose 4.7 percent, the European […]

Bank of Korea Says Rate Increases Can Be More Than ‘Baby Step’

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Seong Tae said any future increase in the benchmark interest rate can be bigger than the bank’s usual 25 basis points, indicating he may raise rates at a faster pace in the coming months.
“It’s difficult to say the increase will be by 0.25 percentage point each time” as […]