| Soft landing or first signs of an imported recession?
Competition elsewhere in the retail sector has also had a downward effect on inflation. For example, furniture prices have eased in recent months as stores jostle for the money of nervous consumers. Katie Allen Debt While the figures on unemployment and inflation offer comfort, it is the unprecedented scale of Britain's debt crisis that gives observers most concern about the prospects for the economy. In a clear warning sign of the depth of consumer debt, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) debt charity has just launched a new "repossession" counselling service in collaboration with the Council of Mortgage Lenders. "We're currently getting 1,000 calls a day from consumers, and while this is the peak time with credit card bills dropping from Christmas, these are still record figures," a spokesman warned.
5 Secrets of Buying Dream Stocks at Bargain Prices
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Software Development
A series of acquisitions had left the electronic components distributor with a glut of applications and platforms whose lack of interoperability was complicating operations. That problem stood directly in the way of the company's new goal of providing e-commerce services to its clients and expanding the company beyond traditional order management and delivery. Making good on the e-commerce promise required consistent results for clients, no matter where they might be or what channel they used. .
Apple second-quarter outlook spooks investors
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - As investors pummeled Apple Inc.'s stock over a disappointing financial outlook, a key question remained about the results: just how badly will the company be hurt by slowing economic activity in the United States and fears of a recession?Wall Street interpreted the Cupertino-based company's guidance for the current quarter, released after the market closed Tuesday, as a sign that weakening consumer spending will hurt Apple in 2008 and that even a hot company like Apple isn't immune from the broader economic pressures weighing on the stock market.Apple executives noted, however, that its forecast for the fiscal second quarter calls for sales growth of 29 percent, which is faster than in previous years, even if it is slower than Wall Street was expecting. The company said that because of booming holiday sales, Apple notched the highest quarterly revenue and earnings in its history."Our business performed very well in the December quarter, and we remain very confident in our products and our strategy," said Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer.At the open of trading Wednesday, Apple shares tumbled nearly 12 percent, or $18.30, to $137.34.Apple's stock, seen as a refuge from the market's turmoil during the second half of 2007, has declined sharply, wiping out more than $40 billion in shareholder wealth since the end of December, when shares hit their 52-week high of $202.96.Shareholders had hoped Apple's first-quarter results, which cover the last three months of the year, would be a high point in a market otherwise marred by bad news.
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