Economic Report: U.S. initial jobless claims fall 10,000 to 425,000 in latest week
The government reports fewer new claims filed for state unemployment benefits last week, although government data also show the upward trend in continuing claims reaching the highest level seen since November 2003.
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U.S. initial state jobless claims fall 10,000 to 425,000
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- First-time applications for state unemployment benefits fell 10,000 in the latest weekly data to 425,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week average of new claims fell 6,000 to 440,250. Continuing claims rose 64,000 to 3.42 million -- the highest level since November 2003. The four-week average of continuing claims rose 36,250 to 3.37 million - also reaching the highest level since November 2003.
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Audio: Powell: Estate-planning should include telling your life's story
Bob Powell, editor of Retirement Weekly, says that beyond living comfortably in retirement, individuals should take some time to tell their life story to loved ones, so that they can pass on their values and what shaped their perspective. While not creating a financial legacy, Powell said that whether it comes in the form of an "ethical will" or from hiring someone to ghost-write a life story or simply telling tales at family gatherings or on an audiotape, the idea is to add context that is worth more than money for survivors struggling to deal with grief.
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Audio: 'Reinvented' IBM is the 'Bull of the Week'
Charles Rotblut, senior market analyst for Zacks.com, says that international diversification, key strategic acquisitions and a focus on the high-growth, high-value segments of the information technology business make International Business Machines the "Bull of the Week." Rotblut said that IBM is not the same old Big Blue, but has reinvented itself into a "blue-chip technology stock;" Zacks has a six-month target price of $140 per share for IBM, about 14% higher than current levels. Rotblut's pick for "Bear of the Week" was SanDisk.
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Audio: Look beyond the name to find the right ETF fit for your portfolio
Paul Justice, exchange-traded fund specialist for Morningstar, says that investors need to be careful in using ETFs to find the right match between assets and portfolio needs. In a radio interview, Justice noted that he tends to look to ETFs that can give him "access to names he can't get on his own," or that provide broader portfolio diversification than their name implies. Justice noted that some ETFs sound better diversified or exposed to more countries or industries than they really are, which requires digging deeper to pick the right funds to own.
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Aug. British home prices post biggest annual drop since 1990
British house prices continue to fall at a rapid rate, with the average home in August fetching 10.5% less than it did a year ago, mortgage lender Nationwide reports Thursday in its monthly survey.
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Aug. British house prices saw 10.5% annual drop: Nationwide
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- The average British house price saw a monthly decline of 1.9% in August, mortgage-lender Nationwide reported Thursday. Prices have fallen by 10.5% compared to August last year, marking the first double-digit decline in the annual rate since the fourth quarter of 1990, Nationwide said. Consensus expectations were for a 1.6% monthly fall and a 9.9% annual decline, according to a Dow Jones Newswires survey of economists.
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Robert Powell: Here's how to ensure your heirs don't forget you - or your values
Surely it’s impossible to remember each and every person who has ever lived. But that’s what most of us want. We want to be remembered. We want our memory, our principles and values, and our legacy to live on long after we have passed on. The trouble is very few of us know how to do that.
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Jennifer Openshaw: The 15-Minute Tip: Auto-pay or write a check? Depends on the bill
A new promotion and some recent experience got me thinking about all the ways to pay bills these days -- and when some of those methods don’t make sense.
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FundWatch: Target-date mutual funds are big draw for new investment dollars
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Mutual funds that provide a one-stop offering for investors saving for retirement are claiming much of the money going into funds this year.
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