• Spring spending isn't blooming yet
Whole Foods surges
Grocer's stock jumps after results beat estimates.
• Jack in the Box profit gets a lift
• Whole Foods profit down 32%; sales flat
• SEC considers charges against Countrywide co-founder Mozilo
• Eighteen banks suing MBIA over business split
COMMENTARY
Remembering Bill Seidman
Former FDIC chief who passed away Wednesday touched the lives of many with his homespun wisdom of the markets. MarketWatch's John Spence looks back at his time with Seidman.
Obama says "stars are aligned" for health-care reform in '09. Read more
(Source: Reuters)
MARKET SNAPSHOT
A healthy play?
Health care, which once powered the S&P 500 index, is now a growing concern on Wall Street.
Commentary »
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From golden parachutes to "golden coffins," here are 10 of the most outrageous perks ever bestowed on grateful CEOs.
AUTOMOTIVE
Ford shares priced to move
Ford prices its 300 million–share stock offering at $4.75 a share for proceeds of $1.4 billion.
• GM's drive toward penny-stock status
HOUSING AND HOME LOANS
One in 374 homes is at risk
Not only are U.S. foreclosures running at a record pace; according to RealtyTrac, bank repossessions are set to spike in coming months.
• A four-state secession would help (First Take)
• Mortgage applications down 8.6% in latest week
• U.S. is becoming a nation of renters (24/7 Wall St.)
TELECOM
Frontier's new access
Verizon to spin out assets in a stock-swap deal valued at $8.6 billion, positioning Frontier as a leader in rural telecommunications.
• Russia's VimpelCom books red ink
THE FED
Back burnering Bernanke rebound
It's beginning to appear less likely U.S. can escape recession on Fed chief's time table (First Take).
Video
MarketWatch's Hot Stocks: Retail
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Technology »
European regulators say chip maker abused its dominance in the market to squeeze out rival Advanced Micro Devices.
• For Intel, lessons learned from Microsoft in EU showdown
• Folly of regulation (First Take) | Text of regulators' statement
Banking »
BankUnited
BankUnited Shares slump more than 30% after the Florida bank misses a regulatory deadlines and faces possible receivership
Retail »
Department-store chain slows the negative-earnings drip, but the stock declines significantly in Wednesday-morning trades.
• Liz Claiborne shares plunge | Retail suffers after sales surprise
• Target draws a bead on food with mini-grocery stores
Economy and Politics »
March data show sales weakened even as businesses worked to cut back their supply of goods. Car inventories, for one, remain ample.
Kristen Gerencher
Vital Signs