Houston Business News: Business News, Money Tips and Stock Updates

Severe weather alert Issued by the National Weather Service: Coastal Flood Statement (1:31 PM CST)

AIG, Magna, Activision Blizzard, Ormat Technologies are among big market movers Friday

NEW YORK (AP) — The following stocks were among those that moved substantially or traded heavily Friday on the New York Stock Exchange:
Dollar and precious metals at a glance

NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exchange rates Friday, compared with late Thursday in New York:
Wheat, corn, oats, soybeans slide on the Chicago Board of Trade; beef futures fall, pork mixed

CHICAGO (AP) — Agriculture futures fell Friday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Career guidance handbook from a 40-year vet, a portrait of the entrepreneur

CAREER COACH: The "Job-Hunter's Survival Guide" is a slim paperback manual of little more than 100 pages, chock-a-block with bullet points and tips, wrapped in a road-sign shade of yellow.

Business Headlines

Patent case before Supreme Court could have major implications for software Photo

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the technology industry looking on, the Supreme Court on Monday will explore what types of inventions should be eligible for a patent in a pivotal case that could undermine such legal protections for software. more
Federal judge blocks 2 Web sites from selling Beatles songs and others for 25 cents apiece

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked two music-sharing Web sites from selling songs by The Beatles and other artists for 25 cents apiece. more
Parents plan webcam broadcast for daughter with cerebral palsy, sparking debate in France

PARIS (AP) — Disabled with severe cerebral palsy, 32-year-old Anne Lamic spends her days in southeastern France mostly in bed, surrounded by stuffed animals and dolls. She cannot speak or walk, and she sometimes has seizures. more
Wal-Mart trims online preorder prices of anticipated DVDs; rivals make similar cuts

NEW YORK (AP) — First it was books. Now it's DVDs. more
AT&T closes delayed acquisition of Centennial, adding 879,000 wireless subscribers

DALLAS (AP) — AT&T Inc. said Friday that its acquisition of smaller wireless carrier Centennial Communications Corp., has closed after several delays due to the regulatory process. more

Insurance offers travel peace of mind

A muddy stoop and a gaggle of chickens outside a makeshift hospital in Cancun, Mexico, convinced Amanda Klimak of the value of travel insurance. It was the early 1990s, and Klimak, who had been dancing the night away, slipped and tore a ligament in her knee. more
Budget toys to wow tots

Parents quickly learn that an attractive, award-winning toy may or may not make the grade for a toddler. Usually, the more expensive the purchase, the less of an impression it makes on Junior. After buying several toys designed by "experts" to "stimulate" this or that part of the noggin, we are... more
Age the wrong gauge for portfolio allocations

The stock market is like an unreliable friend. more
Conquer procrastination: Ten ways to build momentum and achieve your goals

Do you feel like your worth is defined by what you've produced? Every time you forgo productivity in favor of TV, golf or gardening, aren't you wasting life's most precious resource -- time? Try the following ways to reduce procrastination: \ more
Older job seekers often have unrealistic expectations

Marta, 59, had hoped to be retired by now. But in a downsizing two years ago, she lost her job as a mental-health counselor. Since then, all she's found are "demoralizing" temporary jobs, leaving her with little income or savings. more