The IPO market has heated up again after the tech bust. But while the number of initial public offerings has been on the rise, investors should beware. BusinessWeek says a lot of IPOs have crashed. So far this year, investors have lost nearly $1-billion on issues that tanked, the magazine said.
Is regifting acceptable? Absolutely, Miss Manners says, provided you change the wrapping paper and the original giver and the new recipient don't know that the gift has been recycled.
Staid consumer products manufacturer Procter & Gamble buys more than 10 percent of all television advertising for its myriad of products, but it has avoided buying spots during the Super Bowl when ads are edgier. That's about to change. The Wall Street Journal says P&G will advertise its Charmin brand toilet paper during the broadcast with the slogan, "Softer and stronger for your end zone."
With the recent rise in the Canadian dollar, flying overseas via Canada isn't the deal it once was. American travelers took advantage of a weak Canadian currency by flying first to a city in Canada to save on business fares to Europe or Asia, Minneapolis airline analyst Terry Trippler says. A year ago, a U.S. dollar bought $1.60 in Canadian currency, and a Toronto-to-Hong Kong trip cost $3,928 - about $800 less than a direct business flight from the United States. Now, the U.S. dollar buys only $1.30 in Canadian currency.
With so many requests pouring in this time of year for donations, how do you know which charities are worthy? The BBB Wise Giving Alliance can help donors make more informed giving decisions. The Alliance assesses national charities, looking at how a charity spends its money, whether it is ethically governed and how truthful its solicitations are. The reports are available at www.give.org
