October 30, 2009
Customers Rate NW Natural Second in J.D. Power and Associates Study (Business Wire)
PORTLAND, Ore.—-Northwest Natural Gas, dba NW Natural , posted the second highest overall customer satisfaction score in the West in the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM.
Arch Coal 3Q tumbles, but co. sees recovery signs (AP)
Arch Coal Inc. said Friday its third-quarter profits plunged on lower coal prices, but the coal miner suggested that improving operating margins in all regions reflect an emerging turnaround in once-struggling coal markets.
Stocks sink on recovery fears, financials (Reuters)
The Dow industrials suffered its worst slide since July on Friday on concerns that the economic recovery won’t be robust enough to sustain the seven-month stock rally, while financials sank on renewed worries about Citigroup’s balance sheet.
Stocks swoon as worries about the economy return (AP)
Stocks tumbled Friday as a drop in consumer spending fanned worries that the economic recovery won’t be sustainable. Major stock indexes tumbled more than 2 percent, including the Dow Jones industrials, which gave back all of a 200-point gain Thursday.
Crop prices rise 7.7 percent amid soggy harvest (AP)
Crop prices jumped nearly 8 percent in October as rainy weather delayed harvests across the Midwest. Farmers are still getting paid much less for their crops compared with a year ago, when global food shortages pushed grain prices to record highs.
US warily leans to new Iran sanctions over nukes (AP)
Frustrated by Iran’s continued defiance of demands to come clean on its nuclear program, the Obama administration is leaning toward imposing new sanctions, even if it must act alone.