

Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have or back about half of the all mortgages in the United States. However, their shares have plummeted in recent weeks, prompting a massive aid package for the government-sponsored companies.

Total contributions to Heifer International were up more than 20 percent in the fiscal year that ended in June. The record $126.5 million dollars in donations got a big boost from a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, but the fundraising efforts of Heifer's capital campaign are a different story.

Riceland Foods, Inc. finds itself the target of a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of Arkansas rice growers.

Bus manufacturing has been a mainstay in Conway, Arkansas for the past 75 years. What is now IC Corp. has gone through several name changes, but it has survived to become one of the three remaining large bus makers in the United States.
|
|
|
|

Arkansas Business takes a look at who's buying million-dollar homes in Pulaski County.

Almost a thousand pure bred dogs and their owners gathered for a little friendly competition Saturday morning.

Arkansas Business is following two developing news stories this Monday, which could have a major impact on Central Arkansas. First, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued an agreed enforcement action against Metropolitan National Bank of Little Rock. Second, Hewlitt Packard plans to open a new plant in Conway, hiring 1200 workers.

Hewlett Packard Co. of Palo Alto, Calif., will announce Thursday its intention to open a facility in Conway that will employ about 1,200 people, multiple sources have told Arkansas Business.

The prognosis for primary care doctors doesn't look good. While primary care doctors are a good fit for communities of fewer than 10,000 people, few doctors want to practice there.

Sharper Image is closing its remaining stores, including the company's location in west Little Rock.
Just 24 hours before federal regulators shut down ANB Financial, CEO Dan Dykema acknowledged a dismal first quarter but said he was feeling "kind of bullish on the second quarter."

Federal regulators took action on Bentonville based Arkansas National Bank last Friday by closing it down. Pulaski Bank and Trust took over the bank's branches and re-opened them Monday.
|

Economists attribute the global price increases of rice to everything from weather to the declining value of the dollar.

The debate over Arkansas's "any willing provider" law, which appeared to be settled in 2005, has rekindled over what are the intentions of the law. Meantime, Arkansas Business and the University of Central Arkansas will host a symposium Wednesday for businesses concerned about the rising cost of providing health care for employees.

Farmers markets are growing in number and in size around the country and in Arkansas. Meantime, rising prices for fuel and grain are raising operating costs for Tyson Foods, which posted a second quarter loss.

Natural gas drilling on the Fayetteville Shale claim has brought millions of dollars to the state economy, but also road damage. However, several county judges say the companies are easy to work with when making repairs.

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission says the aerospace industry has become the Arkansas's largest exporter, but the manufacturing sector as a whole has seen more than 4,000 job losses since 2006.

Higher prices for unleaded and diesel doesn't just impact consumers, but businesses which rely on fuel for transportation. Prices for diesel and unleaded are either at or near record highs. Some companies have managed to adapt better than other ones.
|
|
|
 THV Mobilethvtogo.com news and information is available on virtually any mobile phone or handheld device. Go to thvtogo.com on your mobile phone or enter your number below and we'll text you a link.
|