http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com News Business Finance Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:27:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en New Zealand house prices climbed for a fifth month in February, fueled by increased demand for property in the nation’s largest cities as the economy emerges from a recession. Prices rose 5.5 percent from a year earlier, following a 4.4 percent annual gain in January, according to ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/new-zealand-house-prices-climb-for-fifth-month-led-by-cities/ Health industry executive and attorney Colleen McHugh was chosen Wednesday to succeed five-year University of Texas System Board of Regents Chairman James R. Huffines. McHugh, who is the first female to fill the top regents post, was elected during the group's regular board meeting. Her predecessor was first elected ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/ut-regents-elect-board-chair-wo-man/ Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. of Canada has launched a company in Scottsdale in what officials say “is the next phase of the company’s long-term growth strategy in the U.S.” IA American Life Insurance Co. will be headquartered with the Quebec City company’s Industrial Alliance Pacific Life ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/canadian-insurer-expands-in-scottsdale/ Government-owned mortgage financing firm Freddie Mac reported a larger loss in the fourth quarter, but the company did not need to draw down any additional tax dollars in the period.The company, which along with rival Fannie Mae (FNM, Fortune 500) was put into a conservatorship under government control ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/freddie-bigger-loss-no-new-bailout/ Five former U.S. Treasury secretaries who have served both Republican and Democrat presidents have jointly called on Congress to implement the so- called Volcker Rule to limit the size and trading of banks. Banks that benefit from public support via access to the Federal Reserve and the ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/former-us-treasury-secretaries-endorse-volcker-rule-in-wsj/ New Zealand’s budget cash deficit was wider than the government forecast after departments made payments for services earlier than they expected. The cash deficit was NZ$8.85 billion ($6.2 billion) in the six months ended Dec. 31, or NZ$934 million wider than forecast in December’s fiscal update, the ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/nz-budget-cash-deficit-wider-than-forecast-on-early-payments/ Austin Water will begin this week a $31.8 million stimulus-funded treatment plant project that will create 150 jobs, increase energy efficiency and reduce operational costs. On Wednesday, the group will break ground on upgrades to the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant, which processes biosolids from treated wastewater. The zero ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/austin-water-begins-318m-stimulus-funded-project/ The parent company of Hawaiian Electric Co. and American Savings Bank posted lower earnings for fiscal 2009 compared to 2008. Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE: HEI) reported a profit of $102.3 million for fiscal 2009, an 18.7 percent decrease from the $125.9 million it earned in fiscal 2008. That figure, ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/hawaiian-electric-industries-profit-falls/ Shopping Web site Groupon, which offers a daily deal on the local goods, services and cultural events, launched in Memphis today. Using the principles of collective buying, Groupon negotiates deals with local businesses and sends free daily e-mails to subscribers notifying them of the deals. “With its vibrant Mid-South ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/shopping-web-site-groupon-enters-memphis/ The top transit official for President Barack Obama’s administration will be in Denver Friday announcing major funding for the FasTracks project. Peter Rogoff, head of the Federal Transit Administration, is to join U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Phil Washington, the head of the Regional Transportation ... http://onlinebusinesssurvey.com/federal-transit-official-announcing-fastracks-funding/