International Business News - Costs http://www.ibtimes.com All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif The leaders of General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers union told Congress this week that a new union contract will virtually erase the labor cost gap between GM and foreign competitors with U.S. factories. That's not quite true, according to GM's own figures. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/178322-congress-autos.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081119/uaw-gm-say-new-pact-makes-labor-costs-competitive.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081119/uaw-gm-say-new-pact-makes-labor-costs-competitive.htm Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:03:48 EST Costs that hamper the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers have fallen in recent years compared with those of foreign producers, but high corporate taxes and other expenses still put domestic products at a distinct disadvantage in global markets, an industry group said Thursday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081113/global-gap-on-costs-narrows-for-us-manufacturers.htm Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:29:27 EST As the economy walloped their finances, students and families saw little relief this fall from rising college costs, which jumped 6.4 percent at state universities, according to new figures out Wednesday. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/162584-college-costs.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081029/college-prices-up-again-as-economy-falters.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081029/college-prices-up-again-as-economy-falters.htm Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:50:43 EDT Americans with diabetes nearly doubled their spending on drugs for the disease in just six years, with the bill last year climbing to an eye-popping $12.5 billion. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081028/diabetes-drug-costs-soaring-top-12b-last-year.htm Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:22:30 EDT Americans with diabetes nearly doubled their spending on drugs for the disease in just six years, with the bill last year climbing to an eye-popping $12.5 billion. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081027/diabetes-drug-costs-soaring-top-12b-last-year.htm Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:15:06 EDT Chemicals maker Huntsman Corp. said Thursday it expects to incur about $49 million in costs and lost profit margin from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Without the hurricane costs, the company expects third-quarter earnings before interest expense, taxes, depreciation, amortization and minority interest to exceed its second-quarter results and be similar to the third quarter of last year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081023/huntsman-expects-49m-in-hurricane-costs-in-3q.htm Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:36:22 EDT Erin O'Connell took the tour this week at Elon University, a handsome, up-and-coming college with a $31,000-a-year price tag. That's hefty--but $20,000 less than some "uppity" schools she may have to cross off her list. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/152768-college-costs.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081015/as-economy-swoons-parents-fret-over-college-costs.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081015/as-economy-swoons-parents-fret-over-college-costs.htm Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:05:29 EDT Some financial-aid tips for relatively well-off families who hadn't been considering applying for aid but may now need it:--DON'T NECESSARILY ASSUME YOU'RE `TOO RICH' FOR AID. Colleges award hundreds of millions in merit scholarships (so keep working hard senior year) and at some schools, families earning well into six figures can get need-based scholarships, particularly if they have multiple children in college. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081014/financial-aid-tips-for-families.htm Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:31:09 EDT Erin O'Connell took the tour this week at Elon University, a handsome, up-and-coming college with a $31,000-a-year price tag. That's hefty--but $20,000 less than some "uppity" schools she may have to cross off her list. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/152176-financial-meltdown-college-costs.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081014/as-economy-swoons-parents-fret-over-college-costs.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081014/as-economy-swoons-parents-fret-over-college-costs.htm Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:29:55 EDT Beef may not be what's for dinner at your favorite restaurant come 2009. Restaurants, now working to secure supply and price contracts for meat and other commodities for the upcoming year, are expecting big increases in food costs--increases that will likely lead to menu changes and price hikes. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/151364-restaurants-food-costs.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081013/restaurants-may-change-menus-hike-prices-in-2009.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081013/restaurants-may-change-menus-hike-prices-in-2009.htm Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:31:20 EDT Olympic organizers intend to "bear down" on costs in the wake of the global financial crisis and do everything possible to avoid overruns on the $17 billion budget for the 2012 Summer Games. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081007/london-mayor-vows-to-bear-down-on-olympic-costs.htm Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:00:34 EDT Oil services company Dresser-Rand Group Inc. says costs tied to Hurricanes Ike and Gustav plus an accident Sunday at a New York facility will cut third-quarter operating income by about $5 million. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081001/dresser-rand-says-storms-to-cut-operating-income.htm Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:15:41 EDT The price of college continues to surge, and financial aid isn't keeping up. The Wall Street meltdown has hammered the stock market and college savings. And a college degree is ever more essential for finding a good job. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081001/campaigns-differ-on-how-to-help-with-college-costs.htm Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:00:14 EDT Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. customers won't see another increase on their electric bills to recover additional fuel costs deferred from earlier this year, the state's largest utility announced on Tuesday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080930/oklahoma-utility-wont-seek-additional-price-hike.htm Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:00:06 EDT Damage estimates to Entergy Corp. utility units from hurricanes Ike and Gustav: IKE: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080930/gustav-ike-damage-costs-to-entergy.htm Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:33:06 EDT Entergy Corp. estimated Tuesday that damage from hurricanes Ike and Gustav cost the power provider $1 billion to $1.2 billion. Of Entergy's six regulated power utilities in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, Entergy Texas took the most damage during Ike--an estimated $435 million to $510 million. Entergy said that storm cost a total ranging from $525 million to $625 million. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080930/entergy-ike-gustav-cost-at-least-1-billion.htm Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:34:02 EDT Michigan residents should brace for a 21 percent jump in the cost to heat their homes with natural gas this winter. The Michigan Public Service Commission says the average residential heating bill will be $193 a month from November through March. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080929/state-michigan-heating-bills-may-rise-21-percent.htm Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:25:14 EDT West Virginians pay the lowest housing costs in the country, but they also don't make a lot of money. The U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the median monthly housing cost in the Mountain State was $881 in 2007, compared to the national median of $1,464. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080923/report-w-va-boasts-lowest-housing-costs-in-us.htm Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:30:03 EDT U.S. Physical Therapy Inc., an operator of outpatient physical therapy clinics, said Thursday it has lost about $165,000 in revenue and profit contribution because of Hurricane Ike. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080918/us-physical-therapy-operations-hurt-by-ike.htm Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:06:25 EDT A new government report shows Kansas farm production costs went up nearly 21 percent in 2007. Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service said Tuesday that expenditures that year totaled $12.4 billion in the state. That compares nationally with a 9.3 percent increase, or about to $260 billion in total farm expenses across the country. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080909/report-kansas-farm-production-costs-up-21-percent.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:35:29 EDT