International Business News - WSM 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 Millions of taxpayers, thousands of businesses and groups as diverse as solar power developers and natural disaster victims will see tax relief with the House vote Friday to approve and send to the president a $700 billion financial rescue plan. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/144450-congress-financial-meltdown.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081003/stalled-tax-relief-bill-attached-to-rescue-package.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081003/stalled-tax-relief-bill-attached-to-rescue-package.htm Fri, 03 Oct 2008 23:49:49 EDT The Senate has sweetened its $700 billion rescue package for tottering financial companies with tax breaks broad enough to save 20 million people an average $2,000 a year in higher taxes and narrow enough to help makers of wooden toy bow-and-arrow sets. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081001/stalled-tax-relief-bill-attached-to-rescue-package.htm Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:57:46 EDT President Bush wants to extend environmental protections to more of the Pacific Ocean. Bush said Friday he has asked the secretaries of the Interior, Commerce and Defense to identify additional areas that could be eligible for conservation. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080926/bush-wants-to-expand-marine-protections-in-pacific.htm Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:39:56 EDT Executives at Williams-Sonoma Inc. said the retailer scaled back the size of its popular catalogs by nearly a third while winnowing down the number of consumers across the country who receive the publications. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080923/williams-sonoma-trims-catalogs-expects-tough-4q.htm Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:14:35 EDT An analyst on Thursday said a prolonged slump in the home furnishings sector will likely continue to hurt Williams-Sonoma Inc. Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Vivian Ma wrote in a note to investors on Thursday that according to the Census Bureau, home furnishing retail sales fell 8.3 percent in August, the first month of the third quarter. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080918/analyst-williams-sonoma-faces-weak-environment.htm Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:11:28 EDT Among the stock activity stories for Monday, Sept. 15, from AP Financial News: CHICAGO (AP)--Shares of Williams-Sonoma Inc. sank Monday as an analyst resumed coverage and warned that the home furnishings chain faces significant challenges as same-store sales and earnings per share continue to slide. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080915/movers-roundup-williams-sonoma-phh.htm Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:42:24 EDT Shares of Williams-Sonoma Inc. sank Monday as an analyst resumed coverage and warned that the home furnishings chain faces significant challenges as same-store sales and earnings per share continue to slide. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080915/williams-sonoma-falls-on-underperorm-rating.htm Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:33:52 EDT There's gold in them thar vaults! But how much? A reader's curiosity about how much of the shiny stuff is stored at Fort Knox inspired one of three questions in this edition of "Ask AP," a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers' questions about the news. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/128446-ask-ap.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080912/ask-ap-gold-at-fort-knox-jobs-sent-overseas.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080912/ask-ap-gold-at-fort-knox-jobs-sent-overseas.htm Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:19:32 EDT Among the stock activity stories for Thursday, Aug. 28, from AP Financial News: NEW YORK (AP)--Shares of Williams-Sonoma Inc. fell 8 percent on Thursday after the retailer slashed its 2008 profit forecast below Wall Street expectations following a decline in its quarterly results. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/movers-roundup-williams-sonoma-fannie-freddie.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:24:25 EDT Among the earnings stories for Thursday, Aug. 28, from AP Financial News: COLUMBIA, Md. (AP)--Micros Systems Inc., which makes information systems for the hospitality industry, said Thursday its fiscal 2008 fourth-quarter profit grew 12 percent on higher revenue. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/earnings-roundup-micros-systems-hurco.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:22:57 EDT Four days, hundreds of speakers, thousands of delegates, endless pontificating. So much that is memorable from the Democratic National Convention, so much that is forgettable. Seven AP reporters help sort it all out, by identifying--in their humble opinions--some of the week's best and worst: speakers, put-downs, seats, and more. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/the-edge-dems-best-and-worst.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:10:26 EDT Shares of Williams-Sonoma Inc. fell 8 percent on Thursday after the retailer slashed its 2008 profit forecast below Wall Street expectations following a decline in its quarterly results. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/williams-sonoma-shares-fall-as-profit-outlook-cut.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:14:17 EDT Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market: NYSE http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/mbia-tiffany-ual-williams-sonoma-are-big-movers.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:41:20 EDT Williams-Sonoma Inc. said Thursday its second-quarter profit fell by nearly 30 percent, and the company slashed its profit forecast for 2008. San Francisco-based Williams-Sonoma, seller of high-end kitchenware, earned $18.4 million, or 17 cents per share, in the three-month period ended Aug. 3. That compares with $26 million, or 23 cents per share, in the year-ago period. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/williams-sonoma-2q-profit-falls-29-percent.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:32:51 EDT The U.S. Mint's 50-state quarter collection is almost complete, with the penultimate state issuing a coin featuring a grizzly bear with a salmon in its jaws. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/116216-alaska-new-quarters.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080826/one-state-left-us-mint-circulates-alaska-quarters.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080826/one-state-left-us-mint-circulates-alaska-quarters.htm Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:59:52 EDT Alaska commemorative quarters featuring a grizzly bear with a salmon in its jaws were put into circulation Monday by the U.S. Mint. "Every coin is awesome but Alaska's is particularly awesome," said Andy Brunhart, U.S. Mint deputy director, who will fly to Alaska on Friday for the ceremonial launch. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080825/us-mint-circulates-alaska-commemorative-quarters.htm Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:21:40 EDT President Bush on Monday proposed protecting three remote island chains, launching a marine conservation effort that could be one of the largest in history. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080825/bush-seeks-to-protect-3-remote-island-chains.htm Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:40:58 EDT Climate change is wreaking havoc in the small island states of the South Pacific and assistance is needed for those already hit by rising seawater and severe storms, an islands leader said Wednesday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080820/climate-change-creating-havoc-in-pacific-islands.htm Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:28:32 EDT Shares of Williams-Sonoma Inc. fell Tuesday, as an analyst said the specialty home retailer may see same-store sales fall by 10 percent when it reports second-quarter results in the coming weeks. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080819/williams-sonoma-falls-ahead-of-earnings.htm Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:45:53 EDT Gory and bucolic all at once, cockfights have drawn crowds to small-time pits and full-blown arenas in towns around Louisiana for generations. By next week, they'll be against the law. Everywhere. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080811/la-finally-quits-cockfights-last-state-to-ban-it.htm Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:31:27 EDT