COMPANIES

U.S. solar company Calisolar on Wednesday said it would downsize its California solar cell factory, laying off 80 employees, as it focuses on its primary silicon production business.

Jamba Juice is offering $2 smoothies for a limited time. Starting Wednesday until Sept. 27, Jamba Juice is offering sixteen ounce fruit smoothies for $2, along with $2 slow-cooked oatmeal and $1 backed goods with any purchase.

The Obama Administration has no intention of walking away from investing in renewable energy projects despite the bankruptcy of a high-profile solar panel maker backed by federal loan guarantees, a top U.S. Energy Department official said on Wednesday.

Sempra Energy said it will group its power generation, pipelines, storage and LNG businesses into two new operating units, Sempra International and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power to realign operations.

The U.S. Department of Energy's loan program for innovative technologies was created under the Bush Administration in 2005, but the first loan guarantee wasn't extended until four years later when the loan office received funding under the federal economic stimulus.

Redwood Trust, a California-based REIT, is about to launch its second private-label RMBS of the year, a US$375.2m prime-mortgage offering called Sequoia Mortgage Trust 2011-2 (SEMT 2011-2), according to a presale report released on Wednesday by Fitch Ratings.

Ping An Insurance (Group) Co of China Ltd has obtained regulatory clearance to invest in private equity and real estate, the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Wednesday.

Apple opened up what it called the post-PC era with the iPad and iPad 2, pressuring the PC-dependent Microsoft, but industry watchers believe Windows 8 may not only keep the company relevant, but may propel it into a tablet leader.

White House probed for a questionable loan guarantee given to the failed solar energy firm

While most Target stores nationwide are sold out of the retailer's red hot Missoni for Target collection items, eBay has exploded with products for resale.

The survey conducted by Bloomberg suggests RIM may have shipped just one PlayBook last quarter for ever 19 iPads shipped by Apple. RIM announces earnings on Thursday, and Bloomberg's survey of analysts suggests they don't expect good news from the Canadian-based company.

Pressure has been building against Microsoft as Apple and others tout a post-PC era, but the world's largest software maker may have bought more time with its anticipated Windows 8.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. expects capital markets activity, both debt and equity, to decline by 30 percent and investment banking fees to decline to $1 billion in third quarter of 2011 from $1.9 billion last quarter.

Missoni is a hot Italian designer. Target is a discount retailer. The combination proved powerful Tuesday, as the much-hyped Missoni for Target Collection launched, crashing the company's Web site and selling out merchandise from most stores. But on Wednesday, despite a few fits and starts, target.com is working, and the company has many Missoni for Target items in stock for customers to buy.

Google watchers knew the company was going to launch its new Google Flights Web site sooner than later, considering the company acquired ITA software last year, and now it is reality, as Internet searchers can search flights based on cost and travel time. Google Flight Search launched Tuesday. Users can find it google.com/flights. The online flight service has similarities to services offered by Priceline, Expedia, and Orbitz, though some experts suggest Google's may be seconds faster in down...

Canadian miner Timmins Gold Corp reported a first-quarter profit helped by a rise in gold sales and higher gold prices.

Auction.com, the nation's leading real estate auctioneer and loan sales advisor,has announced its upcoming online auctioning of over 325 Non-Performing Notes & Commercial REO Properties located throughout the Southeastern U.S., representing the largest online auction of commercial real estate to date for the company that pioneered modern real estate auctions.

The top U.S. securities regulator has formed an advisory panel of fast-growing companies and venture capital funds as it reviews whether it needs to update rules on how private companies can access public investors.

Oaktree Capital Management Funds sent a letter to Jakks Pacific (JAKK.O) on Tuesday, outlining its intention to buy the toymaker and take it private in a $670 million deal, after repeated rebuffs from the company since the offer was made in March.

U.S. solar company SunPower Corp (SPWRA.O) is actively looking at acquisitions that would complement its residential and commercial project businesses, Chief Executive Tom Werner said on Tuesday.

Moody's Investors Service cut the credit ratings of France's Credit Agricole SA and Societe Generale on Wednesday, citing their exposure to Greece's debt, a fresh blow to euro area leaders struggling to restore confidence in the region.

The launch of the new collaborative line between Italian designer, Missoni and Target has resulted in the crash of the Web site of the mega-retailer on Tuesday.

Suzuki Motor will likely locate a planned new $1.3 billion passenger car factory in Gujarat, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Wednesday.

If you weren't one of the door busters or quick-fingered enough to snag a Missoni item for sale at Target on Tuesday, there are countless other designer collections offered at discount prices through retail chains.

Missoni for Target sold out within hours of its initial launch -- was this exactly what was supposed to happen?

The Internet is blazing Tuesday with two red hot retail deals that some consumers can't get enough of and some consumers have already had enough of. One is the Whole Foods/LivingSocial deal offered Tuesday, in which the daily deal company is offering a $10 coupon for $20 in food. The other is the launch of Missoni for Target line of clothing and accessories.

The number of Americans living below the poverty line rose to a record 46 million last year, the government said on Tuesday, underscoring the challenges facing President Barack Obama and Congress as they try to tackle high unemployment and a moribund economy.

Faster growth is predicted in the next several years for Groupon and other daily deal companies, but the hot Internet space that taps into consumer appetite for cheap food and drink, spa services, yoga lessons, sports tickets and other offerings has its limits, according to new research.

London-based explorer Tullow Oil's long-running deal to bring France's Total and China's CNOOC into a $10 billion oil project in Uganda is near its conclusion, the east African country's energy minister said.