Chicago Sun-Times :: Business

Candidates weigh in on stabilizing Fannie, Freddie

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS — Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

The historic takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which could come as soon as Sunday, moved to the forefront of the presidential campaign Saturday as candidates and congressional leaders seized on the enormous implications for taxpayers and the economy. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac together hold or back half of the nation's mortgage debt, and have played an increasingly important role in the real estate market since the credit crisis started in August 2007.

Talks fail; machinists strike Boeing Co.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS — Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

Striking Boeing Co. production workers hunkered down Saturday for what could be along, bruising battle with costly repercussions for both sides. Greeted by friendly honking from passing vehicles, members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers responded with cheering and blasts from handheld air horns Saturday at plants from Frederickson to Everett as cloudy skies gave way to warm and sunny weather.

Brill Street's search even takes it to Facebook, MySpace

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

Sandra Guy: Facebook, MySpace and other social-networking sites are earning a new role in the business world: the latest tool to find entry-level workers with unusual or hard-to-find skills."In 24 hours, we found a number of qualified students through a combination of Facebook, MySpace and electronic postings at eight local universities to fill a position in Chicago that required marketing education and a medical background," said Gilles Tanneur, CEO of Chicago-based Brill Street.

A different approach to high yield

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

David Roeder: With little easy money, or even difficult money, to find in the markets, a little advice from Jack Ablin, chief investment officer of Harris Private Bank, seems appropriate. Ablin says active investors should unabashedly look for yield. Demand payment for your investment, he says. That's often a preface for an argument about buying dividend-paying stocks.

Ike blasts Turks and Caicos as Category 4 storm

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS — Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

Hurricane Ike roared across the Turks and Caicos on Sunday as a ferocious Category 4 storm, as people sought refuge from its howling winds in emergency shelters or in their homes. Shopkeepers and homeowners in Providenciales frantically boarded up windows and residents headed to makeshift shelters late Saturday as Ike's massive gray wall of clouds neared the low-lying island chain island.