Archive for March 2011
Construction materials prices keep climbing
For the fifth consecutive month, prices for construction materials increased in February, rising 1.1 percent, according to Wednesday’s Producer Price Index report by the Department of Labor. Year-over-year, construction material prices are up 6.1 percent. …
Read MoreJapan disaster’s impact on insurance unlikely to surpass Katrina
Japan’s massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster is likely to be the costliest natural catastrophe on record, but the impact on the private insurance industry probably will not surpass that of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, …
Read MoreNearly one in three U.S. banks rated ‘unsatisfactory’
Patrick Parkinson, the Federal Reserve’s chief bank regulator, said today that nearly one out of three U.S. banks have supervisory ratings deemed unsatisfactory.
“Around 30 percent of all banks have less than satisfactory supervisory ratings,” …
Read MoreSEC charges three Ohio men in $230 million fraud case
Three senior executives at an Akron, Ohio-based consumer finance company face civil and criminal charges for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded at least 5,200 investors — many of them elderly — out of $230 million, …
Read MoreMidAmerican tops Midwest satisfaction survey
In the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Gas Utility Business Customer
Satisfaction Study released today, Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy Co. ranked first out of 21 Midwestern companies for highest natural gas customer satisfaction, the third …
Youth Leadership applications being accepted
The Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and the Youth Leadership Initiative are now accepting applications for the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) class of 2011-2012. The program is an opportunity for high school students across the …
Read MoreSt. Patrick’s Day Parade may cause downtown delays
If you’re not planning on wearing the green tomorrow, you may be seeing red unless you plan ahead. The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick’s annual parade through downtown Des Moines will begin at noon Thursday …
Read MoreDunkin’ Donuts to offer flexible design concepts to Iowa franchisees
The parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins said Tuesday that it is looking for franchisees to open restaurants in Iowa.
“Dunkin’ Donuts is looking for qualified candidates with food service, operations and real estate …
Read MoreDes Moines’ Energy Star ranking improves
Des Moines has been named to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s annual list of cities that have the most Energy Star certified buildings for the second consecutive year. The city’s ranking improved to No. 23 …
Read MoreRising oil prices could affect CRE
Rising oil prices and unstable Middle East regimes could mean double trouble for the global economic recovery, but could benefit some segments of the commercial real estate market, REIT.com reported. According to Jonathan Litt, managing …
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