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Insurance

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Local insurance agencies get national recognition

Two Greater Des Moines insurance agencies were recognized among the top-performing agencies in the nation by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America.  CSB Insurance Group of Johnston and LMC Insurance & Risk Management …

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Dear Malcolm Berko: Can I retire on a Wal-Mart 401(k)?

Dear Mr. Berko: 

I am 36 and make about $45,000 a year. For 14 years, I have contributed 6 percent of my salary to Wal-Mart’s 401(k) plan, and Wal-Mart matches that amount. My 401(k) statement …

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A predominance of negative earnings forecasts

Corporate America is lowering expectations, according to MarketWatch.

 

According to John Butters, senior earnings analyst at FactSet, 94 out of the 107 companies on the Standard & Poor’s 500 index that have issued an earnings …

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Midwest mergers and acquisitions regain strength

The number of Midwest companies that participated in a merger or acquisition over the past six months rebounded in the third quarter of 2013, according to the Bridgepoint Midwest M&A Index Report. After decreasing in the previous …

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Bank of the West to make interest-only mortgages despite new lending rule

Bank of the West said today it will continue to offer interest-only mortgages to borrowers even though such loans are excluded from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s qualified mortgage rule that goes into effect Friday, American …

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CCCU and Ace credit union to merge

Johnston-based Community Choice Credit Union plans to acquire Ace Community Credit Union of Ames, the two financial institutions announced today after their boards approved a merger agreement.

The merger is pending approvals by state and …

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Berko: Time to sell drug stocks?

Dear Mr. Berko: 

About two years ago, you gave a blanket recommendation for drug company stocks because you said Obamacare would bring in  billions of dollars of new sales each year. So in October 2011, …

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Health insurance fair set for Jan. 11

The Polk County Health Department, A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy and other community partners are holding a health insurance enrollment fair on Jan. 11. The fair will feature professionals from Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Planned …

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U.S. banks show signs of growth

The banking industry showed signs of accelerated growth for the first time since the spring in the latest American Banker Index of Banking Activity.

The November index was 54.9, up slightly from 54.6 in October. …

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Debner to establish Iowa practice for BKD

Marv Debner will lead the Iowa practice for BKD LLP, the Springfield, Mo.-based national accounting and advisory firm announced Wednesday.

Debner, until recently the managing partner of LWBJ Financial LLC, has 25 years of public …

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