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Insurance

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Principal announces retirements and promotions

Principal Financial Group Inc. announced yesterday that Ellen Lamale, senior vice president and chief risk officer, will retire in early 2011 after more than 34 years with the company.

Lamale joined Principal in 1976 and …

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Thrivent Financial for Lutherans continues to fund affordable housing

Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity will receive $60,500 in funding to help build one house in Des Moines as part of Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity in 2011. Nationally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans …

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Earlham Savings Bank branches out


Earlham Savings Bank, which opened its newest branch in Woodward last week, also plans to open a branch in Van Meter early next year. The West Des Moines-based bank received approval from the Iowa Division …

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Is $600 billion a psychic lift to the economy?


Plans by the Federal Reserve System to pump $600 billion into the economy during the next eight months to encourage lending and keep interest rates low could boost the borrow-and-spend spirits of bank customers.

And …

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Bet on health care


Dear Mr. Berko:

Do you think that health-care costs and spending under Obama-care will continue to grow (especially drugs) in the coming decade? My broker wants me to buy 200 shares of Teva. Please tell …

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Profits soar, hiring doesn’t


’It was the best of times; it was the worst of times,” wrote Charles Dickens to begin “A Tale of Two Cities.” That line fairly captures the broader economic landscape as we near the finish …

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Dice Holdings to use stock offering to buy back shares

Dice Holdings Inc. this morning announced a public offering of 10 million shares of common stock. The New York City-based provider of career websites, which has its primary operations in Urbandale, said it will use the …

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Principal announces outlook for 2011

Principal Financial Group Inc. announced that the company expects 2011 operating earnings per share to range from $2.80 to $3 in its 2011 outlook released Wednesday.

The company said it expects an average Standard and …

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Jobless insurance claims drop to lowest levels since 2008

The number of applications for jobless benefits averaged 431,000 a week over the month ended Nov. 27, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

That was the lowest level since August 2008.

“Lower lows and lower …

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United Fire, Mercer Insurance to merge

Cedar Rapids-based United Fire & Casualty Co. will acquire Mercer Insurance Group Inc., a New Jersey-based company, in a deal valued at about $191 million, the companies announced on Tuesday. 

Under the terms of the …

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