Italy's borrowing costs reversed declines earlier in the week, its 10-year rate climbing 20 basis points to 5.97%.
UAL said that it lost $124 million from operations as sharply higher fuel and labor costs reversed its profit in the period a year earlier, and it forecast a loss for the first quarter.
One month later, however, the company began shedding staff in an effort to cut costs, reversing a hiring spree it launched in January, according to sources.
No. 2 U.S. chemical company Dow said it posted a first-quarter net profit after lowering costs, reversing a year-ago loss.
If a rate cut proves unnecessary, the cost of reversing it would be small.
They've come up with that by looking at the cost of reversing the tax on pension funds - "It's a tax break for shareholders," a Labour aide told me - and also putting a £3.2bn price tag on the tax breaks for marriage.
Textron, maker of Cessna aircraft and Bell helicopters, reported quarterly profits after cost cuts, reversing a year-ago loss, and expanded a restructuring that will slash 2,000 more jobs and trigger a $150 million charge.
He added, however, that "yo-yo oil prices mean that we may see costs reverse yet again".
Burger King Holdings wants to have it it's own way: despite a slowing economy, the fast-food chain is toying with the idea of raising prices even as the latest surge in commodity costs reverses.
If these worthies' dreams come true, will U.S. imports from China shrink, will exports leap, will manufacturing job losses cease and will the Chinese advantage of low labor costs reverse?
