November 14,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Aggregated Content in economic news on November 15, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z5473787784&z=1250249032
U.S. retail sales rose more than expected in October as strong receipts from motor vehicle and building material dealers offset the drag from service stations, suggesting the economy started the fourth quarter with some vigor.
A separate measure showed that producer prices were flat to a bit negative for the month as well.
Total retail sales increased 0.5 percent, the Commerce Department said today, after rising by an unrevised 1.1 percent in September. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales climbing 0.3 percent last month. In the 12 months to October, retail sales were up 7.2 percent.
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November 13,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on November 14, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z5470065628&z=1250249032
Leon's Furniture Ltd. raised its quarterly dividend by a penny on Monday to 10 cents per share as it reported a lower third-quarter profits and sales compared with a year ago. Trading in Leon's shares was halted pending the announcement. The furniture and electronics retailer said it earned $17 million or 23 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with a profit of $17.8 million or 24 cents per diluted share a year ago. Sales â including corporate and franchise stores â totalled $223.6 million in the quarter, down from $231.5 million
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November 13,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on November 14, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5468033754&f=10761
Nearly every inch of the windows at the Falls Church location of Classique Home are covered in signs saying Going Out of Business.Inside, endless living room ensembles and rows of dining sets don markdown tags, inviting a few last sales before the 32-year old furniture chain closes Dec. 31.
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November 13,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Acquisition on November 14, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z5468063567&z=1250249030
Warren Buffett said his Berkshire Hathaway Inc has accumulated a 5.5 percent stake in IBM, the billionaire investor's biggest bet in the technology field he has historically shunned. Buffett, in a CNBC interview on Monday, said he had bought about 64 million shares of IBM at a cost of $10.7 billion. Berkshire started buying the shares in March, with a goal of building a $10 billion position, he said. Buffett said IBM did not know that he was building a stake and that the company
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November 13,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on November 14, 2011
As part of its $140 million Solsticizing program,
Celebrity Cruises is updating its Millennium Class ships with a variety of upgrades including rolling out a bedding program called eXhale in partnership with
bedding supplier Reverie.
The company's Celebrity Infinity ship will be the first to have the new bedding when it comes out of remodel on Dec. 3.
The bedding line will be featured in every stateroom and features handmade quality of natural raw materials like bamboo and sustainable natural rubber. The mattresses are almost completely recyclable and biodegradable.
Celebrity's guests in Penthouse Suites, Royal Suites, Celebrity Suites and Sky Suites will enjoy a unique sleep experience. In those luxurious accommodations, complete with 24/7 butler service, Celebrity will offer a premium Reverie mattress allowing guests to customize their sleep experience. With the expert help of their butler, guests sailing in those suites will be able to have their mattress tailored to their liking, within a range of options from extra plush to extra firm, all with the goal of precisely meeting their individual comfort preferences.
Rounding out Celebrity's eXhale bedding program in each stateroom and suite will be custom-embroidered, 100 percent Egyptian cotton linens.
"We know how precious our guests' vacation time is, so we set out to ensure that every moment of their vacation offers them the opportunity to do as much or as little as they chooseand that very well may include relaxing in bed to read a book, watch TV, or, of course, sleep," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity's senior vice president of hotel operations. "We are just as committed to offering a modern luxury experience with our bedding program as we are throughout the entire ship. It's very exciting to introduce our new, premium, Reverie bedding system on a Millennium Class ship, as just one component of our vast Solsticizing program, and an appealing prelude to what guests in select suite categories will enjoy on Celebrity Reflection when she launches in Fall 2012."
"Reverie is thrilled to provide Celebrity Cruises with an exclusive mattress design for their staterooms, and the Reverie Dream customizable luxury mattress for their suite guests," said Martin Rawls-Meehan, Reverie's CEO. "We use the finest natural materials and patented technology, which we believe will enhance guests' sleep experience. Celebrity cares about offering their guests a customized experience, and Reverie's unique sleep system is a way to offer just that. Reverie is proud to be a part of Celebrity's continuous efforts to deliver modern luxury in every aspect of their guests' vacation experience."