Business News Online

Hasbro Inc , maker of Nerf foam toys and Transformers action figures, promised investors a “meaningful” rise in 2011 sales and earnings, despite missing profit estimates in the second quarter on higher costs.

The news came just days after larger rival Mattel Inc beat quarterly profit and sales estimates on strong sales of its Barbie dolls and toys based on the “Cars 2″ movie. Hasbro shares were down 0.3 percent at $41.25 in premarket trading on Monday.

Hasbro has been spending more in recent quarters to boost its overseas presence and develop its new television channel, The Hub. Read more…

Small business is down in the dumps. Just compare the attitudes shown in NFIBs survey of small business owners with the Business Roundtables survey of corporate CEOs:

Its always a little dangerous to compare one survey with another, but it sure seems that the corporate honchos are feeling better than they did before the recession, whereas small biz owners are up from the depths of the downturn, but not yet back to where they had been.

Better understanding comes (as usual) from looking at the hard numbers in financial statements.

Earnings of small business owners (including partnerships) have not yet recovered from the recession. Its possible that the gap is attributable to the substantial number of contractors among the ranks of small businesses. Nonetheless, the small business sector doesnt look so rosy. Im nervous, too, that the governments estimate of small business earnings lags actual changes in business conditions.

Read more…

PHOENIXVILLE — Mishock Physical Therapy & Associates opened its fourth location on 131 Nutt Road earlier this spring. The practice was officially welcomed by the community yesterday, June 28, during a ribbon cutting ceremony sponsored by the Phoenixville Chamber of Commerce. Congressman Jim Gerlach was in attendance to congratulate owner John Mishock.

Mishock said, “We are thrilled to join the Phoenixville community and feel confident that our services will truly help those individuals looking to relieve pain, restore function, and return to the highest quality-of-life possible.”

Located across from Phoenixville hospital, Mishock Physical Therapy offers state-of-the-art physical therapy and rehabilitation services.

Mishock Physical Therapy specializes in treating a wide variety of physical therapy and chiropractic needs and recently added a Medical Nutrition Therapy & Weight Management component. The practice has three other locations in Gilbertsville , Skippack , and Barto . C

Read more…

South African motorists are starting to struggle to find fuel as effects of the national chemical workers’ strike takes hold.

Fuel Retailers’ Association CEO Reggie Sibiya told the Mail & Guardian on Wednesday that petrol stations were now beginning to feel the effects of the strike.

“We are starting to experience severe shortages countrywide, particularly in Gauteng. The major effects of the strike are certainly being felt and it will only get worse,” Sibiya said.

Engen stations in Gauteng were running out of petrol because oil tankers are unable to leave some depots, the Engen Refinery said on Wednesday.

“Gauteng is the hotspot. Read more…

SOUTH BEND — Local economists fear if debt ceiling debate is not resolved, it could create problems in the economy.

When the nation’s economy is growing at a fast enough pace, our debt does not grow. But right now the economy is not growing fast enough. That has politicians on edge, and a debt ceiling debate is on.

Tom Cosimano, an economics professor at the University of Notre Dame, said if you aren’t following the developments in Washington D.C., maybe you should.

“This raising of the debt limit has to deal with the long term fiscal position of the government — what’s going to happen in the next 10 to 20 years,” Cosimano said. 

The federal government is taking in less than what’s going out. Cosimano said there’s one easy solution: raise more money.  But the big question is how.

“Do you cut government spending, or do you raise taxes?,” he said.

The politicians in Washington are divided. The political part is: which one is more appropriate?

But the clock is ticking! And i

Read more…

A renewed offer from employers in the metal and steel industry would be considered by unions this weekend.

Details of the new proposal from the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) — the body representing employers in the negotiations — are sketchy, but unions said they would begin discussions on the offer on Friday.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the main union involved in the two week-long industrial action, told the Mail & Guardian on Friday that there were no signs the strike would end soon.

“We have not reached any deal. We’ve had a look at this offer and decided to take it to our people and see if it is the best the employers can do. Read more…