Global Economy
Markel Bets on Homebuilding, Acquires Virginia’s Eagle Construction
Markel Corp., the insurer that bought Alterra Capital Holdings Ltd., acquired Eagle Construction of Virginia in a bet on residential development in its home state. Eagle will be the 14th company in ...
Hong Kong’s Li Eyes Ex-AIA Deputy as CEO for New Insurer
Hong Kong businessman Richard Li, the youngest son of Asia's richest man, will appoint a former top executive at AIA Group Ltd as the CEO of his new insurance company, according to people with direct ...
Study Points To Post-Katrina Strengths, Challenges
Recovery after Hurricane Katrina has been a major reason for a doubling of construction jobs around New Orleans, a new study shows. That's one of many positive post-Katrina economic signs as the ...
Classic-Auto Values Rise 54% Reviving Detroit Repair Shops, Specialty Insurance Market
In car-crazy Detroit, a booming auto industry means more than a paycheck and benefits. For thousands of people who make their living off of cars, it also means again having the cash to baby their ...
U.S. Homebuilder Confidence Highest Level Since ’05; Jobless Claims Lowest Since ’07
Confidence among U.S. homebuilders rose in August to the highest level since 2005 as demand for new homes supports the market amid rising mortgage rates. The National Association of Home ...
Free Work Entices Businesses to Hire Long-Term Unemployed
After conducting almost 10,000 job interviews during 10 years as a human resources manager, Tom Kaminski says he thought he knew enough about the labor market to keep his own bout of unemployment ...
Why So Little Hiring With So Many Jobs Open Now: Peter Orszag Column
An odd puzzle is taking shape in the labor market: Over the past three years, the number of job openings has risen almost 50 percent, but actual hiring has gone up by less than 5 percent. Companies ...
Fairfax Financial’s Watsa — Canada’s Buffett— Bets on Blackberry for Long Term
Just over a year ago, Prem Watsa said Research in Motion Ltd., now re-named BlackBerry, was a "Canadian success story," a good buy and a likely turnaround story, despite declining market share. ...