The Seattle Times Business – The Seattle Times

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the luxury goods empire based in Paris, on Thursday reported that first-half net profit rose 28 percent thanks to its Louis Vuitton and Bulgari brands and on growth in Asia and the United States.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says regulators waited four years to penalize Barclays bank for trying to manipulate a key global because the investigation was complex.

Luxury brands did it again for fashion giant PPR, pushing net income up 5.9 percent to (EURO)477 million ($585 million) in the first half of the year despite struggles at sportswear brand Puma.

The Portland company reported a 19 percent increase in first-quarter net income but warned of "major headwinds" including an unplanned shutdown of its 29,000-ton forging press in Houston.

Greece's government started new talks Thursday with international debt inspectors to determine whether the country keeps receiving rescue loans or is forced to default and potentially leave the euro currency union.

Regulators are investigating Standard & Poor's over some of its ratings, according to a regulatory filing by the S&P's parent company.

A paleontologist who undertook a major excavation of ice age fossils of mammoths and mastodons in Colorado was named the next director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History on Thursday.

AIG is launching a public relations campaign to repair its reputation.

The Walla Walla holding company of Banner Bank and Islanders Bank reported second-quarter profit of $25.4 million.

The parent company of Columbia Bank in Tacoma reported Thursday a second-quarter profit of $11.9 million, or 30 cents a share.

Google Inc. revealed Thursday what it will charge for its long-awaited, ultra-fast Internet service in Kansas City: $70 per month.

30-YEAR BELOW 3.50: The average U.S. rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell below 3.50 percent for the first time on records dating back 60 years.

The euro rose sharply against the dollar Thursday after the head of the European Central Bank said the ECB would do whatever it took to save the single currency.

Victims of imprisoned Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme could be getting back more of their stolen money.

Oil prices rose Thursday after the head of the European Central Bank vowed to protect the euro, the currency used by 17 countries in the financially strapped region.

Businesses placed fewer orders for most long-lasting manufactured goods in June, suggesting many are losing confidence in the slumping U.S. economy.

STRESSING THE SYSTEM: United made a lot of changes over the summer as it integrated Continental, hurting its on-time ratings and annoying passengers.

Facebook's public debut was the most anticipated tech IPO since Google went public in August 2004. But the stock has lost much of its value since it began trading in mid-May.

Facebook's stock fell 8.5 percent during the regular session Thursday, then dropped further in extended trading after the company reported quarterly earnings for the first time as a public company.

It was the buy signal that markets were waiting for.

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