Business news for Mon, 31 Dec 2007 & with word financial. 32 news.

Work is a big part of our lives. Our financial stability, and sometimes even sense of self, depend on it. Unfortunately, the day-to-day tedium...

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- VeriFone Holdings Inc. said late Monday it probably will not be able to submit its annual report before March despite requesting an extension of the deadline to Jan. 14 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. VeriFone is in the process of restating financial statements for the first three quarters of its fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2007. It also noted that it is not certain how much time will be required for it to complete the restatement process.

Reuters - Home builders and financial issues, the biggest casualties of the subprime lending meltdown, were hit again by tax-motivated selling in recent weeks but could rebound a bit early in the new year, money managers said on Monday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Home builders and financial issues, the biggest casualties of the subprime lending meltdown, were hit again by tax-motivated selling in recent weeks but could rebound a bit early in the new year, money managers said on Monday.

When I sat down for my annual review of what I've written over the past year, something jumped out at me. Usually, I write about widely diversified subjects. But in 2007, I devoted an inordinate number of columns to the shenanigans of leveraged buyout firms and the attempts by the world's central banks to rescue financial markets.

Take our quiz to find out whether you're suited to this line of work.

Dieting? Been there. Smoking? Done that. This year, get your money matters in order.

As the financial markets brace for another wave of large losses at Wall Street banks, the outlook for these newly public firms and their as-yet-private brethren has darkened starkly.

Standard & Poor's gave Hawaii bonds an AA rating in its latest review, citing the state's financial performance and reserves.

Chief financial officer of China's leading search engine dies over holiday.

As 2007 draws to a close, we bid adieu to a volatile year in the stock market, although one that is going to end with an overall gain. The average diversified stock fund this year will post about a 7% return, nothing to write home about given the market's historical rise of more than 10% per year, but nothing to sneeze at either given we had a virtual meltdown in some sectors of the financial world in the middle of the year.

Whether you owe money on your credit cards, have a mega-mortgage or a personal loan, you can reduce your debts with some skilful juggling. We show you how

Sky News' team of financial experts has joined the Prime Minister and business leaders as they warn of tough times ahead for the UK economy in 2008.

The chief financial officer of Chinese search engine Baidu.com died after an accident while on vacation in China.

Want to save money or boost your earnings in the coming year? TODAY Financial editor Jean Chatzky shares tips on how to get your finances into shape for 2008.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp is in advanced talks to buy Israeli start-up XIV Information Systems for $300 million to $350 million, financial daily Globes reported on Monday.

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Strategists at Citigroup expect double-digit returns in 2008, according to a note published Monday. "European equities should be supported by lower rates, macro resilience, earnings growth, reasonable valuations and liquidity," the strategists said. They are sellers of sectors exposed to financial or consumer leverage, but buyers of food and beverage, industrial goods and services, personal and household goods, telecoms and technology.

Reuters - International Business Machines Corp is in advanced talks to buy Israeli start-up XIV Information Systems for $300 million to $350 million, financial daily Globes reported on Monday.

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- The Financial Services Authority is probing a jump in the share price of U.K. waste services group Biffa ahead of an announcement in November that it had received a 1.2 billion pound ($2.4 billion) takeover bid, according to a report in the Times (of London) newspaper. The report said the FSA has written to various parties involved in the talks to ask what they knew about any possible bid before buyout groups HgCapital and Montagu Private Equity revealed their offer. The inquiry is a part of a continuing focus at the regulator on insider trading ahead of major announcements, the newspaper added.

CHINA'S Internet search firm Baidu.com said yesterday that its chief financial officer, Shawn Wang, died in an accident while on vacation in China. Wang, who joined Baidu in 2004 and helped the company successfully list on the Nasdaq stock market in 2005, died on December 27 during a Christmas-New Year holiday. Company officials declined to give further details. The company said it plans to replace him but also gave no further details. "Under Wang's leadership, this year Baidu became one of the four biggest firms in the US by stock transaction volume and the first Chinese company to join the Nasdaq 100 index," Baidu chairman and CEO Robin Li said in an e-mail to employees. "Besides his contribution to financial affairs, he also led the company's legal and human resources departments to fruitful achievements," Li said. Baidu had a 60.5-percent share of China's search engine market in the third quarter, according to Beijing-based research firm Analysys