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Apple reported record quarterly sales and profit, as holiday purchases of the new iPhone helped the company steer clear of the consumer spending slump that has hurt rival technology companies.

Fiscal first-quarter profit more than doubled to $13.1 billion, or $13.87 a share, compared with $6 billion, or $6.43 a share, a year earlier, Apple said today in a statement. Sales rose 73 percent to $46.3 billion. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg on average estimated profit of $10.14 a share on sales of $39 billion.

Apple sold 37 million iPhones, up from the previous record of 20.34 million. Customers snapped up the 4S model that went on sale in October, a week after the death of co-founder Steve Jobs.

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SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Yahoo Inc. on Tuesday reported a fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $296 million, or 24 cents a share, compared with earnings of $312 million, or 24 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.

Net revenue, excluding costs associated with acquiring traffic, came in at $1.17 billion, down from $1.2 billion in last-year’s fourth quarter.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research had forecast Yahoo to earn 24 cents a share on $1.2 billion in sales.

For its current fiscal quarter, Yahoo forecast revenue in a range of $1.025 billion to $1.1 billion, not including traffic acquisition costs. Analysts had earlier forecast Yahoo to earn 20 cents a share on $1.08 billion in sales.

To read more, go to MarketWatch.com.

Print | Email | January 24, 2012

Today’s Headlines 1/24/2012

• McDonald’s net income rises 11% in fourth quarter
• How Chicago’s longtime chefs keep the kitchens stoked
• Illinois Supreme Court to allow cameras in courtrooms
• Macy’s sues Martha Stewart for breach of contract
• Magazine publisher Stagnito sells to private equity firm

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McDonald’s Corp.

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A motorized, seat-less unicycle, a video game you control with your eyes, and a mind-reading headset that serves as a game controller were among the more bizarre gadgets being shown off at this years International Consumer Electronics Show.

Some 3,100 exhibitors attended the show, and although there were plenty of mainstream technologies on display, the show attracted a fair share of off-beat gadgets. Heres a roundup of some of the weirdest devices:

— SOLOWHEEL. Picture a unicycle without a frame or saddle, and you have the Solowheel. Not working for you? Ok, add this to the picture: footboards that fold out from the wheel. To ride it, you stand on the footboards and straddle the wheel. Lea

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Tri? No, this is not some fancy jargon, but, just means tri as in three. This article will give you an insiders perspective of the three major risks involved in personal financial planning for salaried professionals. As most of us know Risk is that part of our life that we are unsure of, which cannot be predicted accurately. Every phase of our life is filled with risks. The good thing is that jeopardy in personal finance can be clearly defined. Once we have a clear definition we can always work on reducing the effects of the risk happening.

The risks associated with our personal monies can be categorized under 3 broad areas:

1.

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Much of New England’s economy showed modest improvement during the fourth quarter — but real estate remains in the tank, the Federal Reserve reported today in its latest “Beige Book” survey.

“Most contacts expect a continuation of current modest growth trends, notwithstanding uncertainties related to Europe and U.S. budget deliberations,” Fed researchers wrote in the Beige Book, which they compile quarterly by surveying businesses across the country.

The Fed said New England’s consulting, advertising and travel/tourism industries all had solid growth during the period, while retailers and manufacturers reported modest gains.

However, the region’s construction, commercial and residential real estate sectors remained generally weak.

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