Amazon’s spending spree to hurt margins now, boost profit later: analysts

(Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc‘s spending spree will hurt margins in the near term but boost profit in the long run, analysts said, after the world’s No.1 internet retailer posted a loss on heavy spending on technology, infrastructure and digital content.Amazon shares were set to open about 2 percent higher on Friday even though the company forecast weak sales ahead of...

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Moody’s warns may downgrade five big Canadian banks

NEW YORK/TORONTO (Reuters) – Moody’s Investors Service warned on Friday it could cut its ratings on five top Canadian banks on concerns about a softening economy and volatile capital markets, a blow to a banking system named the soundest in the world four years in a row.But the outlook for the sector is no longer as rosy, Moody’s said, because of the risks presented...

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First Person: A Supportive Partner Makes All the Difference when Fighting Breast Cancer

To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Yahoo News asked women who have had breast cancer or are going through treatment to write about the people in their lives who stood by them and cared for them. Here’s one story.FIRST PERSON | It was Feb. 19, 2007, when I was told I had breast cancer. I was just 32, with two children, Adam, 4, and Kaitlyn,...

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Moody’s warns may downgrade five big Canadian banks

NEW YORK/TORONTO (Reuters) – Moody’s Investors Service warned on Friday it could cut its ratings on five top Canadian banks on concerns about a softening economy and volatile capital markets, a blow to a banking system named the soundest in the world four years in a row.But the outlook for the sector is no longer as rosy, Moody’s said, because of the risks presented...

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Lull in fighting between Israel, Gaza militants

JERUSALEM (AP) — A flare-up in fighting between Israel and militants from Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement has subsided.Both sides say the government in Egypt helped to restore calm. Israeli defense official Amos Gilad told Army Radio on Thursday that Egyptian security forces have “a very impressive ability” to convey to the militants that it...

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Tax gains lift Merck, but sales disappoint

(Reuters) – Merck & Co Inc reported a higher-than-expected third-quarter profit, as a favorable tax rate and lower merger costs helped offset plunging sales of its former flagship product, Singulair, an asthma drug that began facing cheaper generics in August.But overall company sales came in slightly below Wall Street expectations, as Singulair’s decline outpaced...

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