— Stark Company Realtors President David Stark says there’s “good news for the Wisconsin housing market” in a Federal Housing Finance Administration report released this week. For the 12-month period ending in March 2009, Wisconsin ranked 10th among the 50 states with a price decline of 0.91 percent. This compares favorably with a national decline of 7.14 percent. Stark says the report “further confirms the fact that our housing market remains healthy. Wisconsin was never much of a player in the sub-prime mania in the earlier part of this decade, so our price increases remained moderate even when some parts of the country were experiencing double digit percentage increases.” With its 0.91 percent decline, Wisconsin is faring better than Minnesota (a 6 percent drop), Michigan and Illinois (both 6.4 percent drops), Indiana (a 3.2 percent decline), and Iowa (1.2 percent). See more: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=160019 — Real gross domestic product decreased at an annual rate of 5.7 percent in the first quarter of 2009 according to today’s preliminary estimate from the Economics and Statistics Administration, an upward revision from the advance estimate of -6.1 percent. This follows a decrease of 6.3 percent in the fourth quarter. ************************* WISBUSINESS.COM / WISPOLITICS.COM FORUM JUNE 10 — Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Ships): Shaping Southeastern Wisconsin’s Transportation Future — WEDNESDAY, June 10, 7:15 AM at Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin, Milwaukee Hear major decision-makers debate the future of passenger rail, highway expansion, the port of Milwaukee and Mitchell Field in light of stressed state and local budgets and commuters’ continuing search for the best way to get to work. Confirmed panelists include Milwaukee County Exec. Scott Walker, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett; Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine and a member of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee; and Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greendale and a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee. Initial sponsors for the event include UW-Milwaukee, Wisconsin Urban & Rural Transit Association and HNTB. The event is open to the public, and the price is $30 per person. But WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com subscribers, the UW-Milwaukee community, and members of MMAC and Discovery World will be able to attend for $20 per person. The price includes the breakfast buffet but not parking. Call Debra Jordan (414) 287-4127 or e-mail djordan@mmac.org to register. Online registration is also available: http://mmac.org/display/router.asp?docid=488&event=1227&startDate=06/10/09 Additional sponsorships are available as well. For sponsorship information, contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or webmaster@wisbusiness.com ************************* TOP STORIES Xcel seeks 5.7 percent rate hike: Electric rates for a typical residential customer would increase 5.6 percent or $4.56 a month under a rate increase proposal from Xcel Energy to be filed today with the state. The utility company said it will ask for a 5.7 percent or $30.4 million increase in retail electric rates and keep natural gas rates flat through December 2011. Increases for commercial and industrial customers would range from 5 to 7 percent per month. Plexus wins contract with biotech firm: Plexus Corp., a contract manufacturer of electronics in Neenah, said Thursday that it has been awarded a contract by European biotechnology firm Qiagen NV to develop an automated screening system for the pre-processing of human papillomavirus DNA samples.
************************************************************ See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler: ************************************************************ TECHNOLOGY (back to top)
ECONOMY (back to top)
MANUFACTURING (back to top)
LABOR (back to top) – Engineering jobs tough to fill, Manpower finds – Delta pilots union OKs buyout plan
SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
INVESTING (back to top)
REAL ESTATE (back to top) – 12% of mortgages delinquent or in foreclosure – Downtown facelift on De Pere’s agenda – Lender backs off merchants torn on where to send rent checks – Janesville taps TIF for downtown project
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
TRANSPORTATION (back to top) – Obama reinstates rule barring most forest roads
RETAIL (back to top) – State will raise beer tax in my lifetime, says Risser, 82 – Target wins proxy fight with activist shareholder – High Life delivery guy to make pitch at ballgame – Lawmakers Propose Fee Increase For Gun Purchases
REGULATION (back to top) – Federal drain requirements a pricey fix for public pools – Landfill prices set to double – Wisconsin no-call list deadline approaches – Milwaukee: Schools, local hot spots slapped with health violations
TOURISM (back to top) – Ashwaubenon: Tom, Dick & Harry’s plans to put national music acts on its menu
UTILITIES (back to top) – Weston Power Plant worker injured
HEALTH CARE (back to top) – ‘Hidden health tax’ costs insured $1,017 – Humana named top payer in new study
FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
MANAGEMENT (back to top) – Ryan Cos. CEO dies at 66
BUSINESS COLUMNS (back to top) – Stafford Rosenbaum names Murphy CEO
PRESS RELEASES (back to top) For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82 |
Quick links
WisBusiness sponsors Media partners National business round-ups |
(c)2009 WisBusiness.com.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or retransmission of this
publication, in whole or in part, without the express permission of
WisBusiness.com is prohibited. Unauthorized reproduction violates
United States copyright law (17 USC 101 et seq.), as does
retransmission by facsimile or any other electronic means, including
electronic mail.
