Stocks Add Gains to Finish Week (GE, FDX)

Markets finish the week strong on Friday with gains across the board. Not a lot of highly impactful events for the second straight day, as headlines seem to be more speculative than anything. Portugal has rejected any aid as outside countries worry they will require a bailout in the near future. The situation in Fukushima seemed to worsen slightly as officials say radiation may have leaked further than originally thought, prompting a larger radius of evacuations. In domestic news, the original GDP figure for the fourth quarter 2010 was under reported, but officials say the correction may have a negative impact on the figure expected for the first quarter of 2011.

Word on the Street

• Stocks march higher to finish the week on a strong note.
• Portugal rejects bailout talk despite looming budget concerns for the European nation.
• Over the past decades, General Electric (GE) has managed to eliminate its tax liability to almost nothing.
• United States Post Office plans to cut 7500 jobs as it attempts to cut budget and compete with private rivals UPS (UPS) and FedEx (FDX).
• The adjusted GDP rose more than originally thought for Q4 2010, but signs of slowing apparent for Q1 2011.
• Despite beating earnings estimates, Best Buy (BBY) struggles as profit continues to slip.

Interesting Tidbits

• Family businesses often limit themselves in their ability to profit and grow by not selecting outside professional candidates.
• Embrace conflict head on by adopting one of these conflict management styles to achieve results.

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