FEI Co. announced Monday that it bought a Pennsylvania electron microscope maker. With the $30.5 million purchase of ASPEX Corp., FEI acquired microscope technology it has used in its oil and gas drilling products. “With this acquisition, FEI now owns the essential hardware and software that has been part of our rapid growth and expanding potential in the natural resources business,” said FEI chief executive Don Kania. ASPEX also provides microscopes used in the military, industry and manufacturing. The company had revenue of $10 million in revenue during its profitable fiscal year. ASPEX’s revenue has grown 24 percent each year since 2006, FEI said. FEI, a Hillsboro-based maker of scientific instruments, saw its stock rose 86 cents to close at $41.94 after Monday’s mid-afternoon announcement.
LONDON (Reuters) – European stocks rose but the euro stayed under pressure on Tuesday, with markets nervous about the outlook for the regions economy and banks, prospects for government debt sales and a slowdown in the export-focused Chinese economy.
The Bank of France focused attention on the ailing euro zone by reporting growth had stalled at zero in the fourth quarter of 2011 in the regions second-biggest economy.
“Theres short-covering and a bit of risk appetite with positive equity markets overnight,” said Niels Christensen, currency strategist at Nordea in Copenhagen.
“But we have the debt auctions, the ECB meeting on Thursday and its still a weak and vulnerable euro going forward, with no sign of a quick solution to the debt problems in the euro zone,” he said.
The euro dipped about 0.1 percent to 1.2750 in early trading, holding above the 16-month lows of 1.2666 hit on Monday due mainly to traders buying back the currency to square their positions after recent heavy selling.
The FTSEurofirst 300 (.FTEU3) index of top European shares gained about one percent after a good start to the U.S. e
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Tips & Trends
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A week after an FBI raid, Donald L. Rogers, executive director of the embattled public agencies that oversee San Bernardino International Airport, resigned Wednesday.
For the past nine years, Rogers, 71, has led the two agencies overseeing Norton Air Force Bases redevelopment, according to a statement he read during the San Bernardino International Airport Authority meeting. Rogers led the authority and the Inland Valley Development Agency as a consultant.
Donald Rogers
Airport offices were raided by the FBI and local authorities a week ago. The action followed the June 30 release of a scathing San Bernardino County civil grand jury report that raised questions about Rogers management and business relationship with Scot Spencer, a convicted felon who was awarded two no-bid agreements to develop a commercial airport terminal and luxury aviation hub for private planes and their pilots.
PRINCETON, NJ — Job market conditions in the U.S. remain unchanged in December, with Gallup’s Job Creation Index continuing at +14 for the third month in a row. While job creation has not improved during recent months, the jobs situation has not deteriorated as it typically does at this time of year. It instead remains near the high point for the year and is significantly better than the +10 of one year ago. The Job Creation Index average for 2011 is +13, about twice the 2010 average of +7.
The Job Creation Index of +14 is based on 32% of workers nationwide saying their employer is hiring workers and expanding its workforce and 18% saying their employer is letting workers go and reducing its workforce — the same as November. Hiring was at 29% and firing at 19% in December 2010.
Job market conditions remain best in the Midwest with a Job Creation Index of +17 and nearly as good in the South, at +15.
New River Valley Harley-Davidson in Christiansburg has closed after three years in business.
Loyd and Kathy Shiffer, who have sold motorcycles in the Roanoke Valley since 1982, opened the Christiansburg store in 2008.
The Christiansburg store, at 2700 Roanoke St., closed Saturday and has merged with Roanoke Valley Harley-Davidson on Peters Creek Road in Roanoke, said manager Zack Shiffer.