Executives with Paragon National Bank laid out for shareholders this week a set of strategic objectives for 2013 that included making continued progress toward wringing problem assets out of the bank and improving the bank’s earnings power.

2. Dream Home - Friday, May 10, 2013

Mid-South residents have a chance to view a rising neighborhood in Eads – and possibly win a home – while helping children fight cancer.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is using real estate as a vehicle to help fund the battle against childhood cancer and other deadly diseases through the 2013 St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, a June 22 raffle for a $475,000 home in Eads.

3. Commission Votes Down Second Amendment Gun Resolution - Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners voted down a resolution Monday, May 6, that would have backed the idea of state legislators and county sheriffs across the state “nullifying” federal gun control laws they consider unconstitutional.

4. The Daily News Takes Two TAPME Awards - Saturday, May 04, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News took two awards at the annual Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors competition.

The publications placed first in the competition for best editorial among Division 3 publications, which includes a daily circulation of up to 15,000, for an editorial in the July 27 Memphis News edition on the state of local green initiatives that also ran on the daily website.

5. The Daily News Takes Two TAPME Awards - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News took two awards at the annual Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors competition.

The publications placed first in the competition for best editorial among Division 3 publications, which includes a daily circulation of up to 15,000, for an editorial in the July 27 Memphis News edition on the state of local green initiatives that also ran on the daily website.

6. Regions Financial First-Quarter Income Climbs 76 Percent - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Regions Financial Corp. said Tuesday its net income climbed in the first quarter as it set aside less money to cover losses on loans.

7. Metropolitan Bank Still Growing 5 Years In - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Metropolitan Bank has come a long way in five short years. Since being founded amid the worst financial crisis in the U.S. in generations, the bank – which in March celebrated its fifth birthday – has grown its assets from $243 million at the end of 2008 to $722 million at the end of 2012.

8. School Board Votes Down Custodial Contract Twice - Friday, April 26, 2013

Countywide school board members twice voted down outsourcing custodial services in the merged school district to the company GCA Thursday, April 25, leaving undone the second step of the board’s February decision to outsource the services.

9. Regions Financial Triples Quarterly Dividend - Friday, April 26, 2013

Regions Financial Corp. is tripling its quarterly dividend payment to shareholders.

Since 2009, Regions’ quarterly dividend has been $0.01 per share, which the bank is now increasing to $0.03 per share starting July 1. This fulfills a stated goal of Regions to increase its dividend.

10. Regions Financial First-Quarter Income Climbs 76 Percent - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Regions Financial Corp. said Tuesday its net income climbed in the first quarter as it set aside less money to cover losses on loans.

11. Tennessee Lags in Hospital Care Spending - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Hospital care spending in Tennessee averaged $2,160 per person in 2009, a figure that is among the 10 lowest in the nation on a state-by-state comparison.

Tennessee ranked No. 10 in the country for the states with the lowest hospital care spending, including services for outpatient care, operating room fees and the services of physician residents, data from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed. Nationally, hospital spending averaged $2,475 per person in 2009. That’s about 14.6 higher than the average per person hospital spending in Tennessee.

12. Shelby County Mortgage Market Up 2 Percent - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Someone let out a cheer earlier this month at the Memphis Area Association of Realtors 2013 Residential Real Estate Summit as MAAR President Regina Hubbard gave her optimistic forecast for the local housing market.

13. Regions Bank Moves West Tennessee President - Saturday, April 13, 2013

Regions Bank has moved Joe DiNicolantonio, the bank’s West Tennessee area president, to be the head of a new business line.

14. International Paper Takes on Forest Protection - Saturday, April 13, 2013

International Paper Co. and a forest conservation group announced a plan Wednesday to protect endangered forests in key paper-producing areas of the South.

15. International Paper Takes on Forest Protection - Thursday, April 11, 2013

International Paper Co. and a forest conservation group announced a plan Wednesday to protect endangered forests in key paper-producing areas of the South.

16. Regions Bank Moves West Tennessee President - Monday, April 08, 2013

Regions Bank has moved Joe DiNicolantonio, the bank’s West Tennessee area president, to be the head of a new business line.

17. Stemmler Joins Iberiabank as Branch Manager - Monday, April 01, 2013

Bill Stemmler has joined Iberiabank as vice president and branch manager of the bank’s 4894 Poplar Ave. branch location.

18. Bank Sets $500 Million Loan Fund for Mississippi Firms - Friday, March 29, 2013

RIDGELAND, Miss. (AP) – BancorpSouth Inc. is setting aside a $500 million loan fund aimed at Mississippi businesses, saying it will work with state officials to find qualified borrowers.

19. Events - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Kiwanis Club of Memphis will meet Wednesday, March 27, from noon to 1 p.m. at The University Club of Memphis, 1346 Central Ave. Bill Gracey, CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, will speak. Cost is $18 for nonmembers.

20. Events - Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Memphis Rotary Club will meet Tuesday, March 26, at noon at the University Club of Memphis, 1346 Central Ave. Commercial Appeal publisher George Cogswell will speak. Cost is $18. R.S.V.P. to Taylor Hughes at taylor@memphisrotary.org.

21. Events - Monday, March 25, 2013

Memphis Rotary Club will meet Tuesday, March 26, at noon at the University Club of Memphis, 1346 Central Ave. Commercial Appeal publisher George Cogswell will speak. Cost is $18. R.S.V.P. to Taylor Hughes at taylor@memphisrotary.org.

22. Events - Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Cotton Museum will host Patrick O’Daniel, discussing his book “When the Levee Breaks: Memphis and the Mississippi Valley Flood of 1927,” Thursday, March 28, at 5 p.m. at the museum, 65 Union Ave. Cost is free and includes a complimentary museum tour and reception. Visit memphiscottonmuseum.org.

23. The Power of Women Fundraisers - Friday, March 22, 2013

Women are role models in so many sectors of our economy, and the nonprofit sector is no exception. In honor of women’s history month we salute women who step up to the challenge of raising money for nonprofit organizations and institutions they believe in. Their leadership and vision impact the lives of individuals, families, communities, regions and our nation as a whole.

24. Trustee Releases Slate of Financial Literacy Workshops - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir’s office has worked with almost 800 financially struggling taxpayers since the summer of 2011 to educate them via the trustee’s Project H.O.M.E. financial literacy workshop series.

25. First Tennessee Bank Grows Outside Tennessee - Saturday, March 16, 2013

First Tennessee Bank, a subsidiary of Memphis-based First Horizon National Corp., is moving its Raleigh, N.C., office to a larger and more prominent location.

26. First Tennessee Bank Grows Outside Tennessee - Wednesday, March 13, 2013

First Tennessee Bank, a subsidiary of Memphis-based First Horizon National Corp., is moving its Raleigh, N.C., office to a larger and more prominent location.

27. Mo’ Money Building Facing Foreclosure - Friday, March 08, 2013

The Mo’ Money Taxes building at 5090 Millbranch Road is facing foreclosure, according to a first-run foreclosure notice in the Friday, March 8, edition of the Daily News.

28. Countywide Board Approves Realignments - Friday, March 08, 2013

When the first school year of the consolidated school system begins Aug. 5, the new school system will open its first new school.

And most of what are now city and county schools will have the same grade structures for elementary, middle and high schools.

29. US Pending Home Sales Rise to Highest Since 2010 - Thursday, February 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A measure of the number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in January from December to the highest level in more than 2 ½ years. The increase suggests sales of previously occupied homes will continue rising in the coming months.

30. Lot of Love Remains for Tennis Tourney - Saturday, February 16, 2013

The U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships at the Racquet Club of Memphis serves as a reminder of the city’s unique sports mix and how much that mix says about our civic aspirations.

It is a welcome reminder after the last month of incessant chatter about being a “small market” NBA franchise.

31. Changeover - Saturday, February 16, 2013

It was almost 40 years ago, but Nancy Smith remembers the one year the men’s pro tennis tournament was held at the Mid-South Coliseum; her father had box seats. But even more memorable is that not long after the tournament moved to The Racquet Club of Memphis, a young and unknown Czech player came to town and, in that far simpler time, stayed at her parents’ house.

32. Rix Discovers Everyone’s Perfect Chocolate Flavor - Friday, February 08, 2013

“What does your business taste like?” That’s one of the first questions Chef Phillip Ashley Rix asks when company leaders commission his signature chocolates to represent their brands. It’s an unusual way to start a business conversation, and it usually jolts people into thinking outside the box, he says.

33. Nike Buys Frayser Land From Belz for Expansion - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

200 acres in Frayser Sale Amount: $2.2 million

Sale Date: Jan. 24, 2013

Buyer: Nike TN Inc.

34. Mayor, Banks Revive Program Targeting City’s Unbanked - Monday, February 04, 2013

It started with a letter. More than two dozen of them, actually. Bankers from around Memphis got a missive from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. in 2010 that solicited help from bankers like Joe DiNicolantonio, West Tennessee area president for Regions Bank.

35. Aluma-Form Files $1.8 Million Loan on Facility - Thursday, January 31, 2013

Memphis-based Aluma-Form Inc., whose headquarters are at 3625 Old Getwell Road in Oakhaven, has filed a $1.8 million loan on the property through Trustmark Inc.

36. Tech Talk - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

It is a pleasant lunchtime hour on a recent weekday, and a small gathering of technologists has huddled at Panera Bread in the Laurelwood shopping center for their monthly confab.

They’re participants in a recurring series of “Tech Lunches” spearheaded by Brian Swanson. He’s a software developer and the founder of Purple Ant Software, which focuses on Web and desktop software development.

37. CDC: Flu Seems to Level Off Except in the West - Monday, January 28, 2013

New government figures show that flu cases seem to be leveling off nationwide. Flu activity is declining in most regions although still rising in the West.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hospitalizations and deaths spiked again last week, especially among the elderly. The CDC says quick treatment with antiviral medicines is important, in particular for the very young or old. The season's first flu case resistant to treatment with Tamiflu was reported Friday.

38. Fogelman Management Adds Seven Properties - Saturday, January 26, 2013

Fogelman Management Group has been awarded seven management contracts totaling more than 1,700 units in Tennessee, Georgia, Kansas and Oklahoma.

These newly managed communities are: 330-unit Miller Creek at Germantown, 202-unit Blair Towers and 344-unit Ten Mile Creek in Memphis; 216-unit Quail Landing in Oklahoma City; 192-unit Miller Station at Peachtree in Atlanta; 177-unit Park Place at Town Center in Leawood, Kan.; and 251-unit Bella Palazzo in Overland Park, Kan.

39. Regions Financial Swings to Gain in Fourth Quarter - Saturday, January 26, 2013

Regions Financial Corp. swung to a gain in the fourth quarter after a year-ago period weighed down by the sale of an investment management subsidiary.

40. Regions Financial Swings to Gain in Fourth Quarter - Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Regions Financial Corp. swung to a gain in the fourth quarter after a year-ago period weighed down by the sale of an investment management subsidiary.

41. Fogelman Management Group Adds Seven Properties - Monday, January 21, 2013

Fogelman Management Group has been awarded seven management contracts totaling more than 1,700 units in Tennessee, Georgia, Kansas and Oklahoma.

These newly managed communities are: 330-unit Miller Creek at Germantown, 202-unit Blair Towers and 344-unit Ten Mile Creek in Memphis; 216-unit Quail Landing in Oklahoma City; 192-unit Miller Station at Peachtree in Atlanta; 177-unit Park Place at Town Center in Leawood, Kan.; and 251-unit Bella Palazzo in Overland Park, Kan.

42. Mortgage Gains Point to Solid 2013 - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Shelby County’s mortgage market made decent strides during the past 12 months, posting gains over 2011 and foreshadowing a healthy 2013.

Banks and mortgage lenders made 8,028 purchase mortgages in Shelby County during 2012, a 17 percent improvement from the 6,862 mortgages during 2011, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

43. Diversified Trust Hires Associate Counsel - Thursday, January 10, 2013

In the financial services world, the compliance work overseen by legal counsel has grown in prominence and importance.

Banks and investment firms have been dealt a slew of new regulations – so much so that some small banks in Memphis and beyond say they’re now at the limit of the compliance costs they’re able to pay for. For other firms, expanding the company infrastructure to include new compliance and legal capabilities is a natural byproduct of business growth and staff additions.

44. Argent Financial, Highland Capital Merging - Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Memphis-based Highland Capital Management LLC and Louisiana-based Argent Financial Group, which entered the Memphis market a few years ago, are merging.

45. Crowne Plaza Hotel Sells Out of Foreclosure - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

300 N. Second St. Memphis, TN 38103

Sale Amount: $9.4 million

Sale Date: Dec. 28, 2012

46. Owner of Winchester Lit Files $1.1 Million Loan - Monday, January 07, 2013

The partnership related to the Lit Refrigeration Co. restaurant supply stores has filed a $1.1 million loan on the Lit Jr. store at 1665 Winchester Road in Whitehaven.

47. Regions Bank Announces Financial Fitness Events - Saturday, January 05, 2013

Every Friday this month, select Regions Bank locations across 16 states will host “financial fitness” events in branches covering topics like budgeting, borrowing, identity protection, investing and more.

48. Regions Bank Announces Financial Fitness Events - Friday, January 04, 2013

Every Friday this month, select Regions Bank locations across 16 states will host “financial fitness” events in branches covering topics like budgeting, borrowing, identity protection, investing and more.

49. Regions Insurance Expands Employee Benefits Practice - Saturday, December 29, 2012

Regions Insurance, an affiliate of Regions Bank, is expanding its employee benefits practice in Memphis.

Effective Jan. 1, Argyle Benefits Consultants LLC will join Regions Insurance’s Memphis office.

50. Fogelman Partnership Buys Atlanta Apartments for $44 Million - Saturday, December 29, 2012

A joint venture with Memphis-based Fogelman Venture Partners and New York-based DRA Advisors LLC acquired The Residences at Northlake Apartments in Atlanta and concurrently renamed the community CityNORTH Apartments.

51. Fogelman Partnership Buys Atlanta Apartments for $44 Million - Friday, December 28, 2012

A joint venture with Memphis-based Fogelman Venture Partners and New York-based DRA Advisors LLC acquired The Residences at Northlake Apartments in Atlanta and concurrently renamed the community CityNORTH Apartments.

52. Regions Insurance Expands Employee Benefits Practice - Monday, December 24, 2012

Regions Insurance, an affiliate of Regions Bank, is expanding its employee benefits practice in Memphis.

Effective Jan. 1, Argyle Benefits Consultants LLC will join Regions Insurance’s Memphis office.

53. Cancer Research Center Awards Seed Grants - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The West Clinic, Methodist Healthcare and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center have initiated the dispersal of seed research grants to advance cancer research, education and care for patients in the Memphis area.

54. Wharton, Lenoir Relaunch ‘Bank on Memphis’ Program - Saturday, December 15, 2012

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir are relaunching a financial literacy program, “Bank On Memphis,” with a $10,000 contribution from Regions Bank for renewed marketing and other outreach costs.

55. BancorpSouth Keeps Focus on Staying True to Banking Basics - Monday, December 17, 2012

BancorpSouth Inc. may have new leadership, but the Tupelo, Miss.-based company likes to say it still has an old way of doing business.

56. Wharton, Lenoir Relaunch ‘Bank on Memphis’ - Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir are relaunching a financial literacy program, “Bank On Memphis,” with a $10,000 contribution from Regions Bank for renewed marketing and other outreach costs.

57. AutoZone Continues Earnings Streak - Wednesday, December 05, 2012

AutoZone Inc. reported lower-than-expected sales during its fiscal first quarter ended Nov. 17, partly the result of a warmer-than-expected winter that resulted in less of a need to replace car components because of parts wearing out.

58. Retailers Report Weak Sales Gains for November - Friday, November 30, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Black Friday was no match for Sandy.

Major retailers such as Kohl's, Target and Macy's on Thursday reported weak sales in November as a strong start to the holiday shopping season – including a good showing on the day after Thanksgiving – wasn't enough to fully offset the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy earlier in the month.

59. Federal Reserve Survey: US Economy Growing at Steady Pace - Thursday, November 29, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A pickup in consumer spending and steady home sales helped lift economic growth in October and early November in most parts of the United States, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday. The one exception was the Northeast, which was slowed by Superstorm Sandy.

60. Bioventus Inks Deal for 40,000 Square Feet - Thursday, November 22, 2012

A Durham, N.C.-based biologics company is relocating its Memphis presence, signifying a boon to the Northeast office submarket.

Bioventus LLC has inked 38,880 square feet of office and manufacturing space in Goodlett Farms Business Campus, 1900 Charles Bryan Road, in Cordova.

61. Environmental Protection Agency Denies States' Request for Ethanol Waiver - Monday, November 19, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Environmental Protection Agency has denied requests from several governors to waive production requirements for corn-based ethanol.

A renewable fuels law requires that 13.2 billion gallons of ethanol be produced by this year and 15 billion gallons be produced by 2015. That's good for corn farmers, but it's angered poultry, hog and cattle farmers. They say they've seen big jumps in corn-based feed costs as corn is diverted to make ethanol vehicle fuel.

62. Third-Quarter Earnings Vary Widely - Monday, October 29, 2012

Third-quarter earnings season is wrapping up, and the results have been all over the map for banks and financial institutions with ties to Memphis.

One common thread: many are still making money – an increase in profits, in fact. But the low interest rate environment is eating into how much some of them are able to achieve.

63. Regions Financial Shares Drop as Yields Shrink - Wednesday, October 24, 2012

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Regions Financial Corp. on Tuesday posted sharply higher third-quarter earnings, as the regional bank set aside less cash to cover loan losses. But its shares fell sharply in morning trading after the results showed record-low interest rates cut into interest income from loan and deposits.

64. Desperately Seeking Dividends - Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The 10-year Treasury bond, which historically yields 5 percent, yields 1.75 percent today. At these levels, the risk/reward features of low yielding bonds and higher yielding stocks favors stock dividends over bond interest payments. However, with dividend yields in hot pursuit, investors have driven valuations higher for U.S. dividend payers. In fact, high yielding U.S. stocks now carry higher valuations than the market on average, far above their normal 20 percent discount. This is the highest valuation premium they have commanded since the 1950s. This does not foretell an immediate valuation collapse, but it does beg the question, are there better alternatives?

65. US Home Sales Dip 1.7 Percent - Monday, October 22, 2012

U.S. sales of previously occupied homes fell in September after hitting a two-year high in August, in part because there were fewer homes available for sale.

The National Association of Realtors said Friday that sales dipped 1.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.75 million. That’s down from a rate of 4.83 million in August, which was the highest in more than two years.

66. Fed: Housing Lifts Growth in Most US Regions - Thursday, October 11, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Stronger housing markets helped boost economic growth at the end of the summer in nearly every region of the United States, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday.

67. Wal-Mart Tests Same-Day Delivery for Holidays - Wednesday, October 10, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Wal-Mart is testing a same-day delivery service in select markets for customers who buy popular items online during the holiday shopping season.

The move comes as the world's largest retailer faces increasing competition from online giants like Amazon.com., which is testing same-day delivery service in 10 markets. The Bentonville, Ark.-based discounter is trying to cater to Web-savvy shoppers who are demanding more convenience.

68. Return on Investment - Monday, September 24, 2012

Most people already know some of the basic elements of the banking business. From the large national lenders with a Memphis presence to the community banks in the suburbs, one common element is they make money by charging borrowers more than the bank pays in interest to depositors.

69. Census Data Another Sign Economy has Bottomed Out - Friday, September 21, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Five years after the housing bust, the U.S. economy is showing signs of finally bottoming out.

Americans are on the move again after putting their lives on hold and staying put. More young adults are leaving their parents' homes to take a chance with college or the job market, while once-sharp declines in births are leveling off and poverty is slowing.

70. Regions Could Be in a Shopping Mood - Monday, September 10, 2012

The bank with the biggest customer deposit share in Tennessee – and the second biggest in Memphis – may be getting bigger soon.

That’s according to some of the analysts who follow Regions Financial Corp., the Alabama-based financial services giant that was the last of the large banks to get a green light to pay back its Troubled Asset Relief Program investment from the federal government. Regions also recently put another question mark behind it via the sale of its Memphis-based investment unit Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. to a new owner, Florida-based Raymond James Financial.

71. Survey Finds US Competitive Ranking Down Again - Thursday, September 06, 2012

LONDON (AP) – The United States' ability to compete on the global stage has fallen for the fourth year running as confidence in the country's politicians continues to decline, an annual survey from the World Economic Forum found Wednesday.

72. Contracts to Buy US Homes Hit 2-Year High in July - Thursday, August 30, 2012

Americans signed the most contracts to buy homes in July than at any other point in the last two years, further evidence of a housing recovery.

The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its index of sales agreements for previously occupied homes jumped 2.4 percent in July to 101.7. That’s higher than June’s reading of 99.3. It’s also the highest reading since April 2010, the last month that buyers could qualify for a federal home-buying tax credit.

73. Verizon Wireless Scores High on Network Quality - Monday, August 27, 2012

Verizon Wireless ranked at the top of the list when it comes to network quality in Tennessee and the Southeast, according to the latest J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, volume 2.

74. Rise in US Home Sales Reflects Steady Improvement - Thursday, August 23, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans bought more homes in July than in June, the latest evidence that the housing market is slowly, but steadily, improving.

Sales of previously occupied homes rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.47 million in July, a 2.3 percent increase from the previous month's rate, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday.

75. Prosecutor Probes Ties Between Regions Financial and Fiderion - Thursday, August 23, 2012

A federal prosecutor has opened an inquiry into business ties between Regions Financial Corp. and Fiderion Group LLC.

76. Gas Prices Hit Late-Summer Record - Tuesday, August 21, 2012

U.S. drivers are paying an average of $3.72 per gallon on Monday. That’s the highest price ever on this date, according to auto club AAA, a shade above the $3.717 average on Aug. 20, 2008. A year ago, the average was $3.578.

77. US Considers Release of Oil From Reserves - Monday, August 20, 2012

A senior Obama administration official says the White House is considering a potential release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The U.S. is monitoring gas prices to see whether they fall before making a decision, said the official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

78. Home Prices Rose in All Major US Cities in May - Wednesday, August 01, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Home prices rose in May from April in every city tracked by a leading index, a sign that increasing sales and tight inventories are supporting a modest housing recovery.

79. Botanic Garden Named Forestry Center of Excellence - Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council has named Memphis Botanic Garden a Center of Excellence for the West Tennessee Region.

The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council recently announced the creation of a Center of Excellence Program to enhance urban forestry throughout Tennessee. Under the center’s umbrella, one Center of Excellence will be created and will operate under a strict set of defined criteria in each of the three regions of Tennessee.

80. Raymond James Reports Higher Q3 Earnings - Friday, July 27, 2012

Florida-based investment bank Raymond James Financial. Inc. – the new parent company of longtime Memphis investment firm Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. – reported higher fiscal third quarter earnings this week, driven in part by its acquisition of Morgan Keegan in April, the company said.

81. Regions Financial Reports Second Quarter Profit - Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Regions Financial Corp. reported a second quarter profit Tuesday, July 24, of $284 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, driven by improvement in its core business performance.

82. McDonald's Showing Signs of Tear From Economy - Tuesday, July 24, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Not even McDonald's Corp. has an iron stomach when it comes to the global economic downturn.

83. Scorched Earth - Monday, July 23, 2012

The daily hustle and bustle of city life makes it easy for Memphians to forget that the urban pocket they call home sits amid one of the nation’s richest agricultural regions, one that’s suffering the economic impact of unusually high temperatures and a nationwide drought.

84. US Economic Data Add to Signs of Slowing Recovery - Friday, July 20, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — A raft of economic news Thursday sketched a picture of a weakening U.S. economy held back by sluggish home buying and factory production.

Americans bought fewer homes in June than in May. Manufacturing in the Federal Reserve's Philadelphia region contracted for a third straight month this month. And a gauge of future U.S. economic activity fell in June.

85. Fed Survey: Growth, Hiring Slowed in Parts of US - Thursday, July 19, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy expanded modestly in June and early July, but growth and hiring slowed in several parts of the country. The key findings of the Federal Reserve survey echoed the gloomier outlook that Chairman Ben Bernanke offered to Congress this week.

86. Regions Unveils Credit Cards for Consumers, Businesses - Thursday, July 19, 2012

Regions Financial Corp. has launched a new suite of consumer and business credit card products, an outgrowth of the company’s announcement one year ago that it’s re-entering the credit card business.

87. A Year After Floods, Shippers Face low Miss. River - Tuesday, July 17, 2012

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A year after the Mississippi River swelled to near-historic proportions and flooded farms and homes from Illinois to Louisiana, the level along the waterway's southern half is so low that cargo barges have run aground and their operators have been forced to lighten their loads.

88. As US Economy Steadies, Bank Closings Become Rarer - Friday, July 06, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Fewer U.S. banks are failing than at any time since the financial crisis erupted in 2008. The healthier banking industry is helping sustain an economy slowed by lackluster hiring, weak manufacturing and Europe's debt crisis.

89. GlaxoSmithKline to Pay $3 Billion for Health Fraud - Tuesday, July 03, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – GlaxoSmithKline LLC will pay $3 billion and plead guilty to promoting two popular drugs for unapproved uses and to failing to disclose important safety information on a third in the largest health care fraud settlement in U.S. history, the Justice Department said Monday.

90. Raymond James Trust Expands With Hires - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Raymond James Trust is expanding to serve the needs of financial advisers from the April acquisition of Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc., according to Joe Weaver, president of Raymond James Trust, a wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial Inc.

91. House Owned by Steve Jobs At Center of Merger Discussions - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Some of the veil surrounding the 2009 liver transplant in Memphis on the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs lifted this week as the Shelby County Commission debated whether it should lend its collective voice to a possible merger of the transplant center that worked on Jobs and Tennessee Donor Services.

92. Pera Shows Track Record Of Early Faith - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a three-part series looking at Robert Pera, the potential new owner of the Memphis Grizzlies.

93. Trustee Conducts Workshop for Taxpayers June 26 - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir will conduct a Project H.O.M.E. Workshop Tuesday, June 26, at the Charles Powell-Westwood Community Center at 810 Western Park.

94. Assessor Race Looks To Battle Lines - Tuesday, June 12, 2012

In an election year with a lot of transitions, the race on the Aug. 2 ballot for Shelby County Assessor of Property crosses paths with those transitions more than any other race on the busy ballot.

95. Dodd-Frank Could Have ‘Dire Impact’ On Economy - Monday, June 11, 2012

As banks nationwide are feeling the pressure of regulatory change like the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, commercial real estate lending standards by community banks will likely remain stringent for the foreseeable future.

96. Fed Survey Finds US Growth, Hiring Mostly Steady - Thursday, June 07, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A Federal Reserve survey found that the U.S. economy grew moderately in most regions of the country this spring and companies kept hiring. It was a hopeful sign after a spate of gloomy data released last week.

97. ‘Reluctant Contingency Plan’ Gets Approval - Monday, June 04, 2012

After tallying savings of $97 million by recommending outsourcing transportation and custodial work as well as closing 21 schools, the group planning out a consolidated countywide school system knew there was pain to follow.

98. Xpedx, Distribution at Heart of IP’s Future - Friday, June 01, 2012

International Paper Co. executives spent more than four hours last week talking with investors and analysts about the Memphis-based company’s near-term potential and future.

99. Small Business Employment, Revenue Growing - Thursday, May 31, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Revenue and staffing are both growing at small businesses but have yet to get back to pre-recession levels, according to data released by business software provider Intuit Inc. on Wednesday.

100. Sales Contracts for US Homes Dropped in April - Thursday, May 31, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — A gauge of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell in April from nearly a two-year high in the previous month.

The decline was the biggest in a year. Still, sales are well ahead of last year’s level for the same month, suggesting the housing market is improving slowly.