NEWS@jcutrer.com

A new Gallup Poll of likely voters has Democrat Barack Obama with a 49 percent to 47 percent lead over Arizona Sen. John McCain.

The price for unleaded gasoline in Arizona has fallen to $3.166 per gallon — a drop of 15 cents from last week and the largest single-week decline since 1999.

Arizona has lost 65,600 private sector jobs over the last year with 47,900 of them in the Phoenix area, according to September state employment figures.

Limelight Networks Inc. has reached a delivery capacity of 2 terabits per second, and company officials say that will further push content on the Internet to reach broadcast standards.

Foreign stock markets posted losses Thursday as the Dow bounced around and nipped at the 9000 mark again at the close of trading. US Airways Group Inc. made one of the day’s largest gains among Arizona stocks. (LCC)

Umpqua Holdings, the parent company of Umpqua Bank, announced third-quarter earnings Thursday that represented an increase compared to last year’s third quarter and compared to the second quarter. (UMPQ)

The sale of Sacramento’s Airco Mechanical Inc. to APi Group Inc. of St. Paul, Minn., has been “put on hold for 90 days,” Airco president Steve Humason said Thursday.

The average retiree will have about $750 more coming to them next year thanks to a rise in Social Security benefits.

Downey Savings and Loan, the last major holder of option adjustable-rate mortgages, will cut about 200 jobs as it shuts down its wholesale lending department and make reductions in the retail loan department, the company said Thursday. (DSL)

Sacramento County is revamping development-related services as the result of a performance audit that made 99 suggestions for improvement.

Delinquent payments have led to a total of 11,526 foreclosure filings so far this year in the San Antonio metro area, according to the latest analysis by Addison, Texas-based Foreclosure Listing Service Inc.

San Antonio Water System has approved the purchase of a new automated fuel-management system to help better manage fuel consumption for the water company’s fleet of nearly 1,100 vehicles.

Medical Protective (MedPro) has lowered its medical insurance rates by an average of 6.2 percent for physicians throughout the Texas.

The Competitor Group Inc., operator of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon, says Verizon Wireless has signed an agreement to become the official wireless partner of the inaugural event. (VZ) (VOD)

Dr. Norman Kalmin, president, CEO and medical director of the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, has been elected to serve as the vice president of the International Society of Blood Transfusion through 2010.

The Democratic National Convention created a regional economic benefit of $266 million in direct and indirect spending, according to an estimate report released Thursday by the office of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Lack of public financial support for colleges and universities and lack of progress on transportation system improvements remain chief economic worries in the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual study of the the staet’s economic competitiveness.

Copper Mountain Resort reported Thursday that it plans to open one week earlier than planned, on Nov. 7.

Advances led declines Thursday among Colorado’s most heavily traded public companies, with 35 of the 50 on the list posting gains for the day.

Qwest Communications International Inc. is introducing interactive kiosks in shopping centers that are designed to let consumers experience what it’s like to combine the high-speed broadband, voice service and satellite television technologies it sells. (Q)

Foreign stock markets posted losses Thursday as the Dow bounced around and nipped at the 9000 mark again at the close of trading.

The value of goods and services in the Midwest last month held steady in September from the month before, though it remains nearly 5 percent higher than a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday.

All three Democratic Montgomery County Commissioners have endorsed Issue 5 and are encouraging Ohioans to vote yes for the payday lending reform. The County Commissioners Association Ohio is also asking citizens to vote yes on Issue 5.

Dolco Packaging in Troy is packing up permanently.

A national retail organization is reporting that holiday spending will be up this year, but at the lowest increase since 2002.

The American Airlines Federal Credit Union, which provides financial services for American Airlines’ employees and retirees, is opening a new branch in Irving.

Financial services company SWS Group said Thursday the company expects to record a charge of $5.4 million, or 13 cents per share, in its upcoming first quarter report because of its exposure to Lehman Brothers. (SWS)

Wireless communications provider MetroPCS Communications Inc. has a new service allowing users to screen calls on their MetroPCS pre-paid wireless phones. (PCS)

The Dallas Cowboys said Thursday “going green” is not enough. America's team wants to go a step further.

A new report says gas prices in Texas fell 39 cents in just the past week, with the average price per gallon in Texas hitting $2.89 per gallon, according to a AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch report.

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Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Friday's session are Honeywell, Comerica, Schlumberger and GM.

Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Thursday's session are Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Google, IBM and Nokia.

Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Wednesday's session are J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, eBay, and AMR Corp.

Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Tuesday's session are Intel, PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson and CSX.

Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Monday's session are Fastenal Co., Wachovia Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co.

GM, Chrysler merger talks picking up pace: WSJ

Dow closes 400 points higher, trading in an 800-point range during session

Google shares rise 11% after search giant reports higher profit than expected

Dow industrials up more than 300 points; major indexes rise 4%

Dow industrials up 200 points in final hour of trading

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese indexes rebounded early Friday, with financials and shipping shares advancing after U.S. stocks ended sharply higher overnight, while exporters such as Honda Motor Co. were also aided by a weakened yen. The Nikkei 225 Average rose 3.6% to 8,763.71 a day after it t. […]

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Merger discussions between General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC are picking up pace as the two sides are seeing strong support from banks and other potential lenders that are eager to see a deal done, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday in its online edition. GM. […]

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch)-- Mutual-fund investors pulled an estimated $13.9 billion from U.S. and international stock funds in the week through Oct. 15, or only about one-third of the $43.3 billion exodus in the prior week, TrimTabs Investment Research reported Thursday. Still, outflows from U.S.. […]

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Leggett & Platt Inc. reported late Thursday third-quarter net income of $32.7 million, or 20 cents a share, down from $65.7 million, or 37 cents, a year ago. Excluding one-time items, the company earned 34 cents a share from continuing operations. Revenue for the quart. […]

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Texas Instruments Inc.'s board on Thursday declared a quarterly dividend of 11 cents, up from 10 cents in the previous quarter. The dividend will be paid Nov. 17 to stockholders of record on Oct. 31. Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and. […]