OREGON BUSINESS NEWS

Latest international and local business, finance and economy news

FRONT PORCH BLOG: Regulators order Portland’s Albina Community Bank to improve loans, raise capital / Federal program would pay homeowners, banks to encourage short sales / Jumbo share of mortgage market slipped to 5% in 2009 / Commercial and multifamily mortgage delinquencies rise in Q4 Full story »

FRONT PORCH BLOG: Read up on the John Ross tower, its early promise and recession struggles. And check out the details -- current list price and minimum bid -- for all 50 condos headed to auction. Full story »

A Texas company, Austinuts, pulled honey mustard pretzels and McCormick & Co. recalled more lots of its vegetable dip mix, onion gravy mix, French onion dip mix and corn bread stuffing. Full story »

FRONT PORCH BLOG: Michael Burry – a doctor turned investor -- spotted a huge bubble in the subprime-mortgage bond market in 2004, created a way to bet against it then cashed in on it. Full story »

The head of the Washington County Farm Bureau plans to appeal the designation of 13,567 acres of urban reserves in the county, including 624 acres north of Council Creek. Full story »

The wood "biomass" plants are gaining favor in Oregon and nationwide as a source of green power. But critics say they're heavily polluting and question whether they're truly carbon neutral. Full story »

With one eye on the calendar and the other on elusive bipartisanship, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd plans to offer his own version of a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations without Republican support.  Full story »

Albina Community Bancorp of Portland has entered into a consent agreement with state and federal bank regulators requiring the Portland institution to improve its capital levels as well as the performance of its loans.  Full story »

FRONT PORCH BLOG: A real estate broker says the John Ross' owners went with an auction because "they want to make sure the project is on a pathway to sell out in 2010." Full story »

For the first time in two years, Oregon's commercial fishermen will be allowed to catch chinook salmon all along the Oregon coast under three fishing options detailed Thursday by a federal panel.  Full story »

The agency had accused the Bend-based tire giant of denying tire bay jobs to women, and those positions were a prerequisite for moving into management.  Full story »

FRONT PORCH BLOG: The minimum bids are about 50 percent off the current list prices for the units and about 70 percent off the highest list prices. Full story »

State warns businesses to avoid scam selling unnecessary tax certificates. Full story »

U.S. exports dipped in January, the government said today, but economists weren't fazed. They predict export growth will be a bright spot for American manufacturers through the rest of 2010.  Full story »