Cruel month
Stocks fell yesterday, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index capping its worst monthly drop since May 2012, as investors weighed the prospects for US military action in Syria and disappointing data on consumer spending.
Bond issue
Verizon’s potential purchase of the 45 percent stake held by Vodafone in their wireless venture may be financed with as much as $30 billion in bonds, according to Barclays.
Talks stalled
The Justice Department’s talks with Microsoft and Google have hit a wall as the US pushes back at the companies’ demand for the ability to disclose the now-secret data requests they receive.
Oil drops
The price of oil fell below $108 a barrel yesterday as an imminent US attack on Syria appeared less likely. But the average price for a gallon of gasoline rose by 2.1 cents to $3.59, the biggest one-day jump since July 17, reflecting Wednesday’s two-year oil price high.
Tweet & fly
Twitter’s top lawyer, Alexander Macgillivray, unexpectedly stepped down as the company moved closer toward an initial public offering.