Microsoft Corp. is hoping to capitalize on the popularity of daily-deals websites by incorporating them into its Bing search site for smart phones. On the updated Bing mobile site, people can click on a “deals” link to see the top offers for their city from Groupon, LivingSocial and about 200 other
daily coupon sites, Microsoft said. Another click shows nearby stores, restaurants and other merchants currently offering a deal, based on the phone’s location. People also can use Bing to search local deals by category. Microsoft said it is working with The Dealmap, a company that aggregates deals by city. Microsoft analyses the information it gets from The Dealmap and displays each deal as a pinpoint on a map, so people looking for a mechanic offering discounted oil changes, for example, could spot it at a glance.
Carry-on luggage adds security costs
Choosing to carry your luggage onto a plane instead of checking it with an airline might save you a few bucks at the ticket counter but it’s costing taxpayers about a quarter-billion dollars a year. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Congress this week that luggage fees have prompted more passengers to hold onto their bags, which means more items for Transportation Security Administration officers to inspect at security checkpoints at a cost of about $260 million annually.
Higher fuel prices push airfares up
Airfares at major U.S. airlines are climbing again, continuing a dizzying pace of nearly weekly increases on both penny-pinching vacationers and expense-account corporate fliers. The airlines are raising fares to cover higher jet fuel prices, and the strategy seems to be working. US Airways said Thursday that if the trend toward higher revenue continues, it will be able to cover foreseeable increases in fuel costs. Jet fuel prices are more than $3 a gallon, the second-highest reading in March behind only 2008, when oil prices surged to record levels and U.S. airlines lost billions of dollars. Delta Air Lines touched off the latest fare hike by adding up to $20 to the price of domestic round-trip flights for short notice tickets.
Wal-Mart increases stock dividend
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday that it is increasing its annual dividend 21 percent, to $1.46 from $1.21. The world’s largest retailer said it will pay quarterly dividends of 36.5 cents in April, June, September and January in fiscal 2012, which ends Jan. 31. The next dividend will be paid on April 4 to shareholders of record on March 11. President and CEO Mike Duke said the company was able to boost its dividend because of its earnings performance in fiscal 2011 and its strong financial position. The company raised its annual dividend by 11 percent a year ago. Wal-Mart has increased its dividend every year since it declared its first one in 1974, and the company said its dividends will return more than $5 billion to shareholders in fiscal 2012.
From Herald news services
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