| Asian stocks rise, led by Nintendo, BHP, Samsung Electronics
The gauge of 1,056 companies added 0.5 percent to 167.75 as of 4:46 p.m. in Tokyo, set for a second consecutive record close. Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 0.1 percent to 17,177.89, while the broader TOPIX lost 0.1 percent, one of three indexes to decline in the region with New Zealand and Singapore. Markets in Taiwan and Pakistan were closed for holidays.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index advanced to a new high, led by China Mobile Ltd., after Chief Executive Donald Tsang said the government will cut tax rates on corporate profits and salaries.
U.S. stock indexes rallied to highs for a second time this month after minutes showed Fed members avoided language that may have suggested the U.S. economy will contract. Policymakers all backed a decision to cut the benchmark lending rate by half a percentage point at the Sept.
ACS Announces $130 Million Contract with State of Alaska
DALLAS, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (NYSE: ACS) today announced a new contract with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services to design, develop, implement, and operate a new Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS). The contract has a length of up to 10 years and a total value of $130 million, if three one-year options are exercised. The contract also calls for ACS to provide a full range of fiscal agent services, including claims processing, operations call center support, decision support and healthcare analytics, pharmacy support, and other operational support. "The State of Alaska is extremely pleased with this alliance with ACS as our new Medicaid Management Information System contractor. We believe this system will greatly enhance our ability to efficiently provide quality healthcare to our State's Medicaid recipients," said Bill Streur, deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.
BHP's Kloppers certain bid will be hailed
Rather than Caesar's inhumanity, the inspiration for BHP's acquisition team is no doubt Caesar's strategic genius, and his ability to move quickly and do the unexpected. And certainly Kloppers' $150 billion move on Rio only a few weeks after becoming CEO was certainly unexpected. The problem is that while Rio boss Tom Albanese has put on his best armour, setting out an aggressive standalone growth plan and cost savings, unlike Vercingetorix he has no intention of giving up his sword. Far from surrendering, he is inspiring the troops. And he is certainly the man for the job. Like Kloppers, Albanese has been in charge only a short time at Rio and is using that newness to ditch Rio's traditional conservatism on its prospects. Instead, he is being more aggressive in outlining the company's growth plans and shareholders are clearly impressed.
Woods, Houston rap pioneer dies at 37
Used copies on Amazon.com are on sale for more than $40. That album included the popular Catch 'Em Slippin', which Woods (as Original E), DJ Boss and local producer/engineer Carlos Garza created based on an old sample of a song by New Orleans singer King Floyd. Garza said he and Woods listened to hundreds of records at Garza's duplex to find the right sample. They assembled "a skeleton" for the song with just turntables and a drum machine. "Plain and simple, we were just trying to find something that sounded like a hit single," Garza said. Woods and DJ Boss built the song up from the demo into the version that appeared on the O.G. Style album. Another song from that album made regional ripples. Free World, with its "sitting in the Harris County jail" hook, was the flip side to a 12-inch of Slippin'.
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