CEO Blames Mortgage Rivals for Eroding Earnings - 2006-02-01
Intense competition in the shrinking home loan market has caused "irresponsible players" such as Ameriquest Capital Corp. and New Century Financial Corp. to hinder mortgage banking profits, the chairman of No. 1 home lender Countrywide Financial Corp. declared Tuesday. Some competitors were pricing home loans too low in a bid to retain market share as business abates.
Read the full story at Los Angeles Times

U.S. Economy: Manufacturing Keeps Expanding, Prices Rising - 2006-02-01
U.S. manufacturing kept chugging along last month, and factories paid more for raw materials, an industry report revealed today. This is a sign of a robust economy. The manufacturing side of things and business spending are expected to be good this year.
Read the full story at Bloomberg