John Healy has resigned his position as chief executive of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, the organization announced today. Mr. Healy resigned “to pursue other interests,” NAIFA said in a statement

T oday’s top stories from Report on Business : Appeals court upholds case against Microsoft Microsoft Corp. MSFT-Q said today it will remove from Microsoft Word 2007 and Microsoft Office 2007 a feature that allows users to open an XML file containing custom XML, a computer language used to encode and display information.

F ord Canada has confirmed that a round of buyouts aimed at reducing its global workforce will be offered to the 6,200 workers at its Canadian plants. The U.S.-based automaker says it is working to resize its manufacturing capacity to better align it to market conditions. Ford Motor Co.

NASD could have paid two to three times more than the $35,000 given to member firms in exchange for approving its 2007 merger with the New York Stock Exchange’s regulatory unit, according to an attorney who represents two brokerage firms that are suing NASD. In a court hearing last week, Jonathan Cuneo, founding member of Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca LLP, who represents the two firms, told a federal judge that NASD member firms could have received an additional $35,000 to $76,000 each under an Internal Revenue Service opinion letter. The suits allege that NASD, now known as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc., claimed falsely that the $35,000 it paid to each member firm — in exchange for their giving up significant voting rights — was the maximum allowed by the IRS

Frost & Sullivan Says Water, Energy, Telecom Options Available Dec 22, 2009 Louise Harris Mobile voice communications is the dominate area for growth, but fixed lines and broadband and data technology are poised for high growth too. Data and broadband markets remain in their infancy in parts of Africa and represent significant growth opportunities, said Spiwe Chireka, research analyst for Frost & Sullivan during a press briefing. Building broadband throughout the continent will require infrastructure expansion projects.

E very now and then a picture crosses the photo wires that reminds editors why they got into journalism. Okay, so breaking news and encouraging public discourse is important. But sometimes Darth Vader shows up at the New York Stock Exchange after a year of unprecedented investor pain

In an effort to harmonize its legacy payroll systems, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC will create a standard withholding tax rate of 25% across its network of 16,000 advisers. The move will take effect Jan. 1 The change could have a significant effect on the take-home pay of the firm’s registered representatives.