Investing in stock mutual funds continues to rebound

Investors continued to put more money into stock mutual funds than they withdrew in April.

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People carrying Macy’s shopping bags walk past the flagship store in New York this week. Macy’s Inc. is dominating its competition and bouncing back from the recession by doing many little things well: adding local flavor to its stores, snagging hit exclusives like Madonna’s clothing line and keeping its own costs under control. All that contributed to soaring first-quarter earnings that crushed Wall Street forecasts, a boosted outlook and doubling the dividend it pays shareholders. The Associated Press

The nearly $6 billion in net deposits marks the fourth consecutive month that new cash has come into U.S. stock funds. Flows are off to their best start in five years, with a total $42 billion in net deposits through the first four months of 2011. That’s according to data Wednesday from Strategic Insight.

The industry consultant says investors are cautiously returning to stock funds, after the financial crisis in 2008 scared many away from the market. 

Boston Herald may get help from Globe to print, deliver

The Boston Globe and the Boston Herald said Wednesday they are negotiating a plan under which the Globe would print and distribute some editions of its tabloid rival.

Globe spokesman Bob Powers said no agreement has been signed, but under the proposal the Herald would pay the Globe to print and deliver the newspaper in the Boston area. A Herald statement said the paper must take steps to reduce its operating expenses. Those steps might include layoffs of Herald truck drivers.

Patrick Purcell, president and publisher of the Herald, met with representatives of Teamsters Local No. 259 to initiate discussions regarding a reorganization of the newspaper’s Delivery Department, according to the Herald statement. 

Bernanke: New regulations will prevent any meltdown

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed will unveil new regulations this summer that would protect the U.S. economy from another meltdown of the nation’s largest banks and financial companies.

Congress directed the Fed to write the rules when it passed last year’s financial regulatory overhaul, in response to the 2008 financial crisis. The rules will include stricter capital requirements for the biggest banks, hedge funds and insurance companies whose failure could throw the financial sector into another crisis.

In prepared testimony to the Senate Banking Committee, Bernanke said the Fed will allow the public to comment on the rules before implementing them in January 2012. 

Cisco to pare thousands of jobs in cost-cutting move

Cisco Systems Inc., the world’s largest maker of computer networking gear, said Wednesday that it’s set to eliminate thousands of jobs as part of cost-cutting moves to get profits growing again.

Cisco’s sales rebounded from the recession, but then started stalling in the middle of last year. In the past few months, CEO John Chambers has signaled that he’s accepting long-standing criticism that the company is trying to compete in too many markets. He has vowed to radically simplify the company.

The company is still troubled: On Wednesday, it gave a financial forecast for the current quarter that was well below analyst expectations.

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