Gold medalist signs deal to push Poland Spring water

BOSTON – Gold-medal gymnast Aly Raisman has signed her first major endorsement deal since returning from the London Olympics.

The Needham, Mass., native signed a one-year deal this week to endorse Maine-based Poland Spring water.

Raisman, 18, who won two gold medals and a bronze, says the endorsement was an easy decision because Poland Spring has been an important part of her training regimen for years.

Poland Spring officials say Raisman shares the company’s goal of being the very best.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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Poland Spring is owned by Stamford, Conn.-based Nestle Waters North America. 

Markets bounce back upon signs that Fed cares

NEW YORK – Investors drew some comfort Wednesday from signals that the Federal Reserve is worried about the slow pace of the U.S. economic recovery and feels more urgency about providing help.

Stocks climbed back from lows after minutes from the last major Fed meeting were released.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index, down most of the day, eked out a gain of 0.32 point to 1,413.49.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 30.82 at 13,172.76. It was down as much as 83 points earlier. The Nasdaq composite index added 6.41 points to 3,073.67.

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The price of gold rose, as it sometimes does when investors think the Fed is about to pump money into the economy. Gold climbed $14 an ounce to $1,657, its highest level since early May, in trading after the day’s official close.

When investors expect stimulus from the Fed, they sometimes buy gold in anticipation of a weaker dollar or because of inflation fears.

The minutes, from a meeting July 31 and Aug. 1, showed that “many members” of the Fed’s Open Market Committee felt that additional action would be warranted unless the economic recovery shows “substantial and sustainable strengthening.” 

Smaller wireless companies revive unlimited-data plans

NEW YORK – Unlimited wireless data is back. After sliding off the menu of cellphone plans, data plans with no caps are making a comeback at smaller wireless companies trying to compete with AT&T and Verizon.

T-Mobile USA, the nation’s fourth-largest cellphone company, said Wednesday that it will start selling an unlimited-data plan again on Sept. 5, after stopping sales of such plans early last year. A day earlier, No. 5 carrier MetroPCS cut the price of its unlimited-data plan as a promotion for a limited time.

The moves by T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS, neither of which sells the iPhone, come as their three larger rivals are thought to be gearing up to begin selling the iPhone 5 in a month or so.

No. 3 carrier Sprint Nextel Corp. already has an unlimited-data plan and credits that with helping it attract customers for its smartphones.

AT&T, the nation’s second-largest carrier, stopped signing up customers for unlimited-data plans two years ago, while No. 1 Verizon Wireless stopped last year. Both have shifted toward lifting all limits on calls and texting, but limiting data usage.


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