Most U.S. stocks ended the week with losses, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched a small rise for the period thanks to gains on Friday in health care stocks and consumer-related shares. Tech shares were the biggest losers on the week.

A month after Starbucks' Via invaded Nestle's coveted turf, the giant Swiss food maker has mounted a spirited counter offensive, passing out free samples of its Nescafe Taster's Choice instant coffee across several key U.S. cities.

U.S. stocks fall Wednesday as an unexpected decline in home construction and building permits in October hit consumer companies’ shares.

With over 16 000 store locations worldwide and 176 000 employees whipping up double tall lattes the Starbucks (SBUX) franchise doesn't seem like it ever had to struggle from humble roots. Its quick expansion and ubiquitous marketing produced an effortlessly successful brand that sprang seemingly from nowhere. A few short years after adopting the winning coffee bar theme the Seattle staple began launching a global campaign that led to outlets every five blocks and B-plus stand-up material suitable for Leno -- all without the semblance of ever breaking a sweat. However CEO Howard Schultz 56 isn't afraid to tout ...

“I’m just a banker doing God’s work.”-- Lloyd Blankfein CEO of Goldman Sachs (GS) “Life is too short to have anything but delusional notions about yourself.”-- Gene Simmons KISS bassist ***“Numerous faces and vehicle number plates are not made sufficiently unrecognizable from the point of view of data protection especially where the persons concerned are shown in sensitive locations e.g. outside hospitals prisons or schools.”-- Hanspeter Thuer Switzerland’s federal data protection commissioner on trying to force Google (GOOG) to make changes to its Street View feature“Privacy is not something that I'm merely entitled to it's an absolute prerequisite.” -- ...

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Starbucks Thanks Customers for Their $15 Qualifying Purchase with a Limited Time Offer CD Featuring Starbucks and (RED)™ Exclusive Tracks

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Stock Market Alerts LLC.