/FIRST AND FINAL ADD -- AQM008 -- Caterpillar Inc. Earnings/.
Questions and Answers Economy / Sales Q1: What are your expectations for U.S. housing? A: We project housing will weaken further in the first half and then begin to improve later in the year. We expect housing starts will be approximately 900 thousand units, about the same as 2008....

FRANKLIN ELECTRIC ANNOUNCES THE ACQUISITION OF VERTICAL S.P.A., VICENZA, ITALY.
BLUFFTON, Ind., Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Franklin Electric Co., Inc. , the world's largest manufacturer of submersible electric motors and a leading supplier of water pumping and fuel pumping systems, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of seventy-five percent of the outstanding shares of Vertical S.p.A. ("Vertical"),...

Centex Reports Preliminary Third-Quarter Operating Results.
DALLAS, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Centex Corporation today announced preliminary operating results for its fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, 2008: -- Net sales (orders) for the quarter were 1,080 units, with a backlog of 4,628 units -- Closings were 3,405 units -- Non-cash impairments expected in...

If I had a hammer: one of the oldest and most vital trades, the construction industry is always looking for a few good people.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Since ancient times, when people first realized it was better not to be rained on, the construction industry has offered job security and steady, above-average wages. Throughout time, the success of a culture often has been measured by its ability to erect structures and house...

Franklin Electric Declares Payment of Quarterly Cash Dividend on Common Stock.
BLUFFTON, Ind., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- R. Scott Trumbull, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Electric Co., Inc., announced today that the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of twelve and a half cents per share payable February 26, 2009 to shareowners of record on February...

Bankruptcies Expected in Coming Months for Some of the Nation's Biggest Homebuilders.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on a review of the 33 U.S. homebuilders with more than $10M in revenue, more than 30 percent are in financial distress and in danger of filing for bankruptcy, according to an analysis by Grant Thornton Corporate Advisory and Restructuring Services. ...

Lumber outlook darkens.
Byline: Sherri Buri McDonald The Register-Guard Usually entering a New Year brings a sense of optimism and a chance for a fresh start. That's not the case for the lumber industry in the Western United States, according to a forecast released Wednesday by the Western...

County, state tree harvests languish.
Byline: Susan Palmer The Register-Guard The poor housing market hit the Oregon timber industry last year, contributing to a 12 percent decline in the statewide harvest after more than six years of slow but steady gains, and economists expect an equally rough 2008. It could...

Nortek Reports 3rd-Quarter Results.
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nortek, Inc. ("Nortek"), a leading diversified global manufacturer of innovative, branded residential and commercial ventilation, HVAC and home technology convenience and security products, today announced it achieved third-quarter sales of $583 million despite the sustained adverse conditions in the U.S. housing market. ...

Outlook dim for wood products.
Byline: Sherri Buri McDonald The Register-Guard A recent spate of layoffs at local wood products companies underscores the challenges the industry is facing with the prolonged housing slump. Georgia-Pacific, which is based in Atlanta, laid off 30 of its 100 employees at its sawmill in...