Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 17

1 Friday, December it, 2009 Casper Star Tnbune B7 Top execs will get stock, not cash NEW YORK (AP) -Goldman Sat hs Group top executive will not receive cash bonusei this year, as the Wall Street giant bows to sharp criticism over its pay practices. The 30 high- ranking ex ecut ives will Instead receive stock that cannot be sold for at least five years, the New York-based bank said Thursday. But the restrictions won't affect the more than 31,000 other employees at the bank, potentially including some of its top traders who could be rewarded handsomely for helping Goldman turn big profits this year. Banking bonuses have been a hot -button political issue. Financial markets have recovered much faster han he broader economy, and the nation's unemployment rate sit at 10 percent.

Surging financial markets allowed companies like Goldman Sachs to rebound and start posting big quarterly profits, while setting aside billions of dollars to pay out year-end bonuses. TA r'' tJ ITT Shoppers look at TomTom GPS devices at a Target store In Mayfield Heights, Ohio, on Nov. 27. (Amy SancettaAP) Americans' wealth rises Li- I1M.0-'iLs&rr? mm 10 FIRST RUN THEATRES STADIUM SEATING HIGH BACK LOVE SEATS: ALL DIGITAL PROJECTION FOR UNCOMPROMISED SIGHT SOUND TWO DOLBY DIGITAL 3D AUDITORIUMS DAILY MATINEES STUDIO REWARDS CARDS MOVIE PALACE GIFT CARDS WELCOME PLUS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU EXPECT FROM MOVIE PALACES! 1 That increase mirrored the stock market's powerful showing.

The Standard Poor's $oo index, a barometer of the market, rose is percent during the third quarter. And it's surged 60 percent since March. Still, even with an additional 4 percent gain so far in the fourth quarter, the index is still 32 percent off the peak of October 2007. The recession began in December 2007. The gains in net worth are expected to slow, along with the broader economic recovery.

Credit remains tight. And consumers still aren't spending freely. Some analysts fear the Fed's policy of cheap lending and the weak dollar are inflating stock market performance and encouraging too much speculation. They say the gains of recent quarters aren't sustainable. "We will eventually recover the loss in net worth, but it may take three to five years," said Mark Vitner, senior economist for Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, N.C.

Real estate was a smaller part of the increase in third -quarter net worth. The value of American households' real estate holdings rose 2 percent, or $348 billion. Analysts expect prices to dip again this winter as foreclosures spread and economic growth remains modest. With those low-priced properties dominating sales, Barclays Capital economist Michelle Meyer forecasts an 8 percent drop in prices before they hit bottom next spring. By DANIEL WAGNER and DAVE CARPENTER AP business writers WASHINGTON Americans got wealthier for a second straight quarter in the fall, thanks to gains in stock investments and home values.

Net worth the value of assets such as homes, bank accounts and investments, minus debts like mortgages and credit cards rose 5 percent from the second quarter to (53.4 trillion, the Federal Reserve said Thursday. Yet even with that gain, Americans' net worth remains far below the revised peak of $64.5 trillion reached before the recession began. That underscores the vast loss of wealth over the past two years. Net worth would need to rise an additional 21 percent just to return to its pre-recession peak. And many analysts don't expect a repeat of the strong second- and third -quarter gains anytime soon.

That's why Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics at Moody's Economy.com, thinks household wealth won't match its pre-recession peak until about 2012. "We're clearly moving in the right direction, although we have questions about whether we can get there as quickly as we have in the past couple of quar -ters," Hoyt said. Investments delivered the biggest boost in the July-September period. The value of corporate equities jumped $1.04 trillion, slightly less than the previous quarter's rise. 4- PHoJ 1 mctty PGi It IjAVATAR I I STARTS DECEMBER 181 i POO 12:55, 3:50, 6:45, 9:40 FROG (PG) no passes two screens! 6:40, 7:15, 8:55, 9:30 .1:00, 3:05,5:13,7:35,9:55 1:10, 3:15, 5:20, 7:30, 9:35 ...1:30,4:20,7:10,10:00 1:20,4:10,7:00,9:50 ..12:20,2:30,4:40,6:50,9:05 .1 2:40, 2:55, 5:1 0, 7:25, 9:45 ......4:40,7:10,9:30 7:30,9:40 .............4:30,7:00 7:00,9:45 5:00 ...4:50,9:35 iifij" 1 IPG131 mm mm INVICTUS (PG13) no passes Disney's THE PRINCESS THE HS II THEBLINDSlDE -MJ VVIhf i mi I 'ana OldDo PC? iiiiimilllillim wo passes seats $ii daw matthews 9:00 PM DAILY J.

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"It doesn't support the fundamental principle of judges acting fairly and impartially," Ohio Chief Justice Tom Moyer told The As -sociated Press. A judicial think tank at the University of Denver has assembled a group of judges, including O'Connor, to push for the abolition of directly elected judges in the 33 states that have them. with experienced craftsmen I LARGER THAN LIFE in 3D (NR) SHOWS AT 12:301:45, 2:45, 4:00, 5:00, ARMORED (PGt3) no passes OLD DOGS (PS) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON (K13) THE BUND SIDE (W13) PLANET 51 (PG) A CHRISTMAS CAROL In 3D (PS) no passes COUPLES RETREAT (PG1 3) LAW ABIDING CITIZEN wwwa FANTASTIC MR. FOX (PG) no OLD DOGS (PG) THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON (PG13) THE BUND SIDE (PG13) PLANET 51 (PG). A CHRISTMAS CAROL In 3D (PG) no passes Mill I lTHllllllllllIHITITIHli THE STEPFATHER (PG13) PARANORMAL ACTIVITY inn WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (PG) ZOMBIELAND (B) reoures G-FORCE (PG) MUST END SOON! THE HANGOVER (R) io mmo fmai weeki 3R0THERS(R) no passes TRANSYLMANI A (R) no passes beowhed NINJA ASSASSIN (R) io kouined THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (ft) EVERYBODY'S FINE PG1J) no passes (2012 (PG13) 2009 I who work with us on continuing basis.

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