Inside these posts: Weather

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Allstate rates rise; patience with execs runs thin

Allstate CEO Tom Wilson in 2008. (Alex Garcia/Chicago Tribune)

The average homeowners’ premium for Allstate Corp. customers rose by 7.1 percent in 2010, and Chief Executive Tom Wilson said Thursday that “you should expect to see it go up” in 2011 as well.

Wilson made the remark during an hour-long conference call with analysts and investors. He discussed the Northbrook-based auto and home insurer’s fourth-quarter results, which fell short of expectations. On a day when the wider markets were basically flat, Allstate stock closed down 3.6 percent to $31.20 a share, making it the day’s worst local stock performer.

Some analysts are becoming increasingly frustrated with Allstate’s management. Get the full story »

‘Stormageddon’ latest pain for city, state budgets

Wednesday’s massive winter storm is the latest pain in the budgets of U.S. cities, states and counties as it sweeps across the North American continent, freezing finances along the way.

In Chicago, which is flirting with records from the Tuesday-Wednesday storm, the costs could eat up much of the city’s $14.8 million allocated for snow removal and hurt its already fragile budget. Get the full story »

Snow hits home: Big companies, malls closed

Click here for photos of the 2011 Chicago blizzard

One of the biggest snowstorms in Chicago history has paralyzed businesses across the region.

The blizzard, which dumped more than 20 inches of snow on the Chicago area Tuesday night and Wednesday, will have a significant economic impact, as banks, retailers and other companies that rely on face-to-face contact with their customers were closed Wednesday or struggling to open.

DOWNTOWN

Downtown businesses were mostly abandoned Wednesday morning.

One of the only lights emanating from the Thompson Center came from the Dunkin’ Donuts. The newsstand, the salon, the nail parlor, which usually bustle with commuters from the Clark/Lake stop, were closed and darkened. Get the full story »

CME Group delays floor trading until 10 a.m.

The blizzard has delayed the opening of Chicago floor trading at the CME Group Inc. until 10 a.m., the exchange operator said, citing poor travel conditions. Get the full story »

Abbott closes all Chicago facilities due to weather

Abbott’s Chicagoland operations, including its day care center, will be closed today due to weather conditions. Employees should not report to work unless otherwise directed by their supervisors. Get the full story »

December storms cost United $25 million

December snowstorms that crippled air travel in Europe and along the Atlantic seaboard in the U.S. cost the parent company of United Airlines $25 million in consolidated passenger revenue, and will reduce fourth-quarter earnings by $10 million, the carrier said Friday.

Continental Airlines, which along with United is a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings Inc., was hit hard by the Boxing Day blizzards that brought operations to a halt at its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and other greater New York area airports. More than 5,000 flights were canceled over a three-day stretch, stranding at least 750,000 travelers. Get the full story »

Dec. 26 storms delay $1 billion in retail spending

The blizzard that swept through the Northeast on Sunday and Monday delayed $1 billion in retail spending, according to research firm ShopperTrak, but won’t derail a holiday shopping season expected to be the best since 2007. Get the full story »

East Coast weather grounds flights in Chicago

A blizzard blanketing the East Coast this weekend has left thousands of fliers stranded at various airports across the country, including some at O’Hare International and Midway airports this morning.

As of 7:35 a.m., 130 flights at O’Hare had been canceled due to the East Coast weather, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. At Midway, there were 20 flight cancellations.

Today’s cancellations came on top of the 150 flights grounded yesterday at the two airports.

Hot summer boosts Exelon’s 3Q profit

Exelon says its third-quarter net income rose 12 percent as stifling summer heat led more people to crank up their air conditioners. The company is also raising its forecast for the year. The Chicago utility company said Friday it earned $845 million, or $1.27 per share, compared with $757 million, or $1.14 per share a year earlier. Get the full story »