Monday morning headlines

Stocks open lower: We'll see whether the pullback is serious or just a pause from last week's gains. Dow is down about 50 points in early trading.

October home prices dip: The median was $346,000, down 3.6 percent from the previous month, according to HomeData. Sales rose 1.6 percent. (Business Journal)

Nevada growth streak ends: One of the nation's fastest-growing states will see its population fall this year, the first time that's happened since 1920. (USA Today)

Details on A380 explosion: Turns out that last week's engine blowout on a Qantas superjumbo caused more damage than first believed. Inspections are being done in L.A. and Sydney. From the WSJ:

Exploding outward like supercharged pieces of shrapnel at about 10,000 feet, according to pilots familiar with the incident, pieces from the engine apparently damaged some hydraulic lines to the landing gear and other parts that control certain flight-control panels on the wings. Other landing-gear systems also may have suffered damage, these pilots said. The incident also is believed to have damaged controls affecting the nearby engine on the plane's left wing, according to these pilots.

Wal-Mart lowers toy prices: Anything to prevent Target from being the low-cost leader during the holiday season. From the WSJ:

Toys are key to many retailers' success at Christmas, because parents will buy stuff for their kids even when the economy is awful. But in recent years shoppers have tended to snap up the biggest toy bargains and ignore stores' other offerings. This year, with economic conditions somewhat improved, retailers are hopeful that if they can lure parents with a great price on electronic hamsters or Stinky the Garbage Truck, shoppers will make other purchases. But store chains continue to feel the need to stake their low-cost claims just days after Halloween.

Trump home goes on market: His 11.000-square-foot house in Rancho Palos Verdes is among six properties in the planned development surrounding seaside Trump National Golf Club. Sale price is $12 million. (Daily Breeze)

More bucks for Conan: American Express is paying O'Brien $1 million to be its pitchman in a commercial. His TBS show premieres tonight. (WSJ)


More by Mark Lacter:
American-US Air settlement with DOJ includes small tweak at LAX
Socal housing market going nowhere fast
Amazon keeps pushing for faster L.A. delivery
Another rugged quarter for Tribune Co. papers
How does Stanford compete with the big boys?
Those awful infographics that promise to explain and only distort
Best to low-ball today's employment report
Further fallout from airport shootings
Crazy opening for Twitter*
Should Twitter be valued at $18 billion?
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Mark Lacter
Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.
 
Mark Lacter, business writer and editor was 59
The multi-talented Mark Lacter
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