Personal Finance Daily: Health care's too heavy for small business

Personal Finance Daily NOVEMBER 17, 2011 Health care's too heavy for small business By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: Health care is a heavy weight for small businesses 30-year mortgage averages 4% Foreclosure starts rise, delinquencies drop Thanksgiving holiday travel turns frugal For many small businesses, the path to offering health insurance is strewn with high costs, tough tradeoffs and uncertainty, Kristen Gerencher writes in her Vital Signs column. "It's going to be shared pain all the way around, but at least we're giving them more choices," one small-business CEO says. Elsewhere in Personal Finance news on MarketWatch, Christopher Hinton reports that Americans are getting ready to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday. We're heading for grandma's house, even though energy prices are up and the turkey's going to cost more. AAA says an estimated 42.5 million people will travel 50 or more miles from home for the holiday. However, travelers are being more frugal, choosing to drive and lodge with friends and family rather than pay a premium for airline tickets or hotel rooms. — Anne Stanley , Managing Editor, Personal Finance Health care is a heavy weight for small businesses For many small businesses, the path to offering health insurance is strewn with high costs, tough tradeoffs and uncertainty. But some business owners say they are committed to providing coverage to their workers. Read more: Health care is a heavy weight for small businesses. REAL ESTATE 30-year mortgage averages 4%: Freddie Mac Rates on fixed-rate mortgages inch up slightly this week, with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaging 4%, according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey of conforming mortgage rates, released on Thursday. Read more: 30-year mortgage averages 4% Foreclosure starts rise, delinquencies drop A higher percentage of mortgages enters the foreclosure process in the third quarter, while the seasonally adjusted delinquency rate drops to lowest level since 2008, says the Mortgage Bankers Association's National Delinquency Survey. Read more: Foreclosure starts rise, delinquencies drop. Housing starts show signs of life in October Home construction is starting to show some small signs of improvement this fall, the latest government statistics show. Read more: Housing starts show signs of life in October. ECONOMY AND POLITICS Philly Fed gauge shows slowing growth in November A gauge of manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia region shows slowing growth in November, according to a key index released Thursday. Read more: Philly Fed gauge shows slowing growth. Spain goes to the polls as debt fears grow Mariano Rajoy's center-right opposition party is favored to win Sunday's election in Spain, but he is unlikely to have any time to savor his victory as fears grow that the debt-laden nation may end up needing a bailout, given its skyrocketing borrowing costs. Read more: Spain goes to the polls as debt fears grow. Jobless claims fall to lowest level since April The number of people applying for jobless benefits fell last week to the lowest level in seven months, suggesting slow but gradual improvement in the U.S. labor market. Read more: Jobless claims fall to lowest level since April. INVESTING Delphi returns to market with a thud Revived auto-parts maker raises half a billion dollars in its IPO but shares struggle to trade at their offering price. Read more: Delphi returns to market with a thud. Oil bull vindicated? Oil bubbles back, but Peter Brimelow reports that a longtime oil bull — the Outstanding Investments newsletter's editor, Byron King — responds with graceful calm. Read more: Oil bull vindicated? From Enron to Occupy and back again The collapse of MF Global shows Wall Street has learned very little since the implosion of Enron 10 years ago, and together with the Occupy movement may herald a larger shift in financial priorities in the next decade. Read more: From Enron to Occupy and back again. Thailand floods could shake PC industry The PC industry is having a bad year with its supply chain disrupted twice by natural disasters in Asia, writes Therese Poletti. One bright light for investors has been the companies that make solid-state technology. Read more: Thailand floods could shake PC industry. How to own a triple-A portfolio Just eight companies have earned a triple-A rating, and those eight have delivered above-average returns with very low risk, says Ben Weiss. 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