Briefcase

Spokane, Kootenai foreclosure rates up

Foreclosure rates increased in Spokane and Kootenai counties during the third quarter of 2010, but filings fell in September compared with August, according to a national real estate research company.

• Spokane County: RealtyTrac said 727 properties received a notice of trustee sale or were taken over by lenders during the quarter. For September, the number was 191. The third-quarter filings represented a 76 percent increase compared with the second quarter, and a near tripling of activity a year earlier. September was less active than August, but more than double September 2009.

• Kootenai County: A total of 670 properties were subject to a notice of default or trustee sale during the quarter. The total for September was 243. Quarterly results were only slightly worse than quarter- and year-prior periods, but monthly comparisons showed improvements.

• Statewide: Idaho ranked fifth among all states in the rate of foreclosure filings; Washington was 14th.

• Nationwide: Notices and sales were relatively flat for the quarter and month compared with the 2009 periods. More than 930,000 properties were in some stage of foreclosure during the third quarter, 347,420 of those in September.

Boeing logs orders

Boeing Co. says it has received orders for 30 more of its 737s in the past week, but buyers weren’t disclosed.

Boeing customers have ordered 382 of those planes so far this year, out of a total of 422 orders for all commercial planes. The 737 has a list price of between $51 million to $87 million, although discounts are common.

Wal-Mart to pull toys

Wal-Mart announced Thursday that it would remove children’s products from its shelves that a consumer group said tested for high levels of lead.

The Oakland, Calif.-based Center for Environmental Health said this week that tests it commissioned on children’s products sold at Target Corp. and Walmart stores identified products that contained lead above legal limits.

Minneapolis-based Target agreed to remove two toddler chairs that the group cited, while Wal-Mart said it would pull the items only from its California stores. Both companies pulled the items from their online businesses.

Wal-Mart stopped nationwide sales of items that include toy boxing gloves and foam bead jewelry.

Google earnings rise

Google Inc.’s third-quarter earnings demonstrated that the Internet search leader is capable of surpassing investors’ short-term expectations while still investing heavily in long-range projects.

Google reported a 32 percent jump in net income Thursday and provided the most persuasive evidence yet that its past investments are paying off, helping it diversify away from search advertising.

Associated Press

Times president retires

After more than three decades at the Seattle Times Co., President Carolyn S. Kelly, 57, is retiring.

Kelly’s last day is Dec. 30. No successor has been named.