PODCAST: SEC "likes" Facebook, Bitcoin"s a currency rook

In a move that could change the way companies communicate with their investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission has ruled that company executives can use sites like Twitter and Facebook to release market moving news.

Whenever a big economic crisis happens, investors usually flock to the safety of gold or U.S. government bonds. But the banking crisis in Cyprus brought another store of value to the fore — Bitcoin, an online currency that’s seen a notable surge in price over the last few weeks.

Monsanto beat expectations in its earnings report Wednesday. The company’s recent strong performance opens a window into the explosive technological growth in Latin American agriculture. The biotech farm supplier has cashed in selling its genetically engineered seeds and other products to farmers there.

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PODCAST: SEC "likes" Facebook, Bitcoin"s a currency rook

A tax on medical devices that almost nobody likes

You don’t often hear about a 79-to-20 vote in the U.S. Senate. But that’s exactly what happened last night. The chamber voted overwhelmingly to repeal a tax on medical devices which was designed to generate $ 30 billion over 10 years to help pay for the Affordable Care Act.

Medical device makers are complaining the tax hurts them more than the rest of the medical and insurance industry. While hospitals, drug and insurance companies will pay or give up revenue as part of the reforms, they also stand to benefit as new customers enter the system. But the medical device industry argues most of their customers are already insured or covered by Medicare.

The vote to repeal the tax was largely symbolic. But it does show how unpopular the measure is, with both Republicans and Democrats coming out against it.

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A tax on medical devices that almost nobody likes