The PNC Financial Services Group Inc. reported net income of $178 million for the fourth quarter of 2007, down from $376 million in the same period of 2006.

The battle lines are starting to be drawn over Gov. Ed Rendell's budget proposals, which will be presented next month to our legislators in Harrisburg.

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

Should the federal government eliminate income taxes in favor of a national sales tax? Why or why not?

YES — 71 percent

NO — 29 percent

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, recognized 195 companies in their annual list of "Best Places to Work for GLBT Equality."

The banking industry and a Pennsylvania credit union continued their fight in federal court Jan. 4 over credit union charters, according to a report on the American Banker Web site (www.americanbanker.com).

In the financial world this new year, the noisemakers were subdued.

If you were hoping 2008 would bring a rebound for the U.S. dollar, you might have to wait.

As roughly 190,000 economic census forms are being filled out and mailed in Pennsylvania this month, businesses are gearing up to find out the outcome of those numbers and how they will play into the coming years' economic forecast.

We asked readers to tell us what they thought of the Federal Reserve's response to the subprime fallout and the credit crunch? Here are some responses.

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Bankruptcies, disciplinary actions, mortgages, incorporations, liens

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. today reported that comparable-store sales, or sales at stores that have been open for at least a year, decreased 14.2 percent in December when compared to the year-ago period.

Mennonite Financial Federal Credit Union has grown quickly in recent years, serving its niche in the financial-services industry: members of the Anabaptist faith communities, including the Amish and Mennonite communities.

Dear Mr. Berko: I am writing this because of Dad, who is in a New York City hospital recovering from serious cancer surgery.