China, Taiwan sign trade pact

June 30, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

BEIJING

A historic trade deal between China and Taiwan will ease 60 years of hostility and push their economies closer than ever, the latest sign that Beijing’s strategy of wooing the self-ruled island with carrots instead of sticks is paying off.

At the signing of the deal in the Chinese city of Chonq-quing on Tuesday, negotiators on both sides spoke of a new era in ties across the Taiwan Strait — where the threat of military conflict has lingered since Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949.

Report: Apple iPhone coming to Verizon

SAN FRANCISCO

Apple Inc. will launch its popular iPhone with Verizon Wireless as early as January, according to a media report Tuesday, which cited unnamed sources as confirming that widely anticipated step.

In a Bloomberg News report, two unidentified sources described as familiar with the plans were said to have confirmed that Apple would expand iPhone domestic availability to Verizon early next year. The device has been available exclusively over AT&T’s networks in the United States since its launch three years ago.

Wall Street analysts widely have expected a launch at Verizon in 2011.

Home prices rise with credits’ boost

NEW YORK

Home prices in April rose for the first time in seven months as government tax credits bolstered the housing market. But the rebound may be short-lived now that the incentives have expired.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index released Tuesday posted an 0.8 percent gain. It had fallen in each of the past six months.

Eighteen of 20 cities showed price increases in April from March. Washington, San Francisco and Dallas each posted gains of 2 percent or more. Eleven cities reversed their declines from the month before.

Nationally, prices have risen 3.8 percent from their April 2009 bottom. But they remain 30 percent below their July 2006 peak.

Google aims to save ’Net license in China

BEIJING

China is threatening to revoke Google’s business license over the company’s decision to redirect Chinese traffic to computers in Hong Kong that are not governed by the communist government’s censorship practices.

The latest skirmish between Beijing and the Internet search leader threatens to cripple the company in one of the Web’s biggest markets.

Google agreed Tuesday to dismantle the virtual bridge to its Hong site that was created in March, but it was unclear whether that will be enough to stay in business in China. The license is required for the company to continue providing its mapping and music services in China.

Google hopes to keep its license by turning its Chinese website into a so-called “landing page” anchored by a link that users must click on to send visitors to the Hong Kong search service.

Combined dispatches

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Aqua America, .58, 17.20 —.42

Avalon Holdings,2.34—.07

Clear Channel, 1.75 43.64 —1.54

Cortland Bancorp, 4.80—.10

Delphi Automotive, .0211 .00

Farmers Nat., .12, 3.99 .24

First Energy, $2.20, 35.47—.80

FirstMerit Corp., .64,17.45 —.23

First Niles Financial,8.75.00

First Place Fin., 3.14—.03

FNB Corp., .48,8.18—.48

General Electric, .40,14.48—.52

Motors Liquidation, .416—.04

Huntington Bank, .04, 5.63—.30

JP Morgan Chase, .20,37.06—1.48

Key Corp, .04,7.81—.41

LaFarge, 13.20 —.69

Macy’s, .20, 17.77—1.05

Parker Hannifin, 1.04, 56.16—1.83

PNC, .40,57.58—2.25

RTI Intl. Metals,23.93—2.58

Rural/Metro, 8.05 —.44

Simon Prop. Grp.,$2.40,81.82—3.15

Stoneridge 7.76 —.42

Torent Inc., 2.00 .00

United Community Fin. 1.58.00

Selected prices at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Provided by Stifel Nicolaus. Not to be construed as an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any security.