NEW YORK -- This is the fifth installment in a series of health-care columns by Fortune's Shawn Tully. The Obama Administration is touting its pact with the pharmaceutical industry as "an historic agreement to lower drug costs." Both sides claim the deal will save consumers -- and especially -- the federal government, a total of $80 billion over the next decade. A close look at the details of t.. more

LOS ANGELES -- The acquisition of Marvel Entertainment by the Walt Disney Co. is, on a surface level, a perfect, if expensive, fit. But it also represents an interesting evolution in the company's direction under CEO Bob Iger. Under the deal, announced this morning, Disney (DIS, Fortune 500) will pay $4 billion in cash and stock for Marvel (MVL), giving the comic book giant's investors -- should.. more

NEW YORK -- Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man may help provide some much needed spark to the sleepy merger market. Walt Disney (DIS, Fortune 500) is buying Marvel Entertainment (MVL) for about $4 billion, or $50 a share. That's nearly 30% higher than Marvel's closing price on Friday. But the Disney-Marvel marriage wasn't the only notable merger announced Monday. In the energy sector, Baker Hughes (BH.. more

NEW YORK -- Stocks tumbled Monday, despite some upbeat corporate and economic news, after a big drop in Chinese shares heightened concerns that U.S. markets have risen too far too fast. The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) was down 64 points, or 0.7%, with about one hour left in the session. The S&P 500 (SPX) index lost 9 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) slid 22 points, or 1%... more

NEW YORK -- Finding work in this recession takes determination, perseverance and, most of all, sacrifice. With unemployment as high as 9.4% and job prospects scarce, job seekers are willing to accept as little as half of what they were making before, if it means finding a job. In a recent survey, 65% of out-of-work respondents reported willingness to accept wages up to 30% lower than their prev.. more

The recession means competition in pro football this year isn't restricted to the gridiron -- the National Football League and its 32 teams also are battling for the consumer's discretionary spending dollars. And just like on the playing field, some teams are having an easier time scoring an economic touchdown than others. "Overall ticket sales are very positive but difficult in these challengin.. more

(Fortune Magazine) -- The week of Sept. 7, 2008, started out innocently enough for J. Christopher Flowers. The billionaire, whose eponymous private equity firm invests mostly in troubled financial companies, was in Tokyo to attend a board meeting when he received a call from a senior executive at Bank of America. The executive wanted him to return to New York as quickly as possible to partner in a.. more

(Money Magazine) -- You know that your home's value has tanked. So why doesn't the blasted tax man? Home prices fell 27% from the 2006 peak to the end of 2008, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Index, while the amount municipalities collected in property taxes rose 12% from 2006 to 2008. There's a simple fix: Dispute your home's assessment -- and win. Simple, but not always easy. Municipalit.. more

(Money Magazine) -- When it comes time to plot out your investment strategy, you probably focus most of your attention on how equities are doing and pay scant attention to the inner workings of bonds. But ignore the fixed-income market at your peril. Trends in bond yields will often give you a better sense of the risks in the economy -- and by extension, your portfolio -- than stock prices can. W.. more

HONG KONG -- Chinese stocks sank 6% to a three-month low on Monday, weighing on Asian stocks and sapping investor willingness to put money at risk. Meanwhile the yen rose sharply after Japanese voters swept the opposition into power. The election results, while widely anticipated, sparked some short-term buying of yen on hopes that new policies will support consumer spending in an economy trapp.. more