Crain's Daily News Alert prepared for Top Executives

CHICAGOBUSINESS — POWERED BY CRAIN'S — Daily Business Briefing CRAIN'S LISTS SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MULTIMEDIA WEEKLY JOB CHANGES TOP HEADLINES Friday, May 8, 2009 · Chicago-area home sales fall 26.4% in first quarter · McDonald's April sales boosted by specialty coffee, chicken wraps · Machinists union wants back in at United · Another shakeup in local Wall Street outpost · Durbin lobbies for high-speed Chicago-St. Louis rail · Judge delays hearing on General Growth financing · Architects' group looking for global business · In brief: Swine flu | Sheldon Good | Wal-Mart · ChicagoBusiness.com wins industry accolades · 10 things to do this weekend  · Springfield chess, the tax-hike game: Greg Hinz blog · Identifying the narcissist, 1 woman's tale: Taking Names blog · Reinsdorf a hockey mogul, too? Guillen to write column on Sox site: Biz of Sports blog  As of 2 p.m. CDT Dow Jones 8,558.08 +148.23 +1.76% NASDAQ 1,736.67 +20.43 +1.19% Crain's Index 69.77 +1.980 +2.921% » View Other Top Headlines ADVERTISEMENT New Job-Hunting Tool from Crain's Want to do a speed search of jobs offered by Chicago-area companies? Check out the new, electronic Job Seeker Edition of Crain's Book of List—with direct links to job listings for each company. Plus a direct link to Crain's stories about each employer. It's just $49. To sample and buy, go to http://www.emagazines.com/shopaddtocart.asp?catalogid=112&affid=7. OTHER HEADLINES · Allstate may raise residential rates Daily Herald · Blagojevich lawyers agree on $110 an hour fee Peoria Journal Star · U.S. jobless rates hits 8.9%, but pace of losses eases New York Times · No handshakes for Purdue graduates ABC7 Crain's Chicago Business | 360 N. Michigan Ave. | Chicago, IL 60601 ADVERTISEMENT TODAY'S FEATURES Chicago Business Today - May 8 The recession is putting pressure on popular summer festivals. Unemployment reaches 1983 levels, but there is good news in the details. McD's powers ahead on price, coffee.Read More · Crain's golf 2009 · Society: Art Chicago · 40 Under 40 for 2009: Call for nominations · VIDEOS: Women to Watch 2009 SIGN UP FOR CUSTOM ALERTS Industries » Account Settings LISTEN LIVE: Traffic, weather and news from our news partner WBBM-AM.