For Lockheed Martin, health care just got personal [CapBiz A.M.]

Your first source for understanding business in greater Washington  •  Wed., Jan. 14, 2015 View in your Web browser

For Lockheed Martin, health care just got personal

Welcome to CapBiz A.M., your morning primer on business news with a focus on Washington. Healthy decision: Lockheed Martin made several forays into healthcare last year, buying small, specialized companies. But the defense giant’s latest move in this space is by far its most personal yet. (CAPBIZ) To big to fail? MetLife Inc. will challenge its designation as “systemically important” to the American financial system in court, setting upthe biggest test so far of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law. (WSJ)

GoDown: Shares of GoPro dropped dramatically yesterday after Apple was awarded a patent for a mountable sports camera. So what’s so special about the technology behemoth’s new design? (CNN)

Shifting gears, slowly: Even as more women rise to power at some of the country’s biggest car companies, the auto industry continues to struggle to represent anyone other than car guys. (WP)

Settlement nearing: On television and in the courtroom, Standard & Poor’s has waged war against a Justice Department lawsuit. But behind the scenes, the agency wants nothing more than to buy peace. (NYT)

Big hopes: U.S. small business optimism jumped in December to its highest level in more than eight years, the latest sign of strength in the economy even as dark clouds settle over global growth. (REUT)

Big bummer: The World Bank has downgraded its forecast for the global economy this year and added that world economic growth came in below expectations in 2014. (AP)

On Wall Street

After an early rally, stocks dropped on Tuesday amid falling commodity prices (Get the latest updates here).

What’s on tap today

MBA purchase applications (7:30 a.m.)

Retail sales report (8:30 a.m.)

Import and export prices (8:30 a.m.)

Fed Beige Book (2:00 p.m.)

Help: Don’t forget to put these oft-forgotten things in your business plan (ENT)

Follow: Lockheed Martin 

Extra: The three nations where your boss is more likely to be a woman (WP)

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