IN BRIEF

Silver State Bancorp shares sold off Thursday for the second day as investors wait for the first-quarter earnings report from the Henderson-based bank holding company.

Shares shed 11.7 percent over the past two days. Silver State spokesman Steve Stern said the company doesn’t comment on its share price. The stock lost 13 cents, or 1.91 percent, Thursday to close at $6.67 on the Nasdaq National Market.

Shares in the other two other publicly held Southern Nevada banking companies did better.

Shares in Western Alliance Bancorporation, the parent of Bank of Nevada, gained 7.2 percent over the two days. Western Alliance shares gained 25 cents, or 2.17 percent, Thursday to close at $11.77 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Community Bancorp shares were little changed over the two-day period. Shares fell 31 cents, or 2.48 percent, Thursday to close at $12.18 on the Nasdaq National Market. But that close was higher than Tuesday’s close of $12.14.

NEW YORK

Gasoline prices rise; diesel nears $4.15

Retail gasoline prices pushed past a record high $3.40 a gallon Thursday, fulfilling expectations that they’ll keep climbing toward $4 as the summer driving season approaches.

Oil prices, meanwhile, fell slightly after reaching yet another record high overnight. Analysts said investors were locking in gains from crude’s ongoing rally.

At the pump, the average national price of a gallon of unleaded gas rose 1.9 cents overnight to $3.418 a gallon, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Diesel fuel also hit a record of $4.146 a gallon after jumping 1.7 cents overnight, the survey said.

The soaring cost of both fuels is pressuring consumers, who gas up their cars and buy goods that grow more expensive because of rising transportation costs. And their plight will only worsen; many analysts expect average national gasoline prices to peak close to $4 a gallon later in the spring.

SAN FRANCISCO

Google’s profits beat analysts’ estimates

Google tweaked its online advertising formula and accelerated its growth outside the United States to produce a first-quarter profit that surpassed analysts’ predictions, alleviating some of the economic worries battering its stock this year.

The Internet search leader said it earned $1.31 billion, or $4.12 per share, during the first three months of the year. That represented a 30 percent increase from net income of $1 billion, or $3.18 per share, in the first quarter of 2007. Revenue rose 42 percent to $5.19 billion from $3.66 billion.

Shares of Google fell $5.49 to $449.54 Thursday on the Nasdaq National Market.

Deal allows downtown center to keep name

Owners of the World Market Center won’t have to change the name of their downtown Las Vegas furniture center.

The announcement Thursday was the result of a legal settlement with owners of the Cost Plus World Market Center furniture chain.

The Cost Plus company had accused World Market Center of infringing on as many as 23 federal trademarks. Cost Plus, which operates 286 stores in 35 states said the name World Market Center and the logo on the downtown buildings could confuse consumers.

The World Market Center argued since it only operates at full capacity during two annual market events aimed at furniture professionals, not consumers, there was no confusion. The Feb. 7, 2007, lawsuit by Cost Plus sought up to $1 million in damages for each use of the World Market name.

NEW YORK

Generic competition hurts profits for Pfizer

Pfizer, the world’s biggest drugmaker, reported an 18 percent drop Thursday in its first-quarter profit on tougher generic competition but said it still expects to meet profit expectations for the year.

Pfizer’s profit fell because of sharp declines in sales of the blood-pressure drug Norvasc and allergy drug Zyrtec. Both have lost patent protection and compete against cheaper generic drugs.

The company earned $2.78 billion, or 41 cents per share, in the January-March period, compared with profit of $3.39 billion, or 48 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue fell 5 percent, to $11.85 billion from $12.47 billion.

NEW YORK

Treasury prices decline as trader hopes mount

Treasury prices fell slightly Thursday, with investors hopeful the credit crisis is largely over but uncertain about the prospects for the U.S. economy.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 0.13 points to 98.13 and yielded 3.73 percent, up from 3.71 percent late Wednesday, according to BGCantor Market Data. Prices and yields tend to move in opposite directions.

The 30-year long bond fell 0.63 points to 97.72 and yielded 4.52 percent, up from 4.51 percent late Wednesday.