Friday Business Update: Facebook finally goes public; flood insurance program extended - nola.com

* Facebook: The big business news of the day is the Facebook IPO. Shares of Facebook jumped 13 percent to $43 as the stock opened for trading for the first time this morning. But almost as quickly, the early gain evaporated.

* More Facebook: To buy or not to buy. That's the question many investors contemplating Facebook's newly issued shares of stock now face. One Associated Press writer thinks investors who don't buy shares within the next month will regret it in five years.

* Flood insurance: The federal flood insurance program got another 30-day extension from the House on Thursday, while some lawmakers continue to work for the long-term extension they say is needed to ensure its stability.

* Coming Sunday: A number of suburban New Orleans communities may be declared ineligible to participate in a popular government-backed rural home loan program this fall, limiting mortgage options for prospective homebuyers. Look for the full story in The Times-Picayune's Sunday Money section.

Have a great weekend!

19 May, 2012