BY EMILY CO – MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

For most, a car is the biggest purchase in their lives aside from buying a house. The trouble is, many people become blindsided by the sexy gleam of their future car and overlook details that may save them more than a few bucks.

(Cote/FLICKR)

BY BRIDGET MACDONALD - MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

Third-quarter earnings results released Tuesday by Decatur-based Archer Daniels Midland Co. [[ADM]] indicate that the ethanol industry remains a grey area, even for a large diversified company. Concerns about blending levels, emission standards, capacity and demand continue to be punctuated by question marks.

The company [...]

By MARJORIE KORN, MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

Archer Daniels Midland Co. posted a decline in net earnings in its fiscal fourth quarter 2008 on Tuesday, causing its shares to drop 7 percent to just above $26 at midday, from $27.94 at the opening of trading. [...]