Here is my Top 10 list for the top business stories of 2005.  What stories do you think should be added to this list?

10. Home sales start to slow as mortgage rates start to rise

The collapse of the housing market could significant impact the economy in 2006.

9. Retirement of Alan Greenspan / Appointment of Ben Bernanke to Federal Reserve Chairman

When Greenspan spoke, the markets listened.  Bernanke promises more clear signals as to the Feds actions

8. Biggest labor split since 1930s as 40% of AFL-CIO unions break off

Appears to be additional evidence of the continual decline in the power of the unions

7. Supreme Court rules that government can take private property for public purposes, which now includes private development

This case will become a significant issue for conservative grassroots mobilization.

6. Delta and Northwest Airlines seek bankruptcy protection

How can Delta and Northwest be competitive and profitable like Southwest and Jetblue?  Most likely there will be a merger or the death of one of them.

5. New personal bankruptcy laws that went into effect in October

Consumer debt is at an all time high and it just got harder to wash it away. 

4. Dephi in bankruptcy, Ford and GM suffer staggering losses

Watch for more job cuts, outsourcing, and plant closings.  The turnaround hasn't happened yet.

3. The failure of President Bush's Social Security reforms

Social Security is broken.  It didn't get fixed.  If the issue dies out now, it could result in significant dire enonomic consequences down the road.

2. Fuel prices soar

$3.00 per gallon and 40% increases in home heating bills.  Inflation is showing some signs.

1. The economy enjoys steady growth despite hurricanes, fuel prices, and slowing housing markets

New jobs, continued growth, low unemployment point to a vibrant economy, even in the face of real distruptive forces.

Honorable mention

• Hurricane Katrina (and sisters) - The recovery will last for years. A city of 500,000 displaced.
• King Google - The reign and domination of Google - Will Microsoft be able to dethrone them?
• The rise of the Citizen Journalist - Consider this article:

The year 2005 witnessed a new phenomenon—the birth of the Citizen Journalist. It was this journalist who captured the awesome power of tsunami just days before 2005 began; it was this journalist who flashed the first images of the Underground rail blasts in London; it was this journalist who showed flames leaping from Platform Three of ONGC's oil well in the Arabian Sea; it was this journalist who gave first-hand information of Hurricane Katrina …

• The continuing decline of the print media industry - See "No More Media"
• China buying more and more of US debt

Sources I used to help pull this list together:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-topbizstories,0,4389068.storygallery?coll=sfla-business-front

http://www.mlive.com/business/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/business-2/1135509607238890.xml&coll=7

http://forums.dfw.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=kr-strtelpoll&msg=51.1&ctx=1

http://www.rocklintoday.com/news/templates/business_news.asp?articleid=2826&zoneid=3