Today

DOWNTOWN HOTEL READY TO OPEN

Atlanta developer Noble Investment Group and Raleigh officials this afternoon will host the grand opening of the Raleigh Marriott City Center at 500 Fayetteville St. Events begin 4:30 p.m.

The $75 million hotel is critical to the success of Raleigh's downtown renaissance. The 400 rooms will support the city's new convention center, which is to open next week.

An opening gala will feature a food tasting and beverages, art displays from the Visual Art Exchange and performances from the N.C. Symphony and Carolina Ballet.

DEMAND STRONG FOR DURABLE GOODS

A Commerce Department report is expected to show a modest rise in July orders for durable goods, or items designed to last three years or longer. But vehicle orders likely remained weak as consumers continue to scale back on big-ticket purchases, Global Insight economists predict.

Looking ahead, demand could slow as international growth moderates. "Export orders have been driving the bus for durable goods industries for an extended period of time, but reports of a tightening in credit conditions in overseas markets could be a signal that tailwinds from export sources are likely to become much less forceful," they write.

TIVO LIKELY LOST CUSTOMERS, MONEY

Because of seasonal weakness and competitive pressures, Soleil Securities Group analyst Daniel Ernst expects digital video recording company TiVo to report a net subscriber loss of 106,000 during the quarter. While he expects that TiVo will report a quarterly loss, he still rates shares "buy," saying investors aren't considering the company's long-term growth prospects.