Carnival 2nd-Q Profit Falls 33%, Lowers

While the seas remain rough for Carnival Corp., they're starting to become little less rocky. Carnival's fiscal 2nd-Q earnings fell a less-than-expected 33% as cruise costs fell & it saw higher-than-expected prices on last-minute bookings. Shares recently rose about 9% to $25.15 on the quarter's results, even as it cut fiscal-year earnings outlook a 4th time & projected 3rd-Q results below analysts' views. Still, there's been some glimmers of hope. While consumers still remain cautious & generally still favor shorter and less-expensive cruises, Carnival said its booking volumes for the 2nd half of the year accelerated with less discounting. "Despite soft economy & rising rates of unemployment in NA & Europe, we