The International Council of Shopping Centers-UBS Retail Chain Store Sales Index increased by 1.0% in the week ended November 3rd. On the year, chain store sales were up 2.4%. Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said that cutting excess home inventories in the United States is the key to stabilizing the financial system at home and the rest of the world. Greenspan urged central banks to avoid suppressing asset bubbles, which is "exceptionally difficult" to do. Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. (HOV) said it delivered almost 4,000 homes during its fiscal fourth quarter, down 19 percent from last year, while net contracts fell 10 percent. Beazer Homes (BZH) said it's planning to take a $230 million fourth-quarter non-cash pre-tax charge to abandon land option contracts. It's already cut 650 positions, or 25% of its workforce, and stopped its 10-cents a share dividend. Ford Motor Co. (F) workers are expected to vote this week on a landmark tentative contract with the United...