Deficit sits

The US budget deficit was essentially unchanged at $1.29 trillion in the 12 months ended Sept. 30 from the year before, the Treasury Department said. It is now the second-largest deficit on record.

Buzz killed

Google will shut down its Buzz update service, which was quickly overshadowed by the growing popularity of its Google+ social-networking site.

Gross stink

Bill Gross, manager of the world’s biggest mutual fund, told clients he misjudged the extent of the economic slowdown, causing his Pimco Total Return Fund to trail rivals this year with a 1.3 percent return. “This year is a stinker,” Gross wrote to clients, Dealbreaker.com reported.

Apple grows

Apple shares jumped 3.3 percent to $422, their highest close on record, on sales of the iPhone 4S.

SEC oops

The SEC warned staffers that their personal brokerage account data may have been compromised, after it found security flaws with an ethics compliance program, Reuters reported.