At The Motley Fool, we know our readers like to be informed. Here's a quick look at today's most relevant financial news, boiled down to what you need to know.

RIM misses the mark
Blackberry maker Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM) admitted defeat this morning, saying it would fall short of targets after having to offer its PlayBook tablet at sharp markdowns. Part of the problem is fierce competition from Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), whose iPad dominates the tablet market. Read the full story at Reuters.    

Factories recover from Thailand floods
Networking products maker Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) raised its revenue projections to $1.8 billion for its December quarter after production resumed ahead of schedule in factories damaged by a flood in Thailand. Competitor Seagate Technology (Nasdaq: STX) saw fewer setbacks from the devastation in the area, as its factories weren't directly affected. Read the full story at Bloomberg.

Verizon buys into cable
Mobile company Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) will dish out $3.6 billion to buy wireless spectrum from a joint venture of cable providers Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC), and Bright House Networks. Read the full story at Yahoo! Finance.

That's a wrap
So there you have it -- the top financial stories of the day. If you are interested in getting all the news and commentary on these stocks, sign up to My Watchlist here -- it's free!