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G8 will produce lots of chatter, but not much else

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:29:53 GMT

Any time eight of the world's most powerful heads of state gather in one room, there will be plenty to talk about. But much of the most important jawboning and arm-twisting happens behind the scenes.

S&P gives US credit outlook a better grade

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:04:33 GMT

Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's on Monday upgraded its credit outlook for the United States government to "stable" from "negative," saying the chances of a downgrade of the country's rating is "less than one in three."

Consumer spending slips in sign US economy slowed

Fri, 31 May 2013 13:52:00 GMT

Consumer spending fell in April for the first time in almost a year and inflation pressures were subdued, pointing to a slowdown in economic activity, which should allow the Federal Reserve to maintain its monetary stimulus for a while.

Good jobs news may be bad for stocks

Sun, 2 Jun 2013 17:46:52 GMT

A strong jobs report could prompt an early end to the Federal Reserve's policy of pumping money into the banking system to rescue the economy and set off the stock market's long-awaited pullback.

Progress on the jobs front will be slow, but steady

Thu, 6 Jun 2013 12:05:51 GMT

Even as federal budget cuts put the squeeze on government hiring, private employers are creating new jobs at a steady, but painfully slow, pace.

What's behind the spike in pump prices where you are?

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:47:15 GMT

After prices spiked much higher than average in several parts of the country, a lot of drivers are wondering why they're suddenly shelling out more to fill up.

Economic growth revised lower as austerity bites

Thu, 30 May 2013 12:53:50 GMT

A drop in government spending dragged more on the economy than initially thought in the first three months of the year, a sign of increasing pain from Washington's austerity drive.

Jobless claims rise unexpectedly, but not by much

Thu, 30 May 2013 13:06:25 GMT

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, but not enough to suggest a shift in the recent pattern of modest job gains.

Financial markets suffering a crisis of confidence

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:48:35 GMT

With investors dumping assets ranging from bonds, currencies to equities, there appears to be a lack of hope among investors that central bank policies can generate real economic recovery, said strategists.

Study: Wealthy benefit more from top tax breaks

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:57:09 GMT

The top ten tax deductions, credits and exclusions will keep $12 trillion out of federal government coffers over the next decade, and several of them mainly benefit the wealthiest Americans, a new study from the Congressional Budget Office shows.

Jobless claims drop, showing labor market still healing

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:43:55 GMT

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, nearing its lowest level in five years in a sign of resilience for the U.S. labor market.

Job growth shows economy expanding at leisurely pace

Fri, 7 Jun 2013 15:17:14 GMT

If the jobs data for May are any indication, the economy isn't falling into the feared "spring swoon." It isn't dancing in the aisles, either, though.

Austerity backlash forces Europe to soften cuts

Sun, 2 Jun 2013 14:46:09 GMT

Faced with soaring unemployment, deepening recession, and a widening political backlash, European officials are easing up on two-year-old demands for painful budget cuts from its most debt-gorged members.

Businesses slow job creation, raising summer slowdown fears

Wed, 5 Jun 2013 13:21:41 GMT

Private-sector job creation was weaker than expected in May, as the economy struggled to break free of what appears to be a summer slowdown on the horizon.

Economy looks stronger, but DC's an obstacle

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:17:43 GMT

Like a steam engine leaving the station, the American economy is gathering momentum: the wheels are turning, the engine is pumping and the engineers have opened the throttle full bore. If only Washington would get out of the way.

Nasdaq to pay $10M fine for Facebook IPO debacle

Wed, 29 May 2013 16:28:15 GMT

The Nasdaq market has agreed to pay a $10 million penalty for alleged securities laws violations resulting from its "poor systems and decision-making" during Facebook's initial public offering, the SEC said Wednesday.

Jobless claims drop, labor market improves slowly

Thu, 6 Jun 2013 14:10:39 GMT

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, pointing to moderate job growth despite slowing economic activity.

Stocks close in the red on concerns Fed will pare back stimulus

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:26:27 GMT

Stocks closed out a volatile week on Wall Street broadly in the red Friday, as investors digested a batch of mixed economic reports amid lingering concerns over whether central banks will pare back their stimulus programs.

Consumer confidence hits five-year high in May

Tue, 28 May 2013 15:25:17 GMT

Americans' confidence in the economy jumped in May to a five-year high, lifted by a better outlook for hiring, rising home prices and more optimism about business conditions. The increase suggests consumers may keep boosting economic growth this year.

Richest 1% control 39% of world's wealth and growing

Fri, 31 May 2013 17:18:57 GMT

The wealthiest 1 percent now control 39 percent of the world's wealth, and their share is likely to grow in the coming years, according to a new report.

Jobless claims drop more than expected

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:12:06 GMT

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, pointing to resilience in the labor market despite belt-tightening by Washington.