Economy

Shareholder adviser firm paying $300,000 fine
A prominent firm in the business of advising big shareholders on how to vote in elections for company directors is paying a $300,000 fine to settle ...
US rate on 30-year mortgages rises to 3.59 pct.
Average rates on fixed mortgages rose for the third straight week, hitting their highest levels since mid-March. Still, mortgage rates remained close ...
AP PHOTOS: Egypt's languishing Islamic antiquities
Cairo, the Arab world's most populated city, is often referred to as an open-air museum of Islamic antiquities and the city of 1,000 minarets. But its ...
Turkey debates alcohol sales and ad restrictions
Turkish lawmakers on Thursday began debating a bill that bans all alcohol advertising and tightens restrictions on sales of such beverages — a ...
Pritzker's ties to thrift, tax haven eyed
President Barack Obama's nominee for secretary of commerce is facing scrutiny in the Senate for her ties to a subprime mortgage lender that failed in ...
US new home sales up 2.3 percent in April
U.S. sales of new homes rose in April and nearly matched the fastest pace in five years, driving the median price to a record high. The gains suggest ...
IMF head Lagarde in court in fraud probe
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde is facing questions at a special Paris court Thursday over her role in the 400 million euro ($520 ...
Ralph Lauren's 4Q profit rises 35 pct
Ralph Lauren Corp. reported a 35 percent increase in fourth-quarter profit as the luxury retailer benefited from lower cotton prices and cost controls
Oil falls on concerns for China demand, Fed policy
The price of oil fell Thursday as weak manufacturing data from China raised questions about the strength of oil demand in the world's No. 2 economy.
US stock market recovers most of an early loss
Stock prices are slightly lower at midday on Wall Street after manufacturing contracted unexpectedly in China this month. The Dow Jones industrial ...
Sales gains lift Dollar Tree's 1Q profit 15 pct
Discount retailer Dollar Tree Inc. said Thursday that its net income increased 15 percent in the first quarter as consumers spent more at its stores, ...
ECB official: New bank authority 'indispensable'
A top European Central Bank official is calling for quick creation of an agency with powers to restructure and wind down busted banks, in an apparent ...
Stock slump continues on Wall Street
A global stock market slump is continuing on Wall Street as traders worry about how committed the Federal Reserve remains to keeping up its ...
Oil down to near $93 on Chinese recovery concerns
The price of oil fell to near $93 a barrel on Thursday after a survey showed manufacturing activity in China falling to its lowest level in seven ...
Crane accident cuts power to one-third of Vietnam
One mistake by a clumsy crane operator caused a 10-hour blackout over about a third of Vietnam, exposing the fragility of the nation's power grid.
Bangladesh: Owners' many failings led to collapse
The defects and errors that led to the world's deadliest garment-industry accident extend from the swampy ground the doomed Rana Plaza was built on, ...
Survey shows China manufacturing contracting
A survey shows China's manufacturing contracted this month, adding to signs a fragile recovery in the world's No. 2 economy is slowing. HSBC Corp.
Ford to end auto production in Australia in 2016
Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it will close its two Australian auto plants, ending production in the country in 2016, amid soaring manufacturing costs ...
Am. Samoa to keep flier miles of govt travelers
American Samoa plans to take away frequent flier miles from government workers who travel on behalf of the U.S. territory and use the loyalty points ...
HP's 2Q offers hope even as revenue slump deepens
Hewlett-Packard is still scrambling to meet the growing demand for more versatile and less expensive mobile devices as a slump in its personal ...
Tesla uses stock, note sale to repay government
Tesla Motors, which makes a highly acclaimed $70,000 electric car, has paid off a startup loan from the U.S. government nine years early. The Palo ...
Jennifer Lopez to open cellphone stores
"Jenny from the Block" wants the block to buy Verizon phones from her. Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez on Wednesday announced she's opening a chain ...
Senators warm to transportation nominee
President Barack Obama's nominee for transportation secretary — Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx — received a friendly reception from senators of both ...
Target's 1Q profit drops 29 pct on weak sales
Target Corp. reported a 29 percent drop in first-quarter profit as unusually cool spring weather and financial pressures chilled customers' appetite ...