Economy

Honda announces plans to cut 800 jobs
Japanese automaker Honda says it will cut about one in four jobs at its UK factory as it struggles with low demand in Europe. Honda Motor Europe says ...
Japan's Nikkei jumps on Abe's stimulus package
Japan's Nikkei stock index jumped Friday after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a massive spending package intended to breathe life into the ...
China's inflation jumps to 6-month high
China's inflation spiked to a six-month high in December after a freezing winter pushed up vegetable prices, possibly complicating efforts to sustain ...
Ford, others step up hiring to meet demand
Ford says it plans to hire 2,200 engineers, computer programmers and other white-collar workers this year as U.S. demand for new vehicles picks up.
From monkeys to surfers, Calif. braces for cold
Strawberry growers covered their crops while San Diego zookeepers turned on heaters for the chimpanzees as Californians braced for a cold snap that ...
American Express to cut 5,400 jobs
American Express Co. said Thursday that it will slash about 5,400 jobs, mainly in its travel business, as it seeks to cut costs and transform its ...
Ford's souped-up dividend could lure new investors
Ford may get a longer look from curious investors after rolling out a more muscular, souped-up dividend on Thursday. The nation's No. 2 automaker is ...
French taxi drivers' strike clogs roadways
Taxi drivers across France clogged traffic, slowed access to airports and forced would-be passengers to find alternate transport as they held a strike ...
Drug companies forge partnerships with top schools
In their quest for the next big drug discovery, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly teaming up with some of the nation's top universities, ...
Greek deficit improves but jobless rate soars
Greece's coalition government on Thursday reported a steep drop in the budget deficit in 2012, but unemployment rose again at an alarming rate as ...
S&P 500 index closes at another 5-year high
Stocks are closing higher on Wall Street, sending the Standard & Poor's 500 index to another five-year high. The S&P 500 closed at 1,472 Thursday, its ...
Oil rises on China trade, natural gas gains
The price of oil rose Thursday, propelled by a rebound in China's trade growth. Benchmark oil gained 72 cents to finish at $93.82 a barrel in New York
Corps praised for averting Miss. River shutdown
Shippers who have idled towboats and lightened barge loads as the Mississippi River shrinks from drought credit the waterway's stewards for so far ...
Herbalife defends itself against Ackman's claims
Herbalife came out swinging Thursday against claims made by hedge fund manager William Ackman that the business amounts to a pyramid scheme.
Egypt names a new central bank governor
Egypt's president on Thursday named a new head for the country's central bank, after the resignation of the longtime chief amid a crippling economic ...
Gasoline prices predicted to fall in 2013
At least gasoline should cost you less in 2013. Hamburger, health care and taxes are all set to take a bigger bite out of the family budget this year.
Nokia: Q4 mobile phone sales beat own forecast
Nokia Corp. signaled Thursday its smartphone partnership with Microsoft was starting to reap rewards as it revealed that fourth-quarter mobile phone ...
South Africa: Farm workers' protests turn violent
South African farm workers on Thursday fought police during protests for higher wages, blocking a highway and only dispersing when security forces ...
Draghi says eurozone not past turning point yet
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi says the euro area's struggling economy is showing early signs of improvement and should grow modestly ...
Supervalu to sell 5 supermarket chains to Cerberus
Supervalu Inc. is selling off five of its grocery chains, including Albertson's and Jewel-Osco, after years of being squeezed by intensifying ...
US job openings barely grew in November
U.S. employers advertised about the same number of jobs in November as in October, suggesting hiring will stay modest over the next few months.
Caspian Sea gas consortium to buy half of Nabucco
An international consortium developing a major natural gas field in the Caspian Sea has agreed in principle to acquire 50 percent of the company ...
US rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.40 pct.
Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but remained close to record lows. Cheap mortgages have made home buying more affordable and ...
US unemployment aid applications tick up to 371K
Weekly applications for U.S. unemployment benefits ticked up slightly last week, the latest sign of slow but consistent gains in the job market.
US wholesale stockpiles up 0.6 percent in November
U.S. wholesalers boosted their stockpiles in November and their sales rose at the fastest pace since the spring of 2011, encouraging signs for the ...