Economy

Asia stocks mixed as holidays thin trade
Asian stock markets were mixed in holiday-thinned trading Friday as investors digested a slew of disappointing economic data and corporate results ...
Wal-Mart's 1Q profit, sales disappoint
The first few months of the year were tough for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The world's largest retailer reported Thursday that its first-quarter profit ...
J.C. Penney posts bigger 1Q loss than expected
The legacy of J.C. Penney's former CEO is being felt at the department-store chain. Penney on Thursday reported that it widened its loss in the first ...
Dell's dismal 1Q illuminates PC maker's challenges
Dell's financial decay worsened during its latest quarter as the company slashed its personal computer prices in response to the growing popularity ...
A late fade on Wall Street; Wal-Mart, Disney slump
Signs of a slowing economy combined with comments from a Federal Reserve official helped pull the stock market down Thursday. There was plenty of ...
Only 2 of 13 small SUVs do well in crash tests
Only two of 13 small SUVs performed well in front-end crash tests done by an insurance industry group, with several popular models faring poorly in ...
Puerto Rico faces lowest coffee production ever
Coffee production in Puerto Rico has hit the lowest level ever in the island's history, leaving farmers and government officials worried about how to ...
Oil reverses early losses, tops $95 a barrel
Oil followed a familiar pattern Thursday, moving higher despite some less-than-stellar economic reports. Benchmark oil for June delivery rose 86 cents ...
Airlines losses narrowed in 1Q to $552 million
U.S. airlines charged more in fares and fees and reduced debt as they improved their financial performance in the first quarter. They still lost ...
Sector Snap: Makers of computer networking gear
Investors snapped up the stocks of companies that make computer networking gear Thursday after industry leader Cisco Systems Inc.'s latest quarterly ...
Warplanes, troops in NE Nigeria; mobile phones cut
Mobile phone service was cut off Thursday in areas of northeast Nigeria as jet fighters streaked through the sky and more soldiers were deployed to ...
Merkel, Hollande at odds over Europe's way forward
Germany and France recognize that their cooperation is key to overcoming Europe's persistent economic crisis, but comments Thursday by the leaders of ...
Trump goes to court to oppose Scotland wind farm
American tycoon Donald Trump is taking legal action to challenge the Scottish government's decision to approve an offshore wind farm near his luxury ...
Greek strikes halt air travel
Flights in Greece were halted for four hours Thursday as the country's two largest labor unions staged work stoppages to protest austerity measures ...
Global luxury goods sales slowing
Global sales of luxury goods are off to a slow start in 2013 and aren't expected to match the double-digit growth of the last three years, consultancy ...
Pope blasts "cult of money" that tyrannizes poor
Pope Francis has denounced the global financial system, blasting the "cult of money" that he says is tyrannizing the poor and turning humans into ...
RBS to cut another 1,400 retail bank jobs in UK
Royal Bank of Scotland says it is cutting 1,400 jobs from its retail banking operations over the next two years. The bank says the latest round of ...
US rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.51 pct.
Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but stayed near their historic lows. Cheaper mortgages have helped the economy by spurring more ...
US housing starts fell in April but permits surged
U.S. builders broke ground on fewer homes in April, one month after topping the 1 million mark for the first time since 2008. But most of the decline ...
US consumer prices fall 0.4 pct. on cheaper gas
A plunge in the cost of gas drove down a measure of U.S. consumer prices last month by the most since December 2008. Excluding the drop in fuel costs, ...
Cambodian shoe factory collapse kills 2, injures 7
The ceiling of a Cambodian factory that makes Asics sneakers collapsed on workers early Thursday, killing two people and injuring seven, in the latest ...
Oil falls below $94 a barrel amid high supplies
The price of oil slipped below $94 a barrel Thursday as traders digested discouraging economic data from the United States and Europe and U.S.
Iran, world powers to resume nuclear talks
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator says Tehran and the six world powers will resume talks on its nuclear program "in the near future." Saeed Jalili said ...