Markets

Thousands of Portuguese teachers protest big cut
Thousands of teachers from around Portugal are marching in downtown Lisbon to protest proposed spending cuts they say will slash €1 billion ($1.
Greeks protest transport workers' pay cuts
Greek workers have marched to parliament to protest upcoming pay cuts for transport workers and the government emergency decree that forced subway ...
S&P lowers Illinois credit rating, blames pensions
Illinois' already disastrous financial situation worsened Friday as another credit rating agency downgraded its rating to the worst of any state in ...
Pentagon: Budget crisis could hurt war effort
The Afghan war effort eventually would be harmed by across-the-board budget cuts, even as the Obama administration intends to shield the military's ...
AP Interview: Ohio's Kasich enthuses over Davos
Embarking on what he called a reluctant trade mission, Ohio Governor John Kasich said Friday that his state's economic comeback was generating ...
Futures rise ahead of housing data, strong earns
Futures are rising on what is expected to be more upbeat data on housing from the government as well as strong earnings from U.S. companies. Dow Jones ...
Compromise helps Dutch stay afloat in crisis
In the U.S., tax hikes have been the subject of partisan warfare that brought the country to the very edge of a "fiscal cliff." In southern Europe, ...
Chile aims to focus summit on its brighter side
European, Latin American and Caribbean leaders gathering for this weekend's economic summit will likely see only one side of Chile — the polished, ...
Sandy blow to NJ: costly work or costlier premiums
Superstorm Sandy landed one final stunning blow to New Jersey on Thursday as the state adopted rebuilding guidelines that come with sticker shock.
Honduras can't pay its bills, neglects services
Street surveillance cameras in one of the world's most dangerous cities were turned off last week because Honduras' government hasn't paid millions ...
Oil gets boost from China, US economic reports
The price of oil rose Thursday on positive economic news from the U.S. and China. Benchmark oil gained 72 cents to finish at $95.95 a barrel on the ...
Obama picks former prosecutor to head SEC
President Barack Obama sent his strongest signal yet Thursday that he wants the government to get tougher with Wall Street, appointing a former ...
Apple's sales slowdown tugs Nasdaq index lower
A sharp drop in Apple's stock pulled the Nasdaq down with it after the tech giant warned of weaker sales. Other stock-market indexes eked out slight ...
Ireland won't ease drunken-driving law for farmers
A license to drive drunk? Some small-town politicians think it's just the tonic for rural Ireland. Councilmen in Kerry, southwest Ireland, passed a ...
US jobless claims drop to 5-year low of 330,000
The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell last week to the lowest level in five years, evidence that employers are cutting fewer jobs and ...
Stocks open mixed on Wall Street; Apple plunges
A sharp drop in Apple's stock is sending the Nasdaq composite lower in early trading on Wall Street after the electronics giant predicted slower sales
Cameron: UK will focus on tax avoidance at G-8
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Thursday he will use his country's year-long presidency of the G-8 to target tax-dodging tactics by ...
Congress charts new collision course over deficit
The nation's sharp disagreements over taxes and spending are on a re-routed collision course, as Senate Democrats launch a plan that includes new ...
Gay rights groups seek order on employer bias
Gay rights advocates are renewing their push for President Barack Obama to sign an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating ...
Why Geithner's Treasury leadership proved divisive
President Barack Obama has saluted the outgoing Timothy Geithner as one of the best U.S. Treasury secretaries ever. He's surely been among the most ...
SKorea's economy grows at slowest pace in 3 years
South Korea's economy grew 2 percent in 2012, its weakest performance in three years, and is not expected to rebound strongly this year, the central ...
Big banks, under pressure, on defense at Davos
If there is one place bankers should be able to let down their guard a little, you would think it would be at the World Economic Forum in Davos, an ...
THE RESET: Delay becoming the norm for US gov't
Congress often gives itself more breathing room. In other words, it kicks the can down the road. It's an overused expression nearly everybody scoffs ...
Invest now, Russia says - but warning signs loom
Is Russia a haven of promise for the bruised global economy? Russian officials insist it is — and are bringing out the vodka in snowy Davos to change ...
Immigration fallout from saying no to 'Obamacare'
Governors who reject health insurance for the poor under the federal health care overhaul could wind up in a politically awkward position on ...