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Consumer products and services

Dozens sue pharmacy, but compensation uncertain
Dennis O'Brien rubs his head as he details ailments triggered by the fungal meningitis he developed after a series of steroid shots in his neck: ...
Hands off our heritage: Some wary of China's reach
Life in this French village revolves around wine. The backyards of its tidy houses nurture the grapes that have made Burgundy famous the world over.
Right-to-work law gives Michigan unions new task
Now that Michigan has become a right-to-work state, unions in this stronghold of organized labor confront a new and urgent problem: convincing members ...
Honda recalls more than 870,000 minivans and SUVs
Honda is recalling more than 870,000 minivans and SUVs worldwide because they can roll away even though drivers have removed the keys from the ...
US economy could withstand brief fall off 'cliff'
It's the scenario that's been spooking employers and investors and slowing the U.S. economy: Congress and the White House fail to strike a budget deal ...
Zara owner Inditex sees 9-month profit up 27 pct
Spanish clothes retailer Inditex, which owns the Zara store chain, has posted a 27 percent increase in net profit for the first nine months of 2012 ...
Why efforts to stop factory fires have failed
About a year and a half before a fire at a clothing factory in Bangladesh killed 112 people in November, executives from Wal-Mart, Gap and other big ...
Earnhardt Jr. gives 2013 car solid review at test
NASCAR spent almost the entire year developing its 2013 car in hopes the "Gen 6" model will dramatically improve the racing. After his first test ...
Oil prices rise as Federal Reserve meeting starts
Oil moved a little higher as a meeting of the Federal Reserve got under way Tuesday. Benchmark oil rose 23 cents to finish at $85.79 per barrel in New ...
New tests could hamper food outbreak detection
New tests that promise to speed up diagnosis of food poisoning pose an unexpected problem: They could make it more difficult to identify dangerous ...
'Fifty Shades' dominates publishing in 2012
The story of 2012 in publishing was the story of "Fifty Shades of Grey," in more ways than one. E L James' erotic trilogy was easily the year's ...
US wholesalers boost stockpiles in October
U.S. wholesale businesses increased their stockpiles in October but their sales fell sharply, a mix sign for economic growth. The Commerce Department ...
German vice chancellor slams GM over Opel
Germany's vice chancellor has sharply criticized General Motors Co. over its decision to end car production at a German plant, arguing that the U.S.
Solid evidence elusive in right-to-work debate
Gov. Rick Snyder says one reason he supports right-to-work legislation in Michigan is the economic boost a similar law has given Indiana, although ...
Oregon lawmakers to vote on Nike expansion plan
Athletic footwear and apparel giant Nike Inc. plans to expand its operations in Oregon and hire hundreds of workers but wants the government to ...
McDonald's November sales figure rises
McDonald's Corp. said Monday that a key sales figure rebounded in November, as U.S. customers snapped up the world's biggest hamburger chain's ...
Ford says software update will fix fire problem
Ford will update software on 2013 Escapes and Fusions to stop their engines from overheating, a problem that has caused a small number of fires.
Maserati confident in Italy output despite turmoil
The CEO of Italian luxury carmaker Maserati is confident that parent company Fiat's €1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) investment to boost production in ...
US futures fall following EU political strife
U.S. futures are lower after the surprise resignation of Italy's prime minister sent a jolt through European markets. A strong sales report from ...
GM's Opel to end car production at German plant
General Motors Co.'s Opel unit said Monday that it plans to end car production at one plant in Germany in 2016, but a slimmed-down factory may ...
DC lottery contract is subject of federal probe
A federal grand jury is investigating the awarding of the $38 million contract to run the District of Columbia lottery, a process that raises further ...
Chinese company wins bid for battery maker A123
Bankrupt battery maker A123 Systems Inc. on Sunday said it will sell most of its assets to the U.S. arm of Chinese auto parts conglomerate Wanxiang ...
Last no-alcohol Ala. county votes dry, drinks wet
Clay County has almost 14,000 residents, around 100 churches and not a single place where you can buy a beer legally. There's no Bud Light in the ...
Booze, smokes on agenda for quirky gov't group
Deep in a secure laboratory just outside Washington sits the federal government's heaviest smoker. It is a half-ton hulk of a machine, all brushed ...
Cisco grabs for 'No. 1 IT company' crown
Cisco Systems Inc. isn't content to be the world's largest maker of computer networking gear. It says it wants to become the "No. 1" supplier of ...