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Consumer products and services

Wendy's transformation push starts to take hold
The Wendy's Co.'s push to transform itself as a higher-end hamburger chain is showing early signs of taking hold. The Dublin, Ohio-based fast food ...
GM may have electric car breakthrough
A small battery company backed by General Motors is working on breakthrough technology that could power an electric car 100 or even 200 miles on a ...
USDA unveils steps to fight food stamp fraud
The Agriculture Department on Thursday came out with new steps to fight fraud in food stamps, a federal program that has taken center stage as ...
Gasoline averages $3.66, more costly than year ago
For the first time since late April, the average price of gasoline is higher than it was a year ago. Drivers are now paying an average of $3.66 per ...
As Mexico's drug war gets gritty, so do nicknames
When "The Worm Eater" and his sidekick "The Rat" were captured, they were allegedly carrying five grenades and about $1 million in cash. "Garbage" was ...
Nestle posts strong H1 profit but outlook is tough
Swiss food and drinks giant Nestle SA posted an 8.9 percent rise in first-half profits Thursday and strong sales that showed it was taking the rising ...
Livestock farmers seek pause in ethanol production
Livestock farmers and ranchers seeing their feed costs rise because of the worst drought in a quarter-century are demanding that the Environmental ...
US wholesale stockpiles fell as sales plummeted
U.S. wholesale companies cut back their stockpiles in June as sales fell by the most in three years. The declines in sales and inventories could ...
Facebook pressured to remove page deemed racist
Facebook is under pressure in Australia to take down a page that insults Aborigines with the government accusing the social networking company of ...
China's auto sales growth slows amid weak economy
Growth in China's auto sales decelerated in July, data showed Thursday, adding to signs of weakness in the world's second-largest economy.
Macy's posts 16 percent hike in 2Q net income
Macy's reported a nearly 16 percent increase in net income for its second quarter, helped by cost-cutting and its strategy to tailor its merchandise ...
Outback parent company's stock blooms after IPO
Shares of Bloomin' Brands, which operates Outback Steakhouse and other restaurant chains, are proving a tasty treat for investors, though only after ...
Mighty Mouse: Investors flock to safety of Disney
These are happy times in the Magic Kingdom. The Walt Disney Co.'s stock is up 35 percent so far this year, outpacing its media company rivals.
Famous NY diner relocated to Wyoming up for sale
Five years after a doomed New York City landmark was rescued and hauled from the Big Apple to Wyoming, the diner made famous in movies and television ...
McDonald's left hungry by rivals, economy in July
The Golden Arches are starting to lose some of their shine. McDonald's Corp. says a key revenue figure came in flat in July, its worst showing in more ...
Oil slips after 3 straight gains; pump prices rise
The upward climb in oil prices paused on Wednesday. But the respite may not last long. Oil has registered a 20 percent gain since late June.
America: a patchwork of potato chips
You say potato, I say pot-ah-toe ... chip. And that's just the start of it. Though thin and flat may be the national standard — and bestselling ...
McD's sales stall as rivals, economy take bite
The Golden Arches are starting to lose some of their shine. McDonald's Corp. says a key revenue figure came in flat in July as diners pulled back amid ...
Beverage companies pay millions to conserve water
Fifty miles outside the nation's fourth-largest city is a massive field of waist-high grass, buzzing bees and palm-size butterflies, just waiting to ...
Australian court says motel can't ban prostitute
Prostitutes have the right to work from motel rooms in an Australian state, a court said after finding the owner's refusal to rent to a sex worker was ...
Asia stocks rise on more positive US jobs data
Asian stock markets rose Wednesday, buoyed by more positive employment data out of the U.S. and expectations that central banks in the U.S. and Europe ...
Conn. tribal gambling company expands into NJ
The tribe that owns the Mohegan Sun casino extended its reach in the East on Tuesday by taking over operations of Atlantic City's oldest casino, ...
CVS Caremark profit jumps 18 pct; boosts outlook
CVS Caremark Corp.'s second-quarter net income jumped 18.4 percent, as its drugstores took business from rival Walgreen and an expansion of its ...
Oil rises above $94 for 1st time since May
Oil rose above $94 per barrel for the first time since May on Tuesday, buoyed by hopes for economic stimulus and worries about supply disruptions ...
AP Photos: Mumbai's fashion week
India's cultural capital of Mumbai is in the thick of the fashion world with Lakme Fashion Week, wrapping up five days of runway presentations on ...