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Economy

Stocks advance, pushing Dow toward 14,000
Pfizer helped keep the stock market rally alive Tuesday. The drugmaker's stock gained after posting strong earnings, pushing the Dow closer to 14,000.
Ford shares down as 4Q profit eclipsed by Europe
Ford is posting record profits in North America, but it's not enough to quell unease about the company's prospects elsewhere. Ford's shares dropped ...
US consumers less optimistic after tax increase
An increase in Social Security taxes is leaving Americans with less take-home pay — and a more negative outlook for the U.S. economy. The Conference ...
Reid: Replace automatic cuts in short increments
The top Democrat in the Senate said Tuesday that lawmakers should redouble their efforts to replace looming across-the-board cuts to the Pentagon and ...
Dissident end of 'leadership of thieves' in China
Blind dissident Chen Guangcheng on Tuesday urged China's people to end the communist-governed nation's "leadership of thieves" and for Washington not ...
After big rally, RIM selling off before launch
Research In Motion investors are turning skittish ahead of Wednesday's critical launch of the company's much-delayed new BlackBerrys. THE SPARK: The ...
Fed likely to stick to low-rate message this week
When the Federal Reserve meets this week, it's likely to affirm a message it intends to help lift the economy: that consumers and businesses will be ...
London theater sales hold up in Olympic year
London's theaters say they had a strong 2012 despite the Olympics' "dampening effect" on ticket sales. Figures released Tuesday show that almost 14 ...
Israel central bank chief to step down in June
The governor of Israel's central bank, widely credited with steering the nation's economy safely through years of world financial turmoil, resigned ...
Study finds improvement in German consumer mood
A closely-watched survey shows German consumers are more optimistic, buoyed by the current calm in financial markets and expectations the economy will ...
Russia likely to contribute to Cyprus bailout
Russia is likely to contribute money to a rescue package that Cyprus is trying to finalize with eurozone partners, the cash-strapped country's finance ...
US home prices accelerate in November
U.S. home prices accelerated in November compared with a year ago, pushed higher by rising sales and a tighter supply of available homes. The Standard ...
THE RESET: Bernanke keeping foot on stimulus pedal
Ben Bernanke's term as chairman of the Federal Reserve expires one year from Thursday. Sometime between now and then he's likely to take his foot off ...
Stocks open mixed, S&P 500 holds at 1,500
Stocks opened mixed on Wall Street, with the Standard & Poor's 500 holding at 1,500. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 3 points to 13,855.
Oil steady as US, China manufacturing improves
The price of oil was steady above $96 a barrel on Tuesday, supported by expanding manufacturing output in the world's two largest economies and ahead ...
IMF tells Romania to push on with reforms
The International Monetary Fund has called on the Romanian government to implement deeper structural reforms and to apply for more European Union ...
Lombardy stars as kingmaker in national elections
One region looms large over Italy's upcoming election: Lombardy. The nation's industrial powerhouse and home to its financial capital, Milan, the ...
Trash piles at Madrid airport as cleaners strike
Empty bottles, cans and trash are piling up at Madrid's airport as cleaners enter the fifth day of a strike to protest proposed layoffs. The strike ...
Obama says he'll sign $50.5B Sandy aid bill soon
President Barack Obama said he'll sign a $50.5 billion emergency relief measure for Superstorm Sandy victims as soon as it lands on his desk.
India cuts key interest rate by quarter point
India's central bank cut its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 7.75 percent Tuesday, aiming to boost flagging growth in Asia's ...
Asia stocks rise as Wall Street flirts with highs
Asian stock markets posted modest gains Tuesday as the feel-good factor lingered from near-record highs on Wall Street and signs of an upswing in U.S.
Congress passes $50.5B Superstorm Sandy aid bill
Three months after Superstorm Sandy ravaged coastal areas in much of the Northeast, Congress on Monday sent a $50.5 billion emergency relief measure ...
Antigua gets OK to become copyright haven
Americans call it piracy. Antiguans call it justice. The islands of Antigua and Barbuda are threatening to strip intellectual property protections ...
Caterpillar sees uncertain 2013 after tough 4Q
Caterpillar said on Monday that its 2013 profit could shrink if the world's economy doesn't pick up in the second half of the year, as mining ...
Former trader charged with defrauding bailout fund
A former managing director of an investment bank was arrested Monday on charges he defrauded investment funds the Department of Treasury established ...