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Personal finance

US rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.41 pct.
Average U.S. mortgage rates rose only slightly this week and continued to hover near record lows, a trend that has helped boost home sales and ...
Holiday gadgets: Samsung launches Note II phone
Samsung Electronics Co. has been running ads touting its Galaxy S III phone as its "next big thing." Now it has something bigger. The S III released ...
US suit alleges 'brazen' fraud at Countrywide
The latest federal lawsuit over alleged mortgage fraud paints an unflattering picture of a doomed lender: Executives at Countrywide Financial urged ...
Best Buy offers exclusive Windows 8 deals, demos
Confused by Windows 8? Best Buy hopes it can help. The consumer-electronics retailer is hoping to capitalize on the launch of Windows 8. It's trying ...
Gas gets cheaper, but still isn't cheap
Gasoline across the U.S. is cheaper after a week of rapid price declines. But it still isn't cheap. The national average for a gallon of gas has ...
UK High Court rules for equal pay for women
Cooks, cleaners and dozens of other female workers won a key equal pay ruling at Britain's High Court on Wednesday in a case which lawyers say will ...
Q&A: What will candidates do on college costs?
President Barack Obama has rallied college students at dozens of campuses, touted his record on student aid and needled Republican challenger Mitt ...
US new-home sales rise to highest in 2½ years
U.S. sales of new homes jumped last month to the highest level in more than two years, further evidence of a sustained housing recovery that could ...
College price hikes more modest but still painful
The sticker price of in-state tuition at four-year public universities climbed about $400 this fall, an increase of nearly 5 percent that brought the ...
Gov't consumer watchdog to oversee debt collectors
Expanding its reach, the government's consumer finance watchdog agency will monitor the day-to-day operations of big debt-collection companies, the ...
Expectations low for any major Fed moves this week
Six weeks after rolling out a bold plan to boost the U.S. economy, the central bank is meeting again amid low expectations for further help.
Disabled patients to benefit from Medicare change
Thousands of Medicare patients with severe chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer's would get continuing access to rehab and other services under a ...
Fed likely to send wait-and-see signal at meeting
Six weeks ago, the Federal Reserve unveiled its latest plan to invigorate the U.S. economy. This week, the Fed will likely send a simple message: Give ...
FACT CHECK: Flunking geography, history
Voters didn't always get the straight goods when President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney made their case for foreign policy and national ...
Land battles surface in Myanmar as reforms unfold
The landscape of Mingaladon township on the northern outskirts of Myanmar's main city tells a story of economic upheaval. Skeletons of factories for ...
Hasbro 3rd-qtr profit falls 4 pct, revenue drops
The toys wars are heating up, with Hasbro planning to beef up spending on advertising after reporting that its third-quarter results fell by 4 percent
Holiday gadgets: Windows, iPads and more this week
As the holiday-shopping season approaches, Microsoft and Apple have scheduled major events this week to unveil new gadgets and software. The Microsoft ...
As stocks soar, more join the $100 Club
High prices help sell watches, sports cars and handbags by suggesting rare quality. Now, they may be helping sell stocks, too. The number of stocks ...
Both parties see gains coming from Medicare debate
A little more than two weeks before Election Day, Republicans and Democrats alike say Medicare is working to their political advantage in campaigns ...
Questions for Medicare in meningitis outbreak
Medicare is coming under scrutiny in the meningitis outbreak that has rekindled doubts about the safety of the nation's drug supply. The giant health ...
Draft order would give companies cyberthreat info
A new White House executive order would direct U.S. spy agencies to share the latest intelligence about cyberthreats with companies operating electric ...
Scripps grandson dies; investors eye family sale
Shares of HGTV and Food Network owner Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. rose nearly 6 percent before giving back most of the gains on Friday after the ...
US home sales dip 1.7 percent on tight inventory
U.S. sales of previously occupied homes fell in September after hitting a two-year high in August, in part because there were fewer homes available ...
US rate on 30-year fixed mortgage near record low
The average U.S. rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has fallen to near its record low set earlier this month. The rate on the most popular mortgage ...