All Economy
Small business owners' optimism slides in JuneSmall business owners optimism is being taxed by a lagging economy and an uncertain political climate. According to a recent survey, small business owners are hesitant to expand, scaling back plans to hire and buy equipment.
Obama plays it safe on taxes. Too bad.Obama had an opportunity to at聽 least tie an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts to tax reform and deficit reduction next year in his address to Congress yesterday. But instead of using his platform to demand such a linkage, Obama offered little more than a rehash of past, unproductive arguments.聽
Pull that plug: Watching TV is more expensive than many assumeEvery calculated how much money it costs your family to feed your television habit? If the answer is no, don't worry, our personal finance expert has done it for you. And his findings might surprise the average television fan.
Crowding into the Board Room: A new way to investThe newly-approved JOBS Act broadens the pool of people who can invest in small businesses and offers an exciting new avenue for raising money for start-ups, by harnessing the power of the crowdfunding movement.
Stocks slide ahead of corporate earnings seasonStocks closed lower on The Street ahead of US corporate earnings reports and the continued instability of markets across the pond. The Dow Jones industrial average slid 36 points to close at 12,736, the index's third straight day of losses.
Wealth and the aggression factor: What makes a successful mogul?Wealth and aggression have been anecdotally linked before in discussions about what makes a successful businessman. But a new article in New York Magazine attempts to bring a more scientific approach to the debate.
Gas prices creep upward as oil soarsGas prices rose 2.4 cents over the weekend to a national average of $3.38 per gallon,, but oil spiked nearly 2 percent as Norwegian oil workers prepared to strike. Gas prices are up six cents from last week, but remain well below prices seen at the same time last year.
Scandal of scandals: Barclays corruption probe digs up new dirtWhen it comes to Wall Street, many of us suffer outrage fatigue and cynicism that nothing will ever be done to stop these abuses. The question is whether the unfolding Barclays scandal will provide enough energy to finally force a change.
The incredible shrinking pay raise: Wages can't keep up with inflationPay raises are getting smaller, but consumer prices continue to rise. If the trend in shrinking worker pay raises continues, it could mean stalled consumer spending and a halt to economic growth.
Student loans overwhelming? Make a chart to track your payment progress.Student loans can seem insurmountable, but tracking small steps in paying them down can help you feel as though you're making progress. Noting even $10 payments on student loans can motivate you to get the rest paid off.
New unemployment numbers show slight year-over-year gainsUsing numbers provided by Radar Logic's home price index, SoldAtTheTop analyzes some of the deeper trends in the current US housing market. The latest numbers show the first year-over-year gains since mid-2010.
Update on Spanish unemployment shows regional discrepanciesAccording to first quarter numbers, there are several percentage points that separate the unemployment rates of northern and southern Spain. The gap between the regions is almost as large in percentage as the gap between Spain and Austria.
3 million mile Volvo: Long Island man's P1800S won't quit3 million mile Volvo owned by a Long Island schoolteacher already holds the world record for the highest recorded mileage on a car, but Irvin Gordon's beloved Volvo is expected to hit the 3 million mile mark sometime next year.
What the lousy jobs picture means for Obama's futureThe US jobs situation continues to worsen. If it doesn't get better by after Labor Day, Obama really needs to start worrying.
Garbage soup: Put those table scraps to good useIt takes longer to call the pizza delivery guy than it does to make this resourceful soup that's much tastier than its name.
June's best (and worst) selling carsA pickup truck snagged to top-selling spot for June's new car sales, while the worst-selling models only sold one model each. Can you guess which car came out on top?
Are you neglecting your air conditioner?Air conditioning units can be rendered all but useless if too much dirt and dust accumulates. If you want your air conditioner to run effectively, and for a long time, you need to give it some attention.
Credit score: Can you remove settled debts from your credit history?Credit scores can be affected by outstanding debt, even if it no longer exists. Navigating debt negotiations can be tricky, especially if you settled with a company for less than you owe. But a company can and will remove a settled debt from your credit history, if you know how to ask.
The return of the gas guzzler? Average fuel economy drops in June.New cars had lower average fuel economy in June, three months after peaking an all-time high. The culprit? Falling gas prices.
Unemployment numbers shows jobs up, but not by enoughUnemployment numbers coming out from the BLS today show payrolls up 80,000, a weak gain not enough to counteract the large numbers of continued unemployed. The employment rate continues to remain low.
