All Economy
Regional differences in unemployment further hinder EU recoveryIt is well documented that there are big differences in unemployment within the European Union. What is perhaps less well known, however, is that聽dramatic differences in unemployment exist within many euro countries聽as well.
US stocks plunge after weak June jobs reportDespite preparing for a poor showing, the Dow Jones average plunged 124 points to close at 12,772. The US government reported that only 80,000 jobs were created in June, the third straight month of sluggish growth and weak hiring.
Unemployment report shows economy still stuck in low gearUnemployment report shows the US economy still stuck in low gear. Today鈥檚 numbers show a situation potentially even worse than the early 1980s, considered by some to be the worst period of unemployment behind the Great Depression.
Jobs growth tepid: Another month, another missJobs growth remained tepid in the US this month, according to the monthly numbers released from the BLS today. Employers did not create enough jobs growth to keep up with the backlog of almost 13 million unemployed workers.
Mortgage rates fall to new record lowsMortgage rates fell again to new record lows, providing prospective buyers with more incentive to brave a modestly recovering housing market. 30-year fixed mortgage rates slipped to 3.62 percent, down from 3.66 percent last week.
The perfect hobby? Reading books is fun, cheap and good for youA single good-sized book will provide you with many hours of entertainment, it聽will make you think about some aspect of the world around you and make you reconsider that aspect a little. And even better, that single book can be acquired for practically nothing.
US adds 80,000 jobs in June, as growth remains sluggishJob creation in June was affected by the financial crisis in Europe, uncertainty about the future of health-care reform, and even the heat. A rare bright spot? Hiring of temp workers is up.
Never pay to game again: 5 great free online gamesWith the wealth of excellent free games online, there's scarcely the need to pay for a game ever again. Here are five of the best, for free.
Down the rabbit hole: The Barclays scandal growsThe scandal at Barclays continues to grow as emails dating back to 2005 attest to a pattern of greed and corrupt business practices. What is not well known is what the final cost could be to the world's financial institutions, and these costs could be enormous.
European interest rates cut. Too little, too late?European interest rates were cut by central banks in an effort to rescue the eurozone economy. But is the cut in European interest rates a last ditch effort?
Will enough people buy into Obamacare?The Affordable Care Act鈥檚 tax on those who do not have health insurance will be modest and difficult to collect. But will it be enough to get people to buy coverage? 聽If not, healthy people may opt out until they get sick, driving up premiums for those who do buy in.
Weak retail sales figures push stocks lowerStocks closed mostly lower Thursday after signs emerged that Americans are spending at a slower pace and that China's economy may be in worse shape than previously thought. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 47 points at 12,896.
Happy Birthday, Spam! America's favorite canned meat turns 75Spam turns 75 years old this July, and it's celebrating with a new mascot and a party at its chief US manufacturing plant. Once a staple of soldiers' diets, Spam's reluctant legacy may be as the clown of the food world.
Jobless claims report shows another small declineToday鈥檚 jobless claims report showed another small decline to initial unemployment claims and a flattening to continued unemployment claims. Seasonally adjusted initial claims continued to remain below the important 400K level.
Big Pharma's $3 billion slap on the wristThe Justice Department has announced a $3 billion settlement against GlaxoSmithKline for improper marketing prescription drugs in the late 1990s to the mid-2000s. It may sound like a lot of money, but really is just a drop in the bucket for Big Pharma.
Volkswagen completes Porsche takeoverVolkswagen has completed its takeover of Porsche, acquiring the 50.1 percent of the luxury automaker that it didn't already own. Volkswagen will pay Porsche $5.6 billion plus one ordinary VW share, according to the agreement.
Baby bust: Germany's not-so-secret weaknessIn about 20 to 25 years or so the newest generation of young adults will become part of the labor force. As Germans born in the 1950s and 1960s retire in the coming decades, Germany will get a much smaller labor force than its neighbors.
June job report: Gains made in private sector employmentJune jobs report numbers released today show the economy is currently showing the most growth for small to mid-sized service providing jobs with goods-producing jobs remaining near trough levels.
Obamacare's 'tax' is mostly bark, not biteThe Affordable Care Act鈥檚 tax was the essential final piece of the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision to聽uphold the law鈥檚 constitutionality. But in reality, the tax itself is modest, at least to start. It will affect relatively few people be hard to enforce.
Lobster cheaper than bologna? True, thanks to surplus.Lobster is unusually cheap in Maine this season thanks to a glut that has sent prices into a freefall. In some places, soft shell lobster is selling for lower per pound prices than bologna meat at many supermarket deli counters.
