All Economy
- Stocks stumble towards end of solid 3QStocks fell Friday in all industry groups in the S&P 500 except utilities. The biggest losses were in telecommunications and information technology stocks. But the big indices are still up 4 percent or more for three months.
- America's best jobs program? Trade reform with China.China has flagrantly violated trade rules since joining the World Trade Organization – and the US has lost 50,000 factories and 6 million manufacturing jobs.
- Five ways to tax the 47 percentGleckman offers five suggestions for reducing the portion of Americans who do not pay federal income tax.
- Realtors: Home sales decline in AugustThe National Association of Realtors' national index fell 2.6 percent in August 2012 but increased 10.7 percent above the level seen in August 2011.Â
- Romney tax plan: Is it 'mathematically impossible' or not?One study said Mitt Romney's tax-reform numbers don't add up. Another says they do. The reality: It depends a lot on the assumptions made about how deeply Romney is willing to cut tax breaks for the rich, including incentives for investment.
- BofA pays $2.43B in Merrill-Lynch lawsuitBank of America says it has agreed to pay $2.43 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch. Investors that bought or held Bank of America stock when the company announced its plans to buy Merrill Lynch claim that the bank made misleading statements about both companies' financial health.
- US Postal Service to default on multi-billion dollar payment. Again.The US Postal Service to default on a $5.6 billion debt it can't afford to pay. The US Postal Service default is its second missed multi-billion dollar payment in just as many months.
- My Nissan Leaf life: How I almost leased one online – until my wife found outThe Nissan Leaf website is funky, informative and so seductive you might be ready to get one after the online experience. But take a test drive first.
- Timothy Geithner pressures SEC to change money-market rulesTimothy Geithner is putting pressure on the Securities and Exchange Commission to overhaul its rules for money-market mutual funds. Geithner warned that without an overhaul to the money-market system, US financial stability would remain threatened.Â
- Carmageddon II: Los Angeles preps for freeway closure sequel'Carmageddon II' is coming to Los Angeles' Interstate 405. One of the nation's most crowded freeways will be closed over the weekend. Authorities are hoping to see a repeat of the first 'Carmageddon,' when hundreds of thousands of motorists stayed off the road.Â
- Best laptop deals of the weekBest laptop deals include a Sony VAIO S Series and a Lenovo Utrabook.
- RIM surprises market: More people are using BlackBerrysRIM stock surges 20 percent in after-market trading, reporting smaller-than-expected losses and gains in BlackBerry subscribers in emerging markets. But RIM's future hangs on delayed BlackBerry 10.
- Asian markets cheer Spain's plans for reformAsian stocks edge up as debt-laden Spain unveils budget plans with sharp cuts in government spending. Euro and Japanese yen climb while dollar falls.
- GDP up in Q2The economy continued to expand in Q2 with real GDP increasing at a tepid annualized rate of 1.3% from Q1 2012, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
- Stocks snap losing streakThursday was the best day for US stocks since Sept. 13, when Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke announced further steps by the central bank to speed the economic recovery. Stocks were also helped by speculation that the central bank of China will act soon to help the world's No. 2 economy.
- Think the corporate tax system is broken? Go ahead, try to fix it.To offset the costs of cutting corporate tax rates, policymakers will need to roll back tax preferences, each of which has powerful defenders, Marron writes. To illustrate the challenge, Marron highlights a tax reform calculator from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.Â
- Census: Home sales drop slightly in AugustHome sales dropped 0.3 percent since July 2012 but rising 27.7 percent above the level seen in August 2011, according to the US Census Bureau.Â
- What you can expect from 4G LTE coverage4G LTE smartphones offer extremely fast downloads, but quality of 4G LTE connection depends on your smartphone, carrier, and location.
- Unemployment claims plunge to two-month lowUnemployment claims drop 26,000 to a level of 359,000, the lowest in nine weeks. At this level, unemployment claims typically point to a lower unemployment rate.
- Student loan debt hits record 1 in 5 US householdsStudent loan debt has reached a record 1 in 5 US households, with the biggest burdens falling on the young and poor. Because of the sluggish economy, fewer college students than before are able to settle into full-time careers immediately upon graduation, contributing to the jump in student loan debt.