All Economy
Spending cuts: As Washington frets, Wall Street shrugs (so far)Spending cuts set to pummel most government programs starting today so far haven't had much effect on investors. The $85 billion in across-the-board 'sequestration' cuts were expected to cause airport delays, disrupt public services and result in lower pay or layoffs for millions of government workers.
Financial aid: finding better ways to help college studentsThere are many ideas for improving federal assistance for low-income college students, Rueben writes, including better targeting of higher education tax credits.
BEA: US economy grew 0.1 percent in Q4The US economy barely registered growth in Q4 2012 with real GDP improving at an annualized rate of just 0.1 percent from Q3 2012, according to a the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Stocks fade as Dow nears, then pulls away from recordStocks closed lower Thursday with the Dow easing back from its highest level of the year. The day started with stocks plodding along indecisively, before sending stock investors on a whipsaw day
Boeing proposes Dreamliner battery fix to Japanese regulatorsBoeing's CEO met with Akihiro Ota, who heads the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and with the director general of the Civil Aviation Bureau, to explain the proposed solution to the problem of the batteries overheating.
Gold prices falling after Italian bond auctionGold prices falling: Gold for April delivery fell $19.80, or 1.2 percent, to $1,595.70 per ounce. Silver and platinum were down 1 percent or more.
JCPenney shares plunge after 'no sales' bustJCPenney stock plunged nearly 20 percent after the chain reported its fourth straight massive quarterly earnings loss. The JCPenney stock loss is a a sign that efforts to turn the struggling retailer around have been an outright failure.
Are California's electric-car charging stations too congested?California is by far the largest single market for electric cars, Voelcker writes, and that means charging stations in public parking lots are now sometimes fully occupied, meaning they can't recharge their electric cars' batteries.
Jobless claims fall to 344,000Jobless claims declined by 22,000 to 344,000 claims from 366,000 jobless claims for the prior week.
Revised GDP: US economy actually grew in fourth quarter, but barelyGrowth of the US economy in the fourth quarter wasn't negative after all, revised GDP figures show. But the new 0.1 percent rate is still lower than what many economists expected.
- Groupon stock tumbles on disappointing year's end
Groupon booked a net loss of $81.1 million at the end of 2012, sending Groupon stock falling in after-hours trading.
The sequester is real, but not catastrophicThe sequester – while short-term painful – will likely prove to be not the worst thing in the world and that the economy, the consumer and corporate profits were able to weather it and make it through to the other side, Brown writes.
Lego for girls: Building profits by catering to girlsLego for girls: The Lego Friends, a Lego product line designed for girls, is a big hit. The new Lego blocks boosted sales by 25 percent in 2012.
How to avoid the sequester and give both parties what they wantTo move beyond the sequester, Republicans and Democrats must figure out what they can give up to get what they really want, Steuerle writes.
Stocks soar; Dow nears all-time highStocks rose on Wall Street for a second day Wednesday. The stock market surged on good news from retailers and the US housing market. The Dow came within 100 points of its all-time high.
Nevada considers 85 mph speed limitsNevada State Senator Don Gustavson has introduced a bill that would bump the highest speed limits in his state to 85 mph, Ernst writes, matching a stretch of toll road in Texas that currently has the distinction of being the nation’s fastest highway.
Home sales: Is a 'seller's market' pending?Pending home sales and existing home sales are rising, which is shrinking the inventories of available homes. Some experts are now saying the unthinkable: A seller's market is pending.
MBA: Mortgage rates flat at 3.66 percentMortgage rates went flat at 3.66 percent since last week, according to the latest mortgage rates data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Welfare, subsidies, and tax credits: words that shape the deficit debateIn much public discourse, direct government aid for the poor is easily dismissed by the pejorative “welfare,” Gleckman writes, but spending-like subsidies administered through the revenue code provoke far less outrage.
JPMorgan cuts 19,000 jobs, calls it a good signJPMorgan cuts 15,000 jobs from its troubled mortgage sector, citing healthier home mortgages. The other 4,000 job cuts come from consumer banking.
