All Economy
- Should high-skilled immigrants get special treatment?
Some in Congress want to give special visas to foreign-born graduates of American universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math. But critics say it could come at the expense of diversity in legal immigration.
- Two inflationary days
Producer prices rose 1.7 percent in August, but the Fed went ahead with QE3. Is the US economy about to experience some serious inflation?
- Ignoring the sales pitch
It's a salesman's job to highlight the positive attributes of a product. It's your job to do your research and find the drawbacks.
- Gas taxes vs. fuel restrictions: Which is better for reducing emissions?
New fuel efficiency rules throw all of the burden onto carmakers, some economists say. Would higher sales taxes on gas be more effective?
- How do you revive Occupy Wall Street? Occupy Wall Street.
Occupy Wall Street plans to observe its one-year anniversary Monday by surrounding the New York Stock Exchange. The move is a bid to rejuvenate the Occupy Wall Street movement, which hasn't sustained the momentum it gained last fall.
- Raise your deductible. Lower your monthly bill.
Raising your deductible for insurance claims will reduce your monthly payments. Just make sure you have a healthy emergency fund and can handle the higher deductible if needed.
- Ethanol industry's big stand on Capitol Hill
Ethanol industry has lost its tax credit and tariff. Now, as opponents target the renewable fuel standard for elimination, the ethanol industry beefs up its presence on Capitol Hill.
- For these four nations, 2012 is worse than the Great Recession The Great Recession of 2008/09 delivered the worst blow to the global economy since the 1930s. But in a few nations, 2012 is turning out to be worse than 2009 in terms of economic growth. Europe's debt crisis, the general slowing of the world economy, and domestic political troubles have played a role in undercutting 2012 growth for one or more of these four nations. Can you guess who they are?
- Workers bear the corporate income tax burden
Corporate income tax moves some capital abroad, which reduces worker productivity, wages and benefits, Marron writes. As a result, some of the corporate income tax burden falls on workers.
- Automatic budget cuts would be 'deeply destructive'
Automatic budget cuts would hit Pentagon with 9 percent reduction, hurting military readiness, and 8 percent cuts in nondefense programs from the FBI to the Border Patrol to air controllers, a new White House report says.
- Stocks continue surge after Fed bailout
The Federal Reserve's announcement of more help for the U.S. economy propelled stocks higher for a second day Friday. Apple led the rise in stock prices, blowing through its own all-time high as it started taking orders for the iPhone 5.
- Stealing US business secrets: Experts ID two huge cyber 'gangs' in China
Two large operations in China account for 90 percent of cyberespionage against US business, one expert says. Research suggests the scope of the operations could be breathtaking.
- Retail sales rise in August
Retail sales rose 0.9 percent from July 2012. On a year-over-year basis, retail sales rose 4.7 percent.
- The future of crowdfunding: Crowd-investing?
Thanks to websites like Kickstarter, a number of small online donations made by a network of interested parties can fund a new project or start-up. Some believe that this system of crowdfunding can be used for equity investments in addition to donations, Cornwall writes.
- Walmart apologizes after rejecting 9/11 kids' chorus
Walmart apologizes after a manager at one of its Florida stores calls kids' chorus a 'liability' and prevents them from singing 'God Bless America' on 9/11. Then the police are called. Walmart apologizes for 'miscommunication' and vows to make it up to kids.
- Eastman Kodak postpones bankruptcy auction on patents
Eastman Kodak Co. canceled an auction hearing to sell more than 1,000 patents in an effort to emerge from bankruptcy protection. In a court filing Friday, Eastman Kodak Co. said it won't keep rescheduling the auction.
- Industrial production falls in August
Industrial production declined 1.16 percent since July but rose 2.8 percent above the level of industrial production seen in August 2011.
- Bernanke bump: Stocks rise early on Fed action
Bernanke's announcement that the Federal Reserve would once again step in to help the lagging economic recovery is sending stocks to one of their best weeks since June. Bernanke and the Fed pledged to spend $40 billion on mortgage bonds to drive down long-term interest rates and push investors into stocks.
- Retail sales get a boost from autos, gas prices
Retail sales rose in August because consumers paid higher gas prices and bought more cars and trucks. Retail sales at general merchandise, clothing and electronic stores fell, suggesting that consumers are becoming more selective about spending.
- Berkshire Hathaway sells Intel stock, nets $60 million
Warren Buffet's firm deviates from its usual buy-and-hold strategy to sell its Intel stocks a year after buying them, Brown writes.