All Economy
- As Ireland votes on EU treaty, many ask if it's worth cost of membership
The strict rules of the EU fiscal treaty Ireland votes on today essentially block stimulus spending, and many Irish worry the country is stuck in an austerity-driven slump.
- Academic elites migrate to 'green cities' in increasing numbers
Recent studies suggest a divergence is occurring in average human capital levels across US cities, a path dependence story that college graduates want to live and work near others like them while also creating so-called "green" high amenity cities.
- National Spelling Bee: 10 winning business words In the National Spelling Bee’s 85-year existence, a wide range of words have crowned the winners – from science words like ‘crustaceology,’ to musical terms such as ‘soubrette,’ and ‘appoggiatura.’ The list of winning words also includes several that could slide right into the pages of this newspaper’s business section. In honor of the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee, here are 10 business words from past years that have determined the champion. Will this year’s winning word make the list?
- Booming short sales poised to overtake foreclosures
Banks, eager to eliminate troubled mortgages through short sales rather than riskier foreclosures, are slashing prices. Average price of a short-sale home: $175,461, the lowest in at least seven years.
- Miami Dolphins on ‘Hard Knocks’ is shrewd business
Miami Dolphins training camp will be featured in the documentary series 'Hard Knocks' for its upcoming season. While some teams declined offers to appear on the HBO show, 'Hard Knocks' is a good fit for for a Miami Dolphins team struggling with falling ticket sales and a decade of football irrelevance.
- Greeks shrug off Europe's warnings that turmoil could get worse
Europe's dire warnings to Greece about the consequences of a potential default engender little fear among Greeks, who say the worst has already arrived.
- To play or not to play: Is that Powerball ticket worth it?
Lotteries exist to turn a profit. If you spend $1 on a lottery ticket, the lottery is going to keep at least some portion of that money. But just how bad a deal is it? Our personal finance analyst weighs in.
- Top 40 richest list: Zuckerberg flames out as super-billionaire. Does it matter?
Top 40 richest list from Bloomberg drops Facebook CEO Zuckerberg as his company's valuation ebbs. But making the Top 40 richest list is probably not Zuckerberg's big concern right now.
- Could gold really be on the ropes?
When looking at gold you can be an expert in the fairy tale aspect or accept the fact that it is the ultimate Greater Fool trade, for better or for worse. With levels reading 1500 an ounce, at least one analyst thinks the hallowed metal may be flirting with breaking under.
- As fears about Europe's future worsen, the Dow closes down
Fearing a financial rupture in Europe, investors around the world fled from risk Wednesday. They punished stocks and the euro, and the yield on a benchmark US bond hit its lowest point since World War II. The Dow closed down 161 points to land at 12419.
- New signs of global slowdown darken analyst's economic outlook
Data released this week may show new signs of a global slowdown. But one analyst isn't surprised. From the tech bubble burst to the housing collapse to the resurgence of gold, he's been (mostly) right. Not that he's saying 'I told you so.'
- Your teen is ready to drive? Here's how to pick a driving school.
Nearly half of US states require driver education for teens under 18. In choosing a driving school, look for one accredited by the AAA.
- Oil subsidies: Surprise! Liberals are fans, too.
When asked if the federal government should eliminate subsidies for oil companies, most would respond with a resounding 'yes.' But such a policy would have unwelcome unintended consequences, and not just for billionaire oil tycoons.
- Facebook opens office in Dubai
Facebook established an office in the Middle East for the first time on Wednesday, in Dubai's Internet City.
- US Treasury bond yields hit record low as eurozone worries mount
A decline in global stock prices Wednesday shows that many investors are taking sanctuary in US Treasury bonds, anticipating major convulsions in the eurozone – and perhaps its breakup.
- Huge mortgage debts keep the housing market tumbling
Experts have been calling for the bottom of the housing market each year since the crash, and prices continue to tumble. Why? In an overwhelming number of cases, homeowners owe more on their mortgages than their houses are actually worth.
- Mortgage rates tumble to record lows. Again.
The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage declined 2 basis points to 3.81 percent since last week, the lowest value on on record for this MBA series, while the purchase application volume declined 0.6 percent, and the refinance application declined 1.5 percent over the same period.
- How to avoid austerity but still fix the deficit
As Europe has shown us, austerity is bad for weak economies facing large budget deficits. But it can be avoided by getting growth and jobs back first, and only then tackling budget deficits.
- Financial aid on a debit card? Students hit with extra fees.
Financial aid can be cheaper to administer when colleges hand it off to debit card companies. But a new study finds students are getting hit with hefty fees.
- Facebook stock drops below $29
Facebook stock falls 9.6 percent to close at $28.84. In its first seven days of trading, Facebook stock has lost nearly a quarter of its value.