All Economy
Picking a new bank? Ignore freebies.Free items, like tote bags and hats, are a cheap way for banks to rope in customers without actually improving their account services.
Chevy Volt: Why is production being halted?Even though expectations were high for the Chevy Volt this year, things aren’t looking all that electrifying for the vehicle right now. High gas prices might change that.
Currency: Will Iceland go Loonie?Iceland is considering adopting the Canadian dollar as its national currency. It's an odd choice, but it could be an improvement.
US stocks slip on foreign worriesUS stocks faltered Monday on trouble in China and Greece. The Dow lost 14 points to close at 12962
Will nationalizing mines make South African poverty worse?South Africa has a 20 percent unemployment rate and rampant poverty, which will only get worse if the government begins interfering in mining operations.
Tax filing: Has IRS resolved its refund glitch?Tax filing electronically? You may have to wait a little longer for your refund due to a glitch in the IRS's new electronic tax filing software.
Economy rebounds, but food stamp use still climbing227,922 recipients were added to the food stamps program in December 2011 – a 5.52 percent increase since 2010.
A hard landing for China? Six top economists weigh in. China's economy grew 8.9 percent last quarter, the slowest pace in 2.5 years, and on Monday Premier Wen Jiabao cut the nation's growth target for 2012 to 7.5 percent, an eight-year low. Worries of a Chinese hard landing, defined as a sharp and sudden deceleration in growth, have gained momentum. However, China has been proactive in its efforts to prevent a hard landing. It has fine-tuned its policies to curb inflation, boost domestic consumption, and prevent a housing bubble. The Chinese government intervened heavily from 1989 to 1991 to cool its economy, causing real growth in gross domestic product to plunge to 4.1 percent in 1989, from 11.3 percent the previous year. It stepped in again in 1993. And some argue that this time around it's no different, and that the government knows exactly what it is doing. So we asked six top China analysts whether they saw a hard or soft landing scenario and what we should keep an eye on.
City 'command centers': Better than Twitter?IBM's latest product is "command centers" for mayors of cities around the world, to help them quickly get news and respond to the needs of their cities. Couldn't they just use Twitter?
Gas prices: How much will they hurt the economy?Gas prices are slated to hit new highs within months. How might that affect the modest economic recovery? Here's a clue: Every 10-cent rise per gallon in gas prices costs the US economy $11 billion.
Solar power: the fix for Africa's frustration with the grid?As solar power becomes more affordable and efficient, it could spread in Africa, much in the way cell phones took over without widespread infrastructure, writes guest blogger Alex Thurston.
Tech stocks: some help from Yelp?Tech stocks may see some of the buzz generated by the successful IPO of Yelp, prospects of a Facebook IPO, and the boost in the Nasdaq. Among tech stocks, Microsoft may benefit the most.
Why finance heads shouldn't be judged by the marketThe problem is that incentive compensation based on financial performance does a lousy job of distinguishing skill from luck.
Student loans or house downpayment? Where to spend $25,000.Student loans worth $25,000 will start accruing interest in November, but a young couple wants to buy a house in 2013. Should they pay off the student loans or buy a home? See question No. 4 in this reader mailbag.
Gas prices force cash-strapped cities to get creativeHow do cities stay on budget amid rising gas prices? No idling cop cars, shorter library times, and new garbage routes. But it's a delicate balancing act that could get tougher.
30-year mortgage rate falls to 3.9 percent30-year mortgage rate falls again to near-record lows. Fixed 30-year mortgage rates have stayed below 4 percent for 13 weeks in a row.
With BP oil spill billions at stake, why did Gulf fishermen suddenly settle?News that 100,000 fishermen and oil spill workers settled with BP for $7.8 billion rather than going to trial suggests a lesson from the Valdez spill: Drawn-out litigation can become its own tragedy.
- Chevy Volt sales so slow, GM idles production
Chevy Volt sales should be perking up with high gas prices. Instead, General Motors has decided to stop producing the Chevy Volt for five weeks.
Five things Millennials never want to hear The workplace has a recurring habit of throwing generations together and forcing them to cooperate. As Millennials (age 18-30), one of the largest cohorts in modern America, join the labor force, GenXers, boomers, and seniors are having to learn how to get along with their new employees. It isn't always easy. Millennials usually have broader experience with technology than their older colleagues do and are widely regarded as competitive, collaborative, and passionate, but also persistent and self-possessed to the point of feeling entitled to promotions they haven't earned. So here are five things not to say to these young and talented workers along with suggestions on how to improve the communication:
Unexpected windfall? Put it in a CD.Locking your money away in a CD provides you a period of “cooldown” where you can think rationally about what to do with the money instead of making a spur-of-the-moment (and likely poor) decision about how to it.
