The sharpest decline in stock ownership is among middle-income Americans. In 2008, about 66% of middle class Americans owned stocks, compared just 50% now. More
The mortgage financing giants, taken over by the federal government in 2008, are profitable again and paying big dividends to Treasury. That will help the country pare its deficit and buy time before Congress has to raise the debt ceiling. More
T. Boone Pickens says that cheap natural gas will become the go-to for transportation fuel and that leaders in Washington will eventually realize the economic benefits. Play
These Americans can't wait until they can apply for health insurance under the new state-based exchanges, scheduled to open for enrollment in October. More
Green Mountain announced that it will keep producing Starbucks-branded single serve pods for the firm's popular Keurig brewing machines. Shares soared on the news. More
Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling will still serve many years in prison, according to his lawyer, but will be out much earlier than his 2028 release date. More
Bob McDonald, who's led P&G since July 2009, serves on the board of 21 different organizations, and Bill Ackman thinks that may be more than a few too many. More
Americans are shelling out more for everyday staples like groceries and gas, while also splurging a little on dining out and giving to charities, according to a Mint.com survey. More
Higher taxes and more people working brought in far more revenue during the first seven months of this fiscal year than the same period last year. Spending fell modestly, too. More
Warren Buffett's lieutenant Charlie Munger says Europe will muddle through their economic problems and that Japan has gracefully 'taken a messed-up static economy for a long time.' Play
Touted as the 'largest shopping mall in the world,' the New South China Mall sits virtually empty as a result of low demand and over-ambitious building. Play
Park insiders suggest vacationers this summer prepare for long lines, truncated visitors' center hours, locked restrooms and overflowing trash cans, thanks to federal budget cuts. More
Shareholders are pushing JPMorgan's board to strip Jamie Dimon of his role as chairman. An influential shareholder advisory firm also wants three board members out. More
Lawsuits from New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman are the first legal actions from federal or state officials over banks' alleged non-compliance with the mortgage settlement. More
Private equity firms are buying the struggling BMC Software for $6.9 billion after a year-long campaign by activist shareholder Elliot Management. More
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett thinks immigration reform will pass in Congress and that rising income inequality is a drag on economic growth. Play
Warren Buffett says the Fed's policies are driving higher asset prices and that fiscally, 'the downside of that stimulus would be greater than the immediate benefits.' Play
Bangladesh promises to improve labor oversight as retailers weigh cost of doing business in the country after devastating factory collapse kills hundreds of workers. More
Despite Berkshire Hathaway's large investments in big banks, Charlie Munger says the banks need more regulation and less risk on their trading books. Play
The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a long-debated Internet sales tax law Monday -- paving the way for millions of consumers to start paying sales tax on online purchases. More
Warren Buffett strolls the exhibition hall at Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholders meeting and talks about BNSF railroad and the Tribune Company. Play
Federal funding for Meals on Wheels, which provides meals and human contact for seniors, will be reduced $38.7 million due to automatic budget cuts known as the sequester. More
Companies are relying more and more on skilled freelance laborers in order to cut costs. These laborers, however, generally don't report their cash earnings. Play
Staples says it's the first major U.S. retailer to sell a 3-D printer. The Cube, made by 3D Systems, is available on Staples.com now and will hit brick-and-mortar stores by June. More
Europe takes another step back from austerity, saying it may give France two more years to meet borrowing targets as eurozone's second biggest economy slips back into recession. More
The Senate is expected to vote on legislation that would allow 45 states and the District of Columbia to require online retailers to collect sales taxes on purchases. Here's how it would impact your online shopping bill. More
A federal investigator in the D.C. Public Defender's office is in the midst of taking her 6 days of furlough. She and others in that office face as many as 15 unpaid days this year. More
Mel Watt, President Obama's choice to head the FHFA, will have to deal with a number of contentious questions about the government's role in the housing market should he be confirmed. More
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett discusses what he's learned from female role models and says that women can't put limitations on themselves. Play
Lawmakers promise they will never raise taxes or cut benefits for the middle class. But Congress' budget scorekeeper says they won't be able to keep that promise forever if they are serious about putting the debt on a sustainable path. More
Good news on economic, earnings and Europe front fuel rebound in stocks after mild sell-off. Investors encouraged by drop in jobless claims and ECB's interest rate cut. More
Facebook's sales jumped 38% over the year, but investors are still heavily focused on mobile -- and they're worried about the company's rising expenses. More
The tech giant now offers investors two ways to own a piece of Apple. While the stock has regained some ground, demand for Apple's new bonds was overwhelming. More
Stocks dropped about 0.9% a day after they knocked-out six consecutive monthly gains, and Wall Street is wondering whether the bulls still have more room to run. More
Some things just shouldn't be connected to the Internet. With Shodan, a search engine that finds connected devices, it's easy to locate dangerous things that anyone can access without so much as a username or password. More
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer caught flak for coming back to work two weeks after she gave birth, but now she is extending Yahoo's parental leave policy. More
Slumping prices and record unemployment bolster the case for Europe to ease up on austerity and cut interest rates to inject life into its stagnant economy. More
The S&P 500 closed at a record high, while the Nasdaq finished at its highest level in more than 12 years. Both indexes clocked in their sixth straight monthly gain in April. More
Ford announced Monday it will start selling its cars and trucks in Myanmar, becoming the first major automaker to open a showroom in the former pariah state. More
In a wedding of China's leading Internet darlings, online retailer Alibaba has taken a $586 million stake in the country's most popular micro-blogging service. More
Congress has selectively given a reprieve from budget cuts. But there's no indication that the unemployed, who will see their federally extended jobless benefits reduced, are on the list. More
Some shareholders in the Empire State Building are in court this week seeking to block plans for a trust and subsequent IPO for the landmark building and other Manhattan properties. More
Technology stocks boosted market. Apple was among the top gainers in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, which ended at the highest level since November 2000. HP, IBM and Microsoft were the biggest winners in the Dow. More
Memories of Europe's debt crisis faded Monday as investors sent yields on Italian bonds to their lowest levels in over two years after a new government was appointed. More
Stuck in recession, with inflation rates tumbling and unemployment rising, the eurozone looks set to get its first cut in interest rates in 10 months this week. More
From Japan and the Philippines to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, these countries' stock markets have rallied more than 20% so far this year. More
Lawmakers' about-face on FAA furloughs will help travelers. But advocates for everyone else directly affected by spending cuts are miffed with the selective undoing of what were supposed to be across-the-board cuts. More
Recession-hit Spain needs two more years to meet budget targets agreed with the EU, the government said Friday, presenting a new challenge to the region's austerity drive. More
Congress on Friday was expected to pass a bill to give the FAA power to move money around to block furloughs for air traffic controllers who could be back on the job over the weekend. Other furloughed workers left in the cold. More
From 2016, the U.K.'s smallest banknote -- the £5 note -- will feature a portrait of wartime leader Winston Churchill, commemorating his achievements as a politician, writer and orator. More
U.S. stocks closed in mixed territory Friday following a weaker than expected reading on the economy. Yet all three indexes gained between 1% and 2.3% for the week. More
The U.S. economy accelerated at the beginning of the year, but don't get too excited. Economists aren't very optimistic that trend will continue in the months ahead. More
Spurred by "Abenomics" and a weaker yen, the Nikkei 225 is outpacing its rivals this year by a wide margin. Some stocks are posting gains of 60%, 70% or even 100%. Here are a few of the top performers. More
More than 50,000 people and roughly 60 corporate donors have pledged nearly $23.7 million to The One Fund Boston, while crowdfunding campaigns have raised more than $2.8 million. More
U.S. stocks closed modestly higher Thursday, as investors digested a better-than-expected jobless claims report and another influx of earnings reports. More
Dr. Grady Snyder sold his Pueblo, Colo., practice in 2011 and moved to Australia. As a rural doctor there, he's making substantially more money and working half as much. More
Europe's deteriorating economy is wreaking havoc on global automakers, as car sales across the continent have sunk to their lowest level since the mid-1990s. More
Boston Beer Co. founder Jim Koch visits the NYSE to discuss 'Brewing the American Dream,' a program that provides loans and coaching for small businesses. Play
Instead of tapping its own cash hoard for new buybacks and dividend hikes, Apple is borrowing money to avoid paying billions in repatriation taxes. More
An American Lung Association report says America's air was less polluted in 2012. Not only did that improve health, but it resulted in big financial benefits. More
Luxury electric car maker Fisker Automotive due before Congress Wednesday to answer questions about nearly $200 million in Energy Department, state loans it may never be able to repay taxpayers. More
Former MF Global CEO Jon Corzine sued by bankruptcy trustee Louis Freeh, charging he and top lieutenants are to blame for collapse of commodities trader. More
The market briefly tanked after a fake tweet said there were explosions at the White House. But stocks bounced back as investors focused on better-than-expected earnings. More
While President Obama's 2014 budget proposal would violate his oft-cited pledge not to raise taxes on those making less than $200,000, it doesn't do so by very much. The lion's share of new revenue he proposes would come from the highest income households. More
A girl band adjusting their skirt lengths in line with the rising Nikkei is an example of the pop culture surrounding 'Abenomics', named after prime minister Shinzo Abe. Play
Factory activity in China grew at a slower pace in April, the latest in a series of data points indicating weakness in the world's second largest economy. More
'Smart guns' use personalized technology to make sure the weapon only fires in the right hands. Advocates say they could be an important step in reducing gun violence. More
As cyberattacks on small businesses surge, experts say companies have to fight back or risk losing businesses in the long run, according to latest industry reports. More
Senate set to vote on long-delayed measure to allow collection of sales tax on Internet purchases, which could mean major change for online commerce. More
Nick Leeson's 'rogue' trading brought about the collapse of Barings Bank in 1995. Now he's back helping people who were bankrupted by the financial crisis. Play
A lackluster housing report kept gains in check. But Microsoft rallied on news that hedge fund ValueAct planned to take a nearly $2 billion stake in the firm. More
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