Economy

Sentiment shift: Home prices to rise

A majority of Americans forecast home prices will rise over the next 12 months for the first time in three-year old survey by Fannie Mae. More

Buffett: Income inequality hurting economy

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett thinks immigration reform will pass in Congress and that rising income inequality is a drag on economic growth. Play

BofA, Wells Fargo sued for mortgage settlement violation

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

Meals on Wheels: Bracing for cuts

Federal funding for Meals on Wheels, which provides meals for seniors, will be slashed. More

SEC sues financially troubled Harrisburg

The SEC says Harrisburg officials made misleading statements about the city's finances in financial statements, budget documents and a State of the City address. More

Buffett on stimulus: Consider consequences

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 vows reform amid allegations of 'modern slavery'

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

Construction jobs decline, but housing boom still strong

The April jobs report showed a drop in construction jobs, but it isn't because the housing boom is slowing. More

Munger: Banks may 'get in trouble again'

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

One spot where government spending is going up

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently ramped up its monthly survey of businesses, leading to the highest response rate on record for the February jobs report. More

April jobs report: Hiring picks up

Job growth was stronger than initially reported at the start of 2013, and U.S. employers continued to hire in April. More

Fewer Americans are unemployed long-term

The ranks of the long-term unemployed are thinning, but it's not known whether they are getting jobs or just dropping out of the labor force. More

Eating and shopping lead job rebound

Retail, restaurant jobs pick up, pointing to greater consumer confidence and raising hopes for a broader economic recovery. More

Behind April's jobs reports

168,00 jobs were created in April thanks to robust hiring in the retail and hospitality sectors, sending the unemployment rate down to 7.5%. Play

France to relax austerity as recession bites

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

Inside America's off-the-books economy

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

Public defender hard at work on furlough week

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

Obama's pick for housing agency head faces massive headaches

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

Warren Buffett's investing advice

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett shares some of his investing tips. Play

Penny Pritzker, Obama's choice for commerce secretary, likely to face union ire

President Obama's plan to nominate Chicago businesswoman Penny Pritzker as commerce secretary is likely to draw criticism from organized labor and others on the left. More

Jobs report preview: More slow hiring expected

The April jobs report is likely to show that employers are still reluctant to go on a major hiring spree. The unemployment rate is expected to stay steady too. More

Bangladesh tragedy pressures retailers

After a building collapse in Bangladesh killed over 400 workers, retailers are under pressure to improve overseas manufacturing standards. Play

Jobless claims fall to 5-year low

First-time claims for unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level in five years last week. More

Businesses were more hesitant to hire in April

Hiring by private businesses slowed in April, according to ADP's jobs report. More

FHA's solvency plan is unfair to borrowers

The government insurer, which may or many not be in need of a bailout, plans to generate $10 billion by locking middle class borrowers into high fees for decades. More

Real debt fix can't exempt middle class - CBO chief

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

ECB: We're ready to fight a recession

Bank cuts rates as prospects of economic recovery in the eurozone begin to fade. More

How porn snuck into Bitcoin's code

Hackers are tinkering with a key part of Bitcoin's system. More

LinkedIn slumps on disappointing outlook

LinkedIn has blown Wall Street estimates out of the water for nearly two years, but it looks like that trend could be coming to an end. More

Hard-up France sells presidential wine

The cash-strapped French state is selling off some of its fine wines in order to raise money and invest in a collection of more modest vintages. More

Hedge fund manager: Fed should rev up 'printing press'

Hedge fund manager Dan Arbess thinks the Federal Reserve should funnel money directly to the Treasury instead of simply buying more bonds. More

eBay: 'Not against an Internet sales tax'

eBay CEO John Donahoe explains his company's stance on the proposed Internet sales tax. Play

Federal Reserve sticks with stimulus

The Federal Reserve will keep its foot on the gas pedal for the foreseeable future, in its controversial effort to stimulate the recovery. More

Here's the form to apply for Obamacare coverage

Shoppers can start filling out the three-page form in October to apply for coverage. More

Who's to blame for Bangladesh tragedy?

The collapsed building in Bangladesh which killed nearly 400 people was home to several garment companies producing inexpensive clothing. Play

Manufacturing growth falters in China

A weaker than expected manufacturing report in China has added to worries of slower growth in the world's second largest economy. More

NRG CEO: Nat gas will wipe out nuclear

Shell President Marvin Odum and NRG CEO David Crane explain why they think natural gas will become a dominant energy source. Play

Europe's joblessness at new peak, prices plunge

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

Dr. Doom: Buy stocks while you still can

Economist Nouriel Roubini thinks there's a big crash and depression coming, but investors can ride this bubble higher for the next two years. More

Are Euro banks out of the woods?

Investors reward UBS and Deutsche Banks, after the two banks reported better-than-expected earnings. Play

Guarding the ganja: The biz of pot security

Security is no joke in marijuana businesses and now that Washington has legalized cannabis, security companies expect to see some serious business. Play

Home price rise continues to pick up speed

S&P Case-Shiller home price index shows largest 12-month jump since the height of the 2006 bubble. More

For the unemployed, no reprieve on budget cuts

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

Income, spending both up

March shows modest rise in both personal income and spending by consumers. More

Video game studio pirates its own game

The makers of "Game Dev Tycoon" turned the tables on those downloading their game from notorious piracy site The Pirate Bay. More

Bangladesh: Cheap clothes lead to danger and tragedy

The latest tragedy in Bangladesh once again raises the issue of the high price of cheap clothing, and puts pressure on the world's largest retailers to finally take meaningful action. More

Who brings home the bacon: Mom or Dad?

The days when only Dad worked are long gone. More

EU bans some pesticides to save its bees

Europe is buzzing over a two-year ban on some pesticides that are linked to harming the bee population. More

Health care spending growth hits record low

Obamacare is having some impact, but the weak economy is the biggest driver of America's slowing growth in health care spending. More

If not now, when will ECB cut rates?

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

China cracks down on military use of luxury cars

China has banned the use of military license plates on expensive cars, according to official state media. More

Italian markets cheered by new government

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

U.S. economy revved up, but it's probably temporary

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

When will the debt ceiling need to be raised?

Not nearly as soon as expected, according to new estimates. More

Spain needs more time to meet austerity targets

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

FAA furlough reprieve: 'No fair!'

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

Weary air travelers to get a break from furloughs

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

U.K. to honor Churchill with new £5 note

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

BoJ stands firm while deflation worsens

The Bank of Japan made no changes Friday to its ambitious stimulus plan, even as a separate report showed deflation accelerated last month. More

Millions can't afford to go to the doctor

Some 80 million people skipped needed health care in 2012 because they couldn't afford it, according to a new Commonwealth Fund survey. More

Top-paying jobs are in engineering

Technical engineering degrees lead the way to the highest-paid jobs, says new report. More

Doctors blast ethics of $100,000 cancer drugs

A group of more than 120 physicians penned a paper they hope will kick off a national debate about soaring drug prices. More

Jobless claims fall, point to improving job market

Claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week. More

Spending cuts: Reality of furloughs hits home

Unless Congress acts to reverse them, the spending cuts' effects could continue well past fiscal year 2013, which ends Sept. 30. More

Unemployment misery deepens in Spain and Greece

Eurozone debt crisis extracted a heavy price in Greece and Spain to start the year as labor markets in both countries continued to shed jobs. More

UPS delivers for investors

Shares of UPS are up following better-than-expected earnings. Rival FedEx has been lagging. Play

The best job you never thought of

Actuary consistently ranks among the top jobs in the United States. Do you know what they do? More

Automakers are getting crushed in Europe

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

What's next for Apple?

As profit margins decrease on iPads and iPhones, pressure increases on Apple to enter a new product category. Play

Meet your new $100 bill

For only the fourth time in history, there will be a new $100 bill on Oct. 8. The note has several features aimed at combating counterfeiters. More

Top 7% get richer, while the rest lose ground

The net worth of American households rose $5 trillion after the recession, but all of the gains went to the richest. More

Federal furloughs mean flight delays

Air travelers are waiting around longer as federal budget cuts take some air traffic controllers out of the tower. Play

Furloughs delay flights, again

Flights headed to Chicago, Las Vegas and Tampa are facing delays, due to air traffic controllers on furlough. More

Bangladesh factory collapse kills 199

More than 199 people were killed and hundreds injured when a factory building collapsed in Bangladesh Wednesday, reviving concerns over working and safety conditions in the region. More

Falling gas prices could boost economy

Falling gas prices could be an $80 billion economic balm, offsetting federal spending cuts. More

The global economy is losing steam

The world's largest economies are hitting a soft patch More

How Obama's tax hikes would hit the rich and middle class

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

My friends' weddings are putting me deep in debt
11 cities where workers are disappearing
Ex-Enron workers: Keep Skilling in prison
Goldman catches Bloomberg reporters spying on terminal users
Yahoo is stuck with Microsoft

Latest Report	Next Update
Inflation (CPI)	May 16
Home prices	May 28
Consumer confidence	May 28
GDP	May 30
Manufacturing (ISM)	June 3
Jobs	June 7

Overnight Avg Rate	Latest	Last Week
30 yr fixed	3.58%	3.48%
15 yr fixed	2.72%	2.69%
5/1 ARM	2.57%	2.60%
30 yr refi	3.57%	3.47%
15 yr refi	2.72%	2.67%