Category: Business

By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON—Despite Europe’s economic troubles, American consumers are feeling better about the economy than at any time since the start of the Great Recession. Consumer confidence surged…

By Gail MarksJarvis, Chicago Tribune – Americans have been successful at getting some of their debts off their backs, but many still have a long way to go. Low- and middle-income people are…

By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — A California woman has brought a class-action suit against Procter & Gamble Co., accusing its Olay Regenerist line of anti-aging products of false…

By David Sarno, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — As the public joined the frenzy around Facebook Inc.’s Wall Street debut, well-connected institutional investors were hearing a more sobering message: The social…

By Don Lee, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The Obama administration may be getting tougher with China on trade, but its approach in dealing with Beijing on the thorny currency issue remains…

By Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — The research institution that brought you the fax machine and GPS has come up with another potentially world-changing invention: a bottle coating so…

By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — The outlook for the Spanish banking system worsened sharply Friday when Standard & Poor’s slashed the credit ratings of five banks and said…

By Andrew Tangel, Los Angeles Times – NEW YORK — Facebook Inc.’s bungled stock-market debut made it clear that big money still rules Wall Street. But this time, the small money got a…

McClatchy-Tribune News Service – The following editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times: ——— Facebook has made a habit of advancing its interests at the expense of its customers, whether by weakening…

SEATTLE — Amazon.com Inc., addressing issues that have drawn heavy criticism of the company, told shareholders Thursday that it planned to improve warehouse conditions and drop its membership in a conservative public-policy…

By Mary MacVean, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — With the unofficial start of summer just days away, it’s time to stock up on sunscreen. Does it matter which one you buy?…

Adam Harringa, Austin Daily Herald, Minn. – After two quarters of decline, Hormel Foods Corp. rebounded with a 17 percent second-quarter profit increase, boosted by strong results at its Jennie-O Turkey Store business…

By Steve Johnson, San Jose Mercury News – SAN JOSE, Calif. — Saying it needed to reduce expenses to reinvigorate its struggling business, Hewlett Packard on Wednesday said it will cut its…

McClatchy-Tribune News Service – The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday, May 23: ——— The furor in Greece looks like what a British prime minister once called “a…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that Spectrum Resources of Des Moines has been awarded $1,211,405 from the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Reintegration of Ex-Offenders-Adult Programs.  The funding will…

By Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune – CHICAGO — In a move that promises cleaner air throughout the Chicago area, BP on Wednesday agreed to spend more than $400 million to settle legal complaints…

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration and AARP are launching a strategic alliance to provide counseling and training to entrepreneurs over the age of 50 who want to start or grow a…

By Salvador Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — For the second year in a row, Apple is the most valuable brand in the world, according to a study released Tuesday….

George C. Ford, CR Gazette – CEDAR RAPIDS — It will likely be some time before employees of the General Mills plant in southwest Cedar Rapids learn if they will be affected…

By Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Moody’s Investors Service raised the credit rating for Ford Motor Co. to an investment grade Tuesday, giving its seal of approval to a corporate turnaround of…

By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — The public won’t be protected from the type of risky bets that led to the huge trading loss at JPMorgan Chase & Co….

By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Campbell Soup Co. will raise prices on its condensed soups by 5 percent in June as the company tries to turn itself around…

By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — By the end of next year, the unemployment rate will be at 7.5 percent. Consumer spending will be up, as will housing starts….

By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — The top European antitrust official said Monday that an investigation has found Google Inc. may have abused its online dominance to squelch competition and…

By Salvador Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — For Mark Zuckerberg’s sake, it is hoped he went on a honeymoon because he’ll need something to take his mind off the billions…

By Jessica Guynn, Los Angeles Times – SAN FRANCISCO — Maybe what Facebook really needs is a “buy” button. After a lifeless opening last week, Facebook shares tumbled on their second day of…

By Andrew Tangel, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Facebook Inc. shares skidded on their second day of trading on Wall Street, falling below the initial public offering price of $38. The…

By David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times – If there’s one issue that consistently cheeses off consumers, it’s being unable to get a human being on the phone when you have a problem…

By Chuck Myers, McClatchy-Tribune News Service – Student loans offer an invaluable avenue to help cover the cost of higher education. But they can also pose a financial burden on students once they…

By Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times – Maybe the dumb money wasn’t so dumb this time. The stock market did turn out to be a voting machine on Facebook on Friday (to…

By Henry Chu and Lauren Frayer, Los Angeles Times – LONDON — The alarm over potential bank runs in Greece and Spain this past week has highlighted an often-overlooked fact: Europe’s debt crisis…

By Erin Flemming, The Seattle Times – SEATTLE — Two young brothers from Puyallup, Wash., are headed to Omaha, Neb., next week for something most CEOs can only dream of: a chance…

By Steve Johnson and Jeremy C. Owens, San Jose Mercury News – SAN JOSE, Calif. — After opening at a price of $42.05, shares of Facebook’s wildly anticipated initial public offering closed at…

By Steve Johnson and Jeremy C. Owens, San Jose Mercury News – SAN JOSE, Calif. — The most successful technology IPO in history roared to a start Friday morning, with sales of Facebook…

By Hudson Sangree, McClatchy Newspapers – SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Principal reduction, long a nonstarter with lenders, has suddenly become a potential reality for thousands of homeowners who owe far more than their houses…

By Walter Hamilton, Los Angeles Times – Facebook Inc. priced its shares in its initial public stock offering at $38 late Thursday, setting the stage for its historic market debut Friday. The IPO…

By Walter Hamilton, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Facebook Inc. is certain to make a dramatic entrance to the stock market Friday with its hotly awaited initial public offering. What’s less…

By Salvador Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — In another move to beef up its mobile offering, Facebook has hired the entire staff of Lightbox, a tiny start-up known for…

By Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — How much will Eduardo Saverin save by ditching his U.S. citizenship? At least a cool $67 million in federal taxes according to…

AUSTIN, Minn. – Tuesday, May 15 – Local leaders today thanked their local legislators Sen. Dan Sparks and Rep. Jeanne Poppe , among other state legislators, for their successful efforts in the…