Category: Business

PARIS, March 13 (UPI) — A court in France has fined Apple for allowing employees in its French Apple stores to work late in violation of the country’s labor laws. Apple was

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 13 (UPI) — Apple has quietly released improvements to its much-criticized Maps app for the iPhone to improve its accuracy and functionality, tech websites report. The Maps application, which

WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) — U.S. business inventories rose in January, while sales dropped slightly, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Manufacturing and trade inventories rose 1 percent to an end of the

NEW YORK, March 13 (UPI) — U.S. stock indexes were mixed early Wednesday trading with the Dow blue chip index posting modest losses. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped despite a 1.1

NEW YORK, March 11 (UPI) — U.S. markets rose after a slow start Monday following a week in which the Dow Jones industrial average set multiple records for closing highs. The index

NEW YORK, March 11 (UPI) — U.S. markets rose after a slow start Monday following a week in which the Dow Jones industrial average set multiple records for closing highs. The index

By AL SWANSON Nearly a year ago I asked the question: “Who is buying all these cars?” The answer not surprisingly was baby boomers, parents and grandparents of today’s students who had

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., March 8 (UPI) — Motorola Mobility, a company owned by Google, said it had begun the process of laying off 1,200 workers in the United States, China and India. The

DETROIT, March 9 (UPI) — Alan Mulally has acquired holdings worth $317 million in six years as Ford Motor Co. chief executive officer, U.S. analysts said. Mulally — who is credited with

LOS ANGELES, March 10 (UPI) — U.S. Internet giant Google is finalizing details for a $7 million settlement over an inadvertent breach of privacy, a source told the Los Angeles Times. The

NEW YORK, March 10 (UPI) — A United Nations report said Friday that global manufacturing slowed to 1.2 percent growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 due in part to the recession

OTTAWA, March 8 (UPI) — Canada added 51,000 jobs in February, but the unemployment rate did not budge, holding at 7 percent, Statistics Canada said Friday. The job gains come on the

BEIJING, March 10 (UPI) — China’s February exports, spurred by demands from the United States and other markets, rose 21.8 percent annually to $139.37 billion, a government agency said. In a further

WASHINGTON, March 8 (UPI) — U.S. wholesale inventories rose by 1.2 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted $504.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau said Friday. Inventories were up 6.5 percent from

WASHINGTON, March 8 (UPI) — The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent in February on a gain of 236,000 jobs, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. The rate

BEIJING, March 9 (UPI) — China wants to use negotiations to address a dispute with the European Union over Chinese solar-panel shipments, Commerce Minister Chen Deming said Friday. The issue involves complaints

TOKYO, March 8 (UPI) — Japan reports economy up 0.2 percent TOKYO, March 8 (UPI) — Japan’s economy grew at an annual 0.2 percent rate in the October-December quarter, technically ending its

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 9 (UPI) — Niche U.S. auto company Tesla Motors Inc. said it would pay off its $465 million government loan five years earlier than originally planned. In its

NEW YORK, March 9 (UPI) — News Corp. said in a U.S. regulatory filing its publishing business will start up with $2.6 billion and no debt when it spins off from the

NEW YORK, March 8 (UPI) — The Dow Jones index flew higher Friday after the Labor Department said the U.S. economy added 236,000 jobs and the jobless rate fell to 7.7 percent

NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) — Bankrupt bakery Hostess Brands Inc. filed a lawsuit in New York Thursday against Kroger Co. for payment of $2.8 million due since July 2012, court papers

DENVER, March 7 (UPI) — A Denver company is selling formal and business clothing with bullet-resistant panels for those who want to be protected in style. Elite Sterling Security LLC said it

WASHINGTON, March 7 (UPI) — The U.S. Federal Reserve said the largest 18 U.S. banks have shown improved resilience as they distance themselves from the 2008 financial crisis. After the third round

NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) — The Dow Jones index closed at its third consecutive all-time high Thursday after the U.S. Labor Department said first-time unemployment claims fell last week. Initial claims

WASHINGTON, March 7 (UPI) — U.S. regulators say they’ve targeted marketers sending millions of spam text messages trying to steer consumers to websites falsely promising “free” gift cards. In complaints filed in

WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) — The U.S. economy has experienced modest to moderate growth since mid-January, the Federal Reserve Bank said Wednesday. The Beige Book report, released eight times a year and

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 6 (UPI) — Google has announced the first significant update of its Google Maps for iPhone app, featuring faster local search and integration with Google Contacts. Google debuted

NEW YORK, March 6 (UPI) — The Dow Jones industrial average hit an all-time closing high for a second straight day Wednesday, with investors wondering how long the winning run can last.

NEW YORK, March 6 (UPI) — The Dow Jones industrial average rose from a record high close Wednesday with investors wondering how long can the winning run last. The DJIA closed at

AMES, Iowa – March 6, 2013 – The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Office of Strategic Communications needs your help. The Iowa DOT is looking to hire two interns with Web development experience.

WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) — The White House has responded to an online petition to make cellphone unlocking legal, saying it’s time to legalize the practice. “Neither criminal law nor technological locks

SEOUL, March 4 (UPI) — Samsung’s next smartphone will include a feature to track a user’s eye movements to automatically scroll pages, The New York Times reported. The Galaxy S IV, to

NEW YORK, March 4 (UPI) — U.S. stock indexes turned higher Monday as investors put on the brakes, stopping an early slide to put the Dow index within reach of its record

CHICAGO, March 4 (UPI) — Grains were mixed on the Chicago Board of Trade Monday with soybeans posting gains and corn and wheat futures dropping lower. Corn was off 1 1/4 to

From U.S. Customs and Border Protection – What is sequestration? Sequestration is a fiscal policy procedure adopted by Congress as part of the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011. The procedure, designed

From U.S. Customs and Border Protection – 1. How is CBP communicating information to stakeholders about the effects of the sequestration? Response: CBP port management will be reaching out to advise stakeholders

RICHFIELD, Minn., March 2 (UPI) — The chief executive officer of U.S. retailer Best Buy said rumors of the store’s demise were premature. “People who thought we were dead have to go

OMAHA, March 2 (UPI) — Wall Street kingpin Warren Buffett said 2012 was the year in which the big ones got away, referring to his pursuit of profitable acquisitions. Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett’s