Hiring by U.S. employers slowed slightly in December, pointing to a lackluster pace of economic growth that was unable to cut further into the country's still high unemployment rate. Payrolls outside the farming sector grew by 155,000, in line with analysts' expectations.
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a second straight week last week, unwinding some of the surge related to Hurricane Sandy, which has muddled the labor market picture. Initial claims dropped 23,000 to a seasonally adjusted 393,000.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 355,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The report is a sign the labor market's slow recovery is gaining traction, although Hurricane Sandy's impact on the Northeast may have distorted the data.
A hurricane can be the ultimate equalizer. No matter where on the socio-economic spectrum they stood before the storm, its victims afterward had many of the same needs: food, shelter, electricity and flushable toilets. But some "necessities" are of a more sophisticated nature.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is doing much of the heavy lifting in the clean up and relief efforts from Hurricane Sandy. But FEMA's also on the front lines for Republican budget cuts. Which puts a key question of next week's election into sharp focus: What kind of federal government does America want?
Hurricane Sandy grounded more than 18,000 flights, and it will be days before travel gets back to normal. Authorities closed the three big New York airports, and the ripple effects from the shutdown of the nation's busiest airspace are dramatically affecting travelers in cities far and wide.
When it comes to spoiling, not all of the food in your fridge is created equal. If Hurricane Sandy left you without power, follow these food safety guidelines for which items to keep and which to toss.
A number of major U.S. companies postponed quarterly earnings reports Monday as Hurricane Sandy bore down on the East Coast and financial markets were closed: Among the biggies waiting until the rain stops: Pfizer, Thomson Reuters, NRG Energy, and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
After dropping for most of the month, gas prices are now lower in much of the U.S. than they were a year ago. That hasn't happened in more than two years, and it could be part of a larger decline in gasoline prices that could lift consumer confidence ahead of the summer driving season.
Some industry pundits wrote off the TV shopping format as passe when online shopping started to take off, but a funny thing happened on the way to the era of digital retail: QVC ended up being among the biggest winners in the shift. We talk to CEO Mike George about the future of shopping.
Hurricanes Irene and Lee flooded thousands of cars across the Northeast, totaling them. Such heavily damaged vehicles get "salvage" titles to warn potential buyers, but thanks to greedy scammers and lax interstate oversight, many of those "total losses" are about to resurface on America's used car lots -- with clean titles.
Kelly, 51, a mother of five who lives in the Midwest, wants to get back into the workforce after a 20-year absence -- a challenging prospect in today's weak hiring environment. But with the right focus and preparation, she can still transition from stay-at-home mom back to paid employee.
Gas stations along the Eastern Seaboard experienced high demand Friday and some sold out of fuel as Hurricane Irene bore down and residents scrambled to evacuate. In Norfolk, Va., one Exxon station was sold out by noon and boarded up its windows as attendants readied themselves for the storm.
Hurricane Irene's swath through the Caribbean this week probably left many of the no-longer paradise-bound wondering: Should I have taken out travel insurance? At the peak of hurricane season, even experts who usually shun the coverage say you should consider the policies.
The big solar panel installer has announced its second East Coast deal in a month: It's buying the residential solar business of Vermont-based groSolar, after picking up Maryland's Clean Currents. And SolarCity isn't the only West Coast solar player heading East for growth.