expansion

Manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly surged in November. The Philly Fed's Business Outlook Survey index jumped to 22.5 in November from 1 in October, its highest reading since December 2009.

August's 1.3% drop in durable goods orders looks bad. But the real story is that the more-telling component that excludes volatile transportation orders rose 2%, doubling a Bloomberg survey's consensus estimate. So far, Wall Street is reacting ecstatically.

U.S. economic growth slowed to an anemic 1.6% pace in the second quarter, due primarily to a worsening trade imbalance. The sole ray of light in the Commerce Department's report was that the downward revision was not as severe as economists had expected.

The U.S. economy downshifted in the second quarter to a tepid 2.4% growth rate. Offsetting that news was the first-quarter GDP growth, which was revised upward to 3.7% from the previously estimated 2.7%.

One nation industrial and two regional surveys released this week provided further evidence that the U.S. economic recovery weakened somewhat in the second quarter, as manufacturing growth slowed.

Boosted by consumer spending and business investment, U.S. GDP rose for the third straight quarter. After the previous quarter's rise based on inventory replenishment, this one gives more hope that a sustainable upward trajectory is in place.

Target plans to announce a $1 billion renovation program that will include a revamping its existing stores, experimenting with smaller store openings in urban areas and an expansion abroad over the next decade.

The U.S. manufacturing sector notched another decent month as activity in the nation's factories continued to expand in November, though at a slower pace than in the previous month, the Institute for Supply Management announced Tuesday. The ISM said its manufacturing index fell to 53.6 in...

A key manufacturing measure, the Empire State Manufacturing Index, declined about 11 points to 23.51 in November, but the reading still indicates that conditions are improving for manufacturers, the New York Federal Reserve announced Monday. Readings above zero indicate manufacturing activity is...

The weekly blizzard of economic statistics makes it tough to figure out what is really going on. But with a near-record number of people unemployed or underemployed, productivity at very high levels, and pay rising for the people who still have jobs, one conclusion seems to jump out: Companies are...