in focus

When a highly successful money manager like Hussman crunches the numbers and decides that shares are priced to disappoint -- perhaps for the next decade -- intelligent investors would do well to pay attention.

New York Times (NYT) columnist Paul Krugman (pictured), an economist by training, an Ivy League academic by profession, and no stranger to bold proposals, has offered another big idea, recommending that the U.S. Federal Reserve double its already record-high balance sheet. Krugman wants the Fed...

Today is Bash Wall Street day in Washington, as a herd of bankers gets rounded up to sit for a presidential tongue lashing. But Washington can't afford to alienate Wall Street too much because of the $5 billion in campaign contributions and lobbying fees that financial institutions have funneled to...

When we last checked in on Glenn Beck, the baby-faced conservative host was being credited as a "paid spokesman" for Goldline, a gold-coin vendor, even as his employer, News Corp.'s (NWS) Fox News, was saying its personalities aren't allowed to make product endorsements. Clearly, something had to...

To reduce government influence, the banking giant is set to pay back nearly half of its $45 billion in TARP funds. The government converted the remaining $25 billion into a 34 percent ownership stake, which it now plans to sell during the next year.

In Asia Monday, China's Shanghai Composite Index gained 1.7% to close at 3,303 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 0.8% to end the day at 22,086. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Index was nearly unchanged, slipping 0.02% to 10,106. U.S. markets are also set to rise.News that neighboring emirate Abu...

More employees of firms receiving extensive government aid will face caps on their pay, thanks to Obama administration pay czar Kenneth Feinberg (pictured). For top-earning workers at Citigroup (C), American International Group (AIG), General Motors and GMAC, Feinberg has limited cash compensation...

If you think the Great Recession has been tough on middle-aged workers, just try being in your 20s. According to the latest data, adults 25-34 have an unemployment rate of 10.8%, nearly a full point higher than the all-age average. For 20- to 24-year-olds, the figure spikes to a staggering 15.6%....

Breakfast for a dollar will become more varied than ever at McDonald's (MCD) restaurants early in January, a company spokesperson said Thursday. The choices, including the sausage McMuffin, sausage burrito, sausage biscuit, small coffee and a hash brown, will complement the eight lunch and dinner...

China has overtaken the U.S. as the world's largest car market. The Associated Press reports that research firm JP Power expects China's light vehicle sales will be 12.7 million in 2009, up 44% from the previous year. U.S. car and light truck sales will be only 10.3 million. Four years ago,...