finance

A brighter economic forecast from the Federal Reserve helped the stock market pare losses that followed uninspiring reports on consumer sentiment and housing.

The Federal Reserve doesn't expect the recovery will be strong enough to quickly drive down the jobless rate, and acknowledged its efforts to keep the rebound going could feed a new speculative bubble.

The apparent end of the recession and stabilizing financial markets have not cured the banking industry, as souring and past-due loans have reached the highest levels in 26 years, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Tuesday.

A deal for General Motors Co. to sell Saab to a specialty carmaker has collapsed, leaving the storied Swedish brand born from jets in 1947 close to extinction.

Facebook has created a dual-class stock structure designed to give founder Mark Zuckerberg and other existing shareholders control over the company.

The economy is growing modestly, with consumers too wary about spending to invigorate the recovery.

Oil prices fell to around $76 a barrel Tuesday with new data showing a slow U.S. economic recovery and consumer confidence that remains lukewarm at best.

H.J. Heinz Co.'s says its business is thriving in emerging markets but the recession continued to drag down its U.S. and European sales during the second quarter as shoppers limited spending or chose lower-priced products.

The head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Tuesday promised swift action to get dangerous products off the market, acknowledging that the agency didn't move quickly enough on a record recall of more than 2 million cribs linked to four deaths.

Barnes & Noble Inc. and Borders Group Inc., the nation's two largest brick-and-mortar book sellers, both posted quarterly losses Thursday and forecast a difficult holiday season, saying competition from discount chains and online retailers is stiffening.

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday on lackluster economic data in a session marked by low volume and choppy trading, but losses eased after the Federal Reserve raised its expectations for growth in 2010.

Federal Reserve officials are increasingly confident the U.S. economic recovery will be durable, but do not see employment or inflation picking up soon, minutes from their November meeting showed.

American International Group Inc , the insurer that received billions of dollars in a U.S. bailout, has been authorized by its board to pay Chief Executive Robert Benmosche's $7 million compensation, after it laid to rest concerns that he may quit the post.

The U.S. economy grew more slowly than first thought in the third quarter, but a fifth month of gains in house prices in September and an improvement in consumer morale signaled the anemic recovery was intact.

Facebook has established a dual-class stock structure to ensure voting control by existing owners, but has no plans to become a public company, it said on Tuesday.

Microsoft Corp's Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell is to leave the company at the end of the year, indicating that he is looking for a bigger job at another company.

J Crew Group Inc reported a quarterly net profit far above Wall Street estimates due to strong autumn sales of clothing and expanded profit margins from depressed year-ago levels.

The government-run fund that safeguards U.S. bank deposits tumbled to a negative balance of $8.2 billion in the third quarter, as the number of problem banks surged by a third to 552.

Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam attacked a U.S. regulator's lawsuit on Tuesday, denying insider trading charges and saying government wiretaps violated his constitutional rights.

A federal judge has barred the promotion of a scheme designed to help clients evade taxes on more than $1.25 billion in asset sales, the U.S. government said on Tuesday.

The owner of Sears and Kmart stores lost $127 million in the quarter, but said it did see improved business at at Kmart stores open at least a year.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Thursday delivered a cautious assessment of the global economy.

The company’s net loss for the third quarter narrowed to $127 million as comparable-store sales at its Kmart discount chain rose for the first time in several quarters.

Standard & Poor’s has joined Moody’s in withdrawing its application to supply ratings of corporate bonds and other debt-based securities to retail investors after new rules were announced this month.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Thursday delivered a cautious assessment of the global economy.

Asian stock markets turned in a mixed performance Thursday as signs of weakness in the U.S. economy aggravated worries about the strength of the global recovery.

At bank after bank, the coroners of the financial crisis are discovering that regulators knew lenders were engaging in hazardous practices but failed to act.

About one million laid-off workers will see their benefits end in January unless federally paid extensions are renewed.

Crossing between the men’s and women’s aisles feels right to young customers today.

Go beyond a short-term view of Bank of America’s prime assets, and Jamie Dimon, the JPMorgan Chase chief and unofficial winner of the credit crisis, may need to watch his back.

The former movie-rental giant could face its end credits.

Gold continues to march higher on a strong fundamental footing.

These disruptive developments could determine the market's future.

Heelys stock never had a chance.

An online scam is being validated by some companies you know.

Growth is going great guns -- but the stock's a dud.

MFS Investment Management chairman Bob Pozen visits the Fool.

Many mutual funds may be going against investors' wishes and against what's best for American industry.

All we need is just a little patience.

It won't be a tough decision for patients to make.

He may yet head off a trade war.

Firm tied to indicted Democratic moneyman Hassan Nemazee manages $200 million for New Mexico.

Don't let the rising unemployment rate keep you out of the market. The economy is recovering.

YieldPlus cases indicate the odds are better when you hire a pro.

Can the country avoid the pitfalls other African nations have faced?

India's richest top their Chinese counterparts when it comes to the size of their fortunes.

Estimates of the cost of the reform bills wending through Congress should be received skeptically.

What the Algonquin Round Table got right.

President Obama wraps up his Asia trip in South Korea. The BlackBerryphile will be in wireless heaven.

States in New England top a new set of rankings, while the South still lags.

53 Recommendations

The head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Tuesday promised swift action to get dangerous products off the market, acknowledging that the agency didn't move quickly enough on a record recall of more than 2 million cribs linked to four deaths.

14 Recommendations

Inventor Judah Klausner filed suit against Motorola Inc and Research In Motion , alleging infringement of technology patents related to visual voicemail.

10 Recommendations

Oil prices fell to around $76 a barrel Tuesday with new data showing a slow U.S. economic recovery and consumer confidence that remains lukewarm at best.

5 Recommendations

A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Tuesday:

2 Recommendations

Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam attacked a U.S. regulator's lawsuit on Tuesday, denying insider trading charges and saying government wiretaps violated his constitutional rights.