finance

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 Swedish automaker has backed out of a deal to buy Saab from General Motors Co., casting serious doubt on the future of the troubled brand.

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

Stocks retreated from 13-month highs after a lackluster reading on consumer confidence and a report showing slower economic growth sapped the market's optimism.

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

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.

US Airways said Tuesday it will delay delivery of 54 Airbus jets until at least 2013 as it tries to bolster its financial strength.

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 trimmed declines on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 turning positive as minutes showing Federal Reserve officials are confident the recovery is sustainable offset an earlier report that the economy grew at a slower-than-expected pace.

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.

Half of the losses suffered by banks could still be hidden in their balance sheets, more so in Europe than in the United States, the International Monetary Fund's chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

The fund used to safeguard U.S. bank deposits dropped to a negative balance of $8.2 billion in the third quarter, the first shortfall since 1992, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said on Tuesday.

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.

Federal Reserve officials are increasingly confident the U.S. economic recovery is sustainable, but they do not see employment picking up soon, according to minutes from their November meeting released on Tuesday.

The U.S. Federal Reserve this month asked banks that were part of its "stress tests" to submit plans to repay government money, if they have not already repaid it, a person familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

Barnes & Noble Inc cut its full-year forecast on expectations of a tough holiday season and high costs for its Nook electronic reader, while rival Borders Group Inc posted a wider-than-expected loss. Shares of both booksellers fell sharply.

A deal for General Motors Co to sell its Saab brand collapsed on Tuesday when the buyer pulled out in a move that threatens the Swedish luxury brand with closure.

Federal securities regulators won an insider trading case when a jury in Boston ruled that a former Fidelity employee illegally profited from trading stocks that the mutual fund giant was buying for itself.

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.

52 Recommendations

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

14 Recommendations

The Associated Press-GfK Poll on debt, stress and holiday spending was conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media from Nov. 5-9, 2009. It was based on landline and cell phone telephone interviews with a nationally representative random sample of 1,006 adults. Interviews were conducted with 806 rspondents on landline telephones and 200 on cellular phones.

13 Recommendations

Television retailer QVC has made aggressive plans to keep shoppers watching — instead of mall-hopping — on Black Friday, an event it has traditionally ignored.

12 Recommendations

The federal government said Monday that it has found a "strong association" between problematic imported Chinese drywall and corrosion of pipes and wires, a conclusion that supports complaints by thousands of homeowners over the last year.

8 Recommendations

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