Economy

U.S. steps up natural gas exports

Manufacturers fear jobs losses, environmentalists more fracking as U.S. steps up natural gas exports. More

Corporate raider seeks to snap up $3 billion in Greek debt

Just 12 months ago, Greece was at risk of leaving the eurozone. This week, a U.S. corporate raider who made his name two decades ago, has offered to buy 10% of all Greek government debt issued last year. More

U.S. manufacturing contracts for 1st time in 6 months

U.S. manufacturing activity contracted for the first time since November, according to a report released Monday. More

Let China pump Iraq's oil

A big chunk of Iraq's oil is going to China. But if Chinese companies will accept low profits and help reduce prices, that's not bad. More

Signs of life appear in Europe's factories

Spain and the U.K. lifted Europe's economic gloom a touch Monday with the strongest readings of manufacturing activity in many months. More

Bidding begins for lunch with Buffett

Auction starts for chance for eight to have lunch with Buffett. Last year's lunch raised $3.5 million for charity. More

Wine windfall for the French state

The French government raked in nearly 720,000 euros by selling off some of its finest wines at an auction last week. More

Bernanke's 10 hilarious tips for Princeton grads

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered a fun commencement speech to Princeton undergrads Sunday, in which he laid out 10 life suggestions, complete with a Forrest Gump quotes, a baseball reference and even relationship advice. More

Indicators present muddled picture of China's factories

Economic reports seeking to gauge activity in China's factories during the month of May have presented investors with a muddled picture, with official indicators from the state outpacing those of private forecasters. More

Student loan mess: What's at stake?

Obama hit the White House stage on Friday to talk about student loan interest rates, which are scheduled to double July 1 for undergraduates students taking out subsidized loans. More

Slower health spending helps buy Medicare 2 more years

Latest annual report from trustees of Medicare and Social Security gauges long-term financial health of America's major entitlement programs. More

Consumers pull back on spending

Spending by consumers falls in April as individuals deal with weak income. More

Eurozone unemployment hits record 12.2%

Unemployment in the troubled region keeps climbing, with Spain and Greece feeling the most acute pain. More

New portrait of China's 185 million seniors

Large numbers of elderly Chinese are living below the poverty line and suffering from physical problems or depression, according to a study published Friday by western and Chinese academics. More

Federal disability trust fund on the brink

Nearly 11 million people receive federal disability payments. But the program's trust fund is expected to run out of funds by 2016, years before Medicare and Social Security. More

Mortgage rates are highest in a year

Mortgage interest rates have risen half of a percentage point from record lows. More

Britain's hunger problem grows

The U.K. economy may be crawling back to growth, but the number of people relying on food handouts is soaring due to welfare cuts and unemployment. More

U.S. economy continues sluggish recovery

The U.S. economy grew at 2.4% in the first quarter, a slightly slower pace than originally reported according to revisions released by the Commerce Department Thursday. More

The next $1 billion startup

Internet Week festival manager Caroline Waxler says several New York based startups could be the next billion dollar acquisition target. Play

First-time unemployment claims rise

First-time claims for unemployment benefits rose last week, signaling the job market may be softer than hoped ahead of next week's jobs report. More

Pittsburgh becomes expat hot spot

The Steel City is now a city to watch thanks to the U.S. energy boom and shifting global economy. But London retains most popular for expats, according to a new report. More

Foreclosure sales fall to lowest level since 2008

Foreclosures and short sales are both well off peak levels, helping the housing market recover. More

Volcker: Fed will 'fall short'

The former head of the Federal Reserve warned that the Fed is now being asked to "do too much" to help prop up the U.S. economy More

Are we at risk of another banking crisis?

The big question: Are we at risk of another banking crisis? More

Waste Management vs. unions

CEO David Steiner talks about why union membership has dropped 10 percent inside his company. Play

Top 1% get big bang from tax breaks

The benefits of the 10 biggest tax breaks are enjoyed disproportionately by high-income households. The Congressional Budget Office lays out the latest numbers. More

NJ prisoners received more than $23 million in benefits

More than 20,000 N.J. prisoners incorrectly received more than $23 million in unemployment benefits, Medicaid and other assistance. More

Starbucks baristas fight for their tips

Who should get the tips you leave in that plexiglass box at Starbucks is the question at the center of a dispute in the New York Court of Appeals. More

Moms are breadwinners in 40% of households

Moms are the sole or primary breadwinner in four out of 10 households with children. But 51% of Americans believe children are better off when a mom stays home with the kids and doesn't hold a job, according a Pew Research Center study. More

Women tackle rig work (and bias) in oil industry

Many women are finding work in the oil industry ... including more dangerous jobs in the field. One engineer discusses the good and bad about being a woman on a rig. More

EU eases up on austerity, urges reform

Austerity has been put on the backburner in Europe. Now officials are emphasizing economic reform and growth. More

IMF cuts China growth forecast

The IMF lowered its growth forecast for China Wednesday, saying the world's second largest economy must bring a rapid expansion in credit under control and combat rising income inequality. More

Furloughed federal workers can collect unemployment

By grouping furlough days into a one-week block, federal employees should be able to qualify for unemployment benefits for the time they won't be working this summer. More

China's expensive love affair with pork

The multi-billion dollar acquisition of Smithfield Foods by Shuanghui International makes sense given China's rising pork consumption and growing market, analysts say. More

Swiss government peels back bank secrecy rules

Government announces new rule that could give U.S. authorities new details on Americans with Swiss bank accounts. More

ECB must do more to boost growth: OECD

The European Central Bank should follow its recent interest rate cut with more radical action to tackle recession and record unemployment, the OECD said Wednesday as it slashed its forecast for the eurozone economy. More

Senior citizens struggle with mounting debt

The average debt level for those over the age of 65 soared by 83% between 2001 and 2010, fueled by mortgages and credit cards. More

Consumer confidence at 5-year high

Consumer confidence surged to a five-year high in May, fueled by increased optimism about an improving job market. More

Home prices post strongest gains in 7 years

Index of home prices is up 10.2 % over past 12 months. That's the highest year-over-year growth since the bubble burst. More

China warns Europe of trade reprisals

China urges Europe to show restraint in disputes over imports of solar panels and telecom equipment and warns it will protect its interests if they escalate. More

7 million students brace for surge in loan rates

It's looking increasingly likely some 7 million students taking out subsidized loans for the next school year will have to dig deeper in their pockets to pay them off. More

My protest paid off: Workers speak out

Fast food and retail store workers have joined in a wave of protests nationwide since November, asking for higher wages and more hours. How did it affect them? These four workers share their stories. More

Tornado loss estimate: $2 billion to $5 billion

The 79 tornadoes that hit over three days in 10 states caused billions in losses, with most of damage concentrated in Moore, Oklahoma. More

IRS role in Obamacare

In the wake of the scandal over Tea Party targeting, Republicans say the IRS should hit the brakes on implementing Obamacare provisions. But the IRS has a central role in making sure it works. More

Women snag big chunk of new oil jobs

Women took nearly half of new oil industry jobs in the first quarter, mostly in highly skilled areas like engineering or geology. More

The 'chicken poop' credit and other bad tax breaks

There are plenty of loopholes in the corporate tax code that savvy companies can take advantage of to lower their tax bills. CNNMoney asked four tax experts for their top picks of the worst ones. More

Immigrant unemployment rate same as U.S.-born

The unemployment rate for immigrants may match that for native-born workers. But immigrants tend to make much less. More

Poor hit hardest by Washington budget cuts

As the sequester continues, the poor seem to have taken a deeper hit from the budget cuts. But programs that benefit private industries have so far won reprieves. More

Obamacare premiums in California lower than predicted

Premiums to be charged in the Obamacare insurance exchanges in California in 2014 are lower than expected. More

New home sales rise

New home sales up 2% in April, as the housing recovery continues to give a lift to the overall economy. More

Why nuclear is still a booming business

URS CEO Martin Koffel tells Fortune how his business still profits from nuclear power plants despite very few new plants being built. Play

Japan stocks plunge 7%

A 7-month rally came to an abrupt halt as Fed comments, weak China data rattled investors. More

Jobless claims fall, pointing to better May

First-time claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, signaling the job market may have improved in May. More

Eurozone business still going backwards

Business activity in the eurozone declined at a slower pace in May but surveys published Thursday suggest the region's longest recession will extend into another quarter. More

China factory activity contracts in May

Fears of a slowdown in global growth were reinforced Thursday as a preliminary report on China's manufacturing in May showed activity contracted for the first time in seven months. More

Why Texas is creating jobs

Banking analyst Meredith Whitney says that conservative-leaning 'fly-over' states are attracting more jobs than tax-heavy states like California. Play

Bitcoin more powerful than fastest supercomputers

Bitcoin's network generates more power than the top 500 supercomputers and sucks down around $200,000 a day in electricity costs. More

6-step guide to dodging taxes just like Apple

Tax avoidance works beautifully -- and legally -- for Apple and other multinationals. Why not make it work for you? More

Budget cuts to close 3 federal agencies on Friday

Some 114,000 federal employees are getting four days off, including one unpaid furlough day. Friday is the first of several agency wide furlough days. Some 114,000 federal employees will be at home Friday without pay. More

Home sales continue to climb

Home sales and home prices continue to show strength of housing recovery in latest reading. More

Bernanke warns against hitting the brakes too soon

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warns of risks of raising interest rates too soon, reiterates that Congress needs to do more to help economy. More

Europe steps up fight against tax cheats

European leaders took the fight to tax cheats Wednesday with a pledge to share bank account data across the EU and accelerate initiatives to tackle abuse by companies. More

Say what!? The economy should be "playing baseball"

When Bernanke talks before Congress, the metaphors get colorful -- and mangled. More

Memorial Day travel to dip this year

Memorial Day travel forecast to decline by about 1%. More

U.K. can do more to boost economy: IMF

The International Monetary Fund tells U.K. to increase spending on infrastructure and cut some corporate taxes to shore up its fragile economic recovery. More

How Apple scores its lower tax bill

Apple pays a lot in taxes to the U.S. government. But many tax experts and lawmakers say Apple's tax bill would be bigger if the company didn't take advantage of so many loopholes in the tax code. More

Pet shelters & tractors: Companies kick in tornado relief

Businesses in Oklahoma City are offering heavy equipment, free lodging and other services to assist with the tornado relief efforts. More

Medicare: $15,000 for one hospital, $26,000 for another

Why Medicare payment rates vary wildly, even for the same procedure at hospitals in the same area. More

Army plans to launch a reality TV show

The Army is planning to launch a new reality TV program, "Starting Strong" on June 2, aimed at recruiting 18 to 24-year-olds to enlist in the military. More

Bank of Japan maintains policy, cheers Abenomics

Japan's central bank pledged Wednesday to maintain its ambitious quantitative easing program, saying that economic conditions in the country are improving. More

Apple grilled about tax havens

Senate hearing on Apple's overseas tax policies begins with harsh criticism. More

Sony shares boom on spin off speculation

Shares of Sony spiked to their highest level in two years Wednesday on reports that the company is considering a spin off of its movie and music division. More

Make $30 an hour, no bachelor's degree required

No college degree? No problem! The job of web developer is growing quickly and many in the field are self-trained. More

Fed's Dudley says new plan needed to end stimulus

New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley said the central bank's current plan for unwinding its stimulus program is "stale". More

African Americans more financially confident, but underserved

While the average African American feels more financially secure, many still feel neglected by the financial industry, new research shows. More

Europe's lost trillion in taxes

Europe misses out on one trillion euros in tax each year. Little wonder its leaders are stepping up their efforts to tackle fraud and aggressive tax avoidance. More

Americans spend more on Fido than beer

People shelled out an average of $502 annually on their pets in 2011, topping the $456 spent on booze. More

Suburban poverty soars

Poverty is growing faster in the suburbs than anywhere else in the United States, surging 64% over the past decade. More

Map of where suburban poverty is rising

China's red-hot property market shows no signs of slowing

Property prices continued to rise last month in China, defying policymakers who have sought to cool the housing market while preserving robust economic growth. More

The Winklevoss twins are Bitcoin bulls

Winklevoss Capital is dabbling in backing Bitcoin startups. More

Gas prices lower, but not leading to more spending

About 80% of people surveyed by Bankrate.com said they have not increased their discretionary spending in response to falling gas prices this year. More

Bernanke's advice for college grads

College graduates got some sage advice from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at their commencement ceremony Saturday. More

Oil-price manipulation: the next Libor?

A scandal is brewing in Europe that could rival the Libor controversy, as the European Commission says it's probing suspected attempts to manipulate global oil prices. More

Federal workers under fire

The Internal Revenue Service scandal couldn't have come at a worse time for the nation's 2 million federal workers, who are desperate to end furloughs and get their first raise in nearly three years. More

Millennials: Don't call me 'entitled'

These millennials take issue with the 'entitled' stigma - and no, they aren't just whining. More

Biggest Bitcoin exchange lands in feds' crosshairs

U.S. officials froze the financial accounts of Bitcoin's biggest exchange, accusing it of transmitting money without a license. More

Student loan delinquencies: Check your state

Borrowers in West Virginia appear to be having the toughest time paying back student loans while delinquencies are pretty low in South Dakota. Check where it is in your state. More

Glimmer of hope for EU car sales

The latest data shows European car sales grew in April for the first time since September 2011. More

Retiring at 55? You'll need $372,000 for health care

Costs add up fast for retirees who aren't yet eligible for Medicare. More

Debt ceiling: Treasury soon to start juggling act

The U.S. Treasury on Friday will employ the first of several "extraordinary measures" to keep the country's borrowing from breaching the debt ceiling. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew may soon issue a letter formally notifying Congress. More

France wants eurozone government, soon

France wants to see the creation of a eurozone government within two years to help lift the region out of its economic slump. More

Overworked IRS unit was treated like a "step sister"

The Internal Revenue Service group under fire for giving extra scrutiny to conservative groups was overworked, understaffed and lacked a layer of experienced middle managers to sound alarms, say former colleagues. More

The U.S. looks like Japan: Investors rejoice

America is almost halfway into a post-recession Lost Decade, but investors couldn't be happier. More

Apartment construction slows sharply

Housing starts fall sharply in April as volatile apartment construction figure falls sharply, but single-family home building remains strong. More

Bring on the cupcake deflation!

Not only is the cupcake craze truly winding down, it's leading to some Twitter fun among econ nerds. More

How I make money mining bitcoins

With bitcoins still hovering over $100, one miner explains how he makes money running his computer 24/7, supporting the Bitcoin system. Play

You can spend bitcoins at your local mall

Virtual currency Bitcoin is gaining acceptance at a growing number of merchants -- but they admit that very few customers are actually using it. More

Falling gas prices lead inflation lower

The Consumer Price Index, a key measure of inflation, fell 0.4% in April. More

Bad news for job market? Initial claims jump

Initial jobless claims higher than expected last week. More

Japan GDP trumps expectations under Abenomics

Japan's economy kicked into high gear during the first quarter as policymakers worked to combat falling prices and implement the policy prescriptions of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. More

White kids will be a minority by 2019

The tipping point when white, non-Hispanic people will account for less than 50% of America's youth is about five to six years away, according to Census Bureau projections. More

Getting into the military is getting tougher

Thanks to the weak job market, the military is hiring higher-skilled recruits these days. More

IRS to close for 5 days due to budget cuts

Forced budget cuts are taking another bite out of the tax collection agency's operations. In addition to longer waits on its helpline, the agency will be closed completely for 5 days between May and August. More

EU braces for China telecoms trade fight

Europe says it's ready for a trade dispute with China over telecoms exports but would prefer to negotiate a solution. More

Los Angeles is worst for mail carrier dog bites

Los Angeles letter carriers suffer greatest number of dog bites in annual ranking from Postal Service. More

Eurozone economy shrinks again

Germany narrowly avoids recession in the first quarter of 2013 but its return to growth isn't enough to prevent the eurozone economy contracting again. More

Payroll tax hike prompts spending cuts

Most Americans plan to cut spending to make up for income lost from the payroll tax hike. More

Too late to invest in the bull market?

As the Dow and S&P 500 both hit record highs, some investors are wary of the rally while others are finding value in stocks that are lagging behind. Play

Japan: Is Abenomics working?

The initial results of Japan's Abenomics experiment are encouraging, but it's too early to call the strategy a success. More

How Change.org profits from petitions

Change.org founder Ben Rattray talks to Fortune's Adam Lashinsky about how his petitions website is able to attract users and investors. Play

Tesla: The anti-Solyndra

Unlike well-publicized losses on Solyndra, federal government could win big on $465 million Energy Department loan to Tesla Motors. More

How I 'stole' $14 million from a bank

Hacking into a bank is surprisingly easy. This expert has the receipt to prove it. More

Who will pay more under Obamacare? Young men

Young men buying individual coverage will likely see their premiums soar next year. For others, costs will vary. More

Deficits falling faster than expected

The Congressional Budget Office projects this year's deficit will be $200 billion less than expected just a few months ago. But the downward trend won't continue since lawmakers haven't tamed long-term drivers of the country's debt. More

U.S. charges 89 with defrauding Medicare of $223 million

Officials announced Medicare fraud charges in eight cities covering a variety of false-billing schemes. More

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Farewell 3% mortgage rates
IMF bent rules on Greece to avoid worse situation
Nation's drinking water system needs $384B upgrade
Stocks head for bounce after sharp fall
Microsoft and FBI take down global cybercrime ring

Latest Report	Next Update
Jobs	June 7
Inflation (CPI)	June 18
Consumer confidence	June 25
Home prices	June 25
GDP	June 26
Manufacturing (ISM)	July 1

Overnight Avg Rate	Latest	Last Week
30 yr fixed	4.16%	3.94%
15 yr fixed	3.33%	3.08%
5/1 ARM	2.76%	2.74%
30 yr refi	4.00%	3.93%
15 yr refi	3.13%	3.07%