Roland Li

U.S. builder confidence rose in the new single-family home market as in July by the greatest level in nearly a decade, led by improving market conditions and buyer traffic, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.

Copper prices have outperformed the overall metals market as traders have closed short selling in expectation of government intervention to boost growth, but the metal may still be slightly overvalued, according to a Monday report by Barclays.

Margaret Sullivan, outgoing editor of the Warren Buffett-owned Buffalo News, brings 32 years of journalism experience to her new role as public editor of the New York Times (NYSE: NYT), as the Sulzberger family-controlled paper faces unprecedented financial challenges.

Gannett Co. Inc., publisher of USA Today and 81 local daily newspapers, is expected to have slightly lower revenue in the second quarter this year versus last year, as print advertising continues to weaken and the broader economy sputters at stall speed.

China's slowing economy could drag down some of its Asian neighbors, but other countries would be less affected, according to a report released Friday by Capital Economics.

Premier Oil PLC (London: PMO) has agreed to a $1 billion deal to create oil drilling in the UK-controlled Falkland Islands, but its greatest obstacle could be Argentina's government.

Patriot Coal Corp.'s (NYSE: PCX) bankruptcy filing this week highlighted the diminished demand for coal in the face of cheap natural gas, but experts don't expect the fossil fuel to go away entirely.

Private equity giant Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX) is preparing to sell its office portfolio over the next 18 months, hoping to capitalize on the commercial property rebound, the Wall Street Journal reported.

In another triumph of digital medial over legacy media, Buzzmedia said Tuesday that it would buy Spin Media LLC, the 27-year-old music magazine that chronicled the rise of alternative rock in the 1990s.

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA), the largest U.S. aerospace manufacturer, said Tuesday it had reached a deal with Kuwaiti airplane leasing company ALAFCO to sell 20 Boeing 737 aircraft valued at $1.9 billion, its second big deal at the Farnborough Airshow in England.

General Growth Properties (NYSE: GGP), the second-largest public U.S. mall landlord, is living up to its name once again. After exiting bankruptcy in 2010, the Chicago-based company's shares hit a new all-time high of $18.49 on Friday.

IBTimes reviews winners and losers in the world of business and economics for the week of July 1.

As the gap between America's middle class and the wealthiest 1 percent has widened, luxury retailers and discounters continue to grow, while midprice brands are finding it difficult to compete.

Although Friday's closely watched June jobs report missed expectations, analysts are looking on the bright side: Income and hours worked both rose and the country's job market is still growing, despite global turmoil.

During the second quarter, average rents increased to record levels in 74 of the 82 U.S. markets tracked by real estate data firm Reis Inc. (NYSE: REIS), according to a report released Thursday. A number of factors are driving the trend.

U.S. 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to a record low of 3.62 percent, its 10th such weekly record low in the last 11 weeks, following weak economic data, mortgage financier Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Two of real estate's biggest landlords are gearing up for more acquisitions in moves that could help stabilize local housing markets.

California, the state with the second most foreclosures by volume, has passed one of the strongest laws in the country seeking to protect homeowners from improperly losing their homes.

Sun-drenched Arizona became a poster child for the overdevelopment excesses of the boom, but it's recently become a leader in the U.S.'s long-awaited housing recovery.

U.S. manufacturing contracted in June for the first time since July 2009 as demand fell amid the euro zone crisis, according to Institute for Supply Management data released Monday.

U.S. home prices rose 2 percent in May, another sign that the depressed housing market is stabilizing, data firm CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX) said Monday.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) won't adopt a new restriction that could have prevented thousands of prospective home buyers from obtaining low-cost mortgages.

A wave of retiring U.S. baby boomers may lead to an increase in unconventional loans known as reverse mortgages in coming years, but the practice comes with risks, according to a report released Thursday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The newspapers that give Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (Nasdaq: NWSA) its name may soon be on their own after the media giant's board approved a breakup that could radically reshape the global media landscape.

State-controlled Bank of China (Hong Kong: 3988) opened its first branch in Taipei Wednesday in the first arrival of a mainland bank in Taiwan and plans to increase lending to local businesses, China Daily reported.

U.S. pending home sales rose 5.9 percent in May, matching a two-year high, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday.

The Chinese government has spent billions to buy Japanese stocks as the euro zone crisis lingers, in an effort to diversify its investments, the AFP reported.

Although U.S. home prices inched up in April and new home sales rose to a two-year high in May, the national housing market remains uneven and weak, said a New York-based developer.

A list of winners and losers in the world of business and economics for the week of June 17.