PENNSYLVANIA

Plans by major U.S. airlines to slash the number of seats they sell may bolster fares this fall, further stabilizing prices that tumbled this year as economic weakness drained travel demand.

U.S. stocks racked up gains across a wide array of sectors on Thursday, aided by rising commodity prices and improving labor market conditions, along with a sharp drop in interest rates.

U.S. stocks racked up gains across a wide array of sectors on Thursday, aided by rising commodity prices and improving labor market conditions, along with a sharp drop in interest rates.

Stocks rose on Thursday as rising oil and other commodity prices lifted energy stocks, while retail sales and weekly jobless claims data bolstered optimism for an economic recovery.

Wall Street may be losing its luster for new U.S. college graduates who are increasingly looking to the government for jobs that enrich their social conscience, if not their wallet.

U.S. stocks rose in choppy trading on Friday as investors grappled with conflicting monthly jobs data, with the Dow industrials boosted after Wal-Mart said it was buying back more of its shares.

Merchants and retailers would be able to negotiate with banks to reduce costs associated with credit card purchases, according to legislation introduced on Thursday by lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday will open a debate that has stymied them for at least a decade: the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the giant housing finance agencies nearly felled by the credit crisis.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes in April unexpectedly saw their biggest monthly gain in 7-1/2 years, a report from a trade group on Tuesday showed, buttressing views the U.S. recession was easing.

The U.S. manufacturing sector showed improvement in May, contracting at a slower rate for the fifth straight month, while consumer spending slipped only slightly in April, according to reports Monday that offered more proof the deep recession is losing its bite.

Secretary of Public Welfare Estelle B. Richman today responded to critics of the Smart Pharmacy initiative, saying the plan would save taxpayers $146 million annually while preserving consumer benefits and simplifying the pharmacy initiative for providers.

In the world of corporate profits, much like the broader economy, less bad is good these days. Unfortunately, it's not good enough to stem the rise in unemployment.

Iris Martin is not a banker, real estate lawyer or mortgage broker. She is a former psychotherapist specializing in transformative psychology.

President Barack Obama on Thursday will discuss his plan for closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in an effort to stop a revolt by lawmakers concerned that some of the detainees could be set free in the United States.

Toll Brothers Inc said on Wednesday that it expected to report a 51 percent drop in quarterly homebuilding revenue, but said new orders had improved from the prior period, reflecting a seasonal upturn.

U.S. housing starts and permits fell to record lows in April, weighed down by a slump in multifamily units, according to data on Tuesday that still hinted the U.S. recession may be drawing to a close.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday, touching a six-month high over $60 a barrel as a flurry of U.S. refinery problems stoked supply fears leading into peak summer driving season.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as a flurry of U.S. refinery problems stoked supply fears leading into peak summer driving season.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday on buying inspired by gains on Wall Street and a flurry of U.S. refinery problems leading into peak summer driving season.

General Electric's transportation unit unveiled a new line of fuel efficient and low emissions locomotives on Monday offering them as an alternative to the aging fleet, the company said.

Oil prices rose nearly 4.8 percent to a six-month high on Monday as violence in Africa's top crude exporter Nigeria and a fire at a key U.S. East Coast refinery revived concern about supplies.