Hot finance topics

President Bill Clinton on Tuesday said those running for office should make reaching a debt deal the top campaign issue in the fall’s elections.
"I think this budget issue should become front and center in this election, Clinton said on Tuesday at a fiscal summit sponsored by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

"As soon as this […]

Coty Inc. says it is withdrawing its $10.7 billion offer to buy Avon.
Coty announced its decision in a letter to Avon’s board a day after Avon said it would consider the offer. The letter was made public late Monday.
Avon’s response Sunday came two months after Coty made its original offer and Avon executives asked for […]

Tired of waits to fill orders and lack of control over his Asian factories, Pierrick Haan, chief executive officer of Dupont Medical, decided last year to return production of some wheelchairs and medical equipment to France.
The 150-year-old Dupont Medical created 20 jobs making custom devices at a plant in central France — and will […]

The long legal saga of Francine Katz took another small step forward Wednesday.
Lawyers for Katz and Anheuser-Busch - which Katz sued in 2009 claiming gender discrimination - wrangled in a St. Louis courtroom over how much information in the case will be deemed confidential.
In December, A-B asked Judge Joan Moriarty to grant a protective order […]

Salvage work to remove the capsized Costa Concordia cruise ship from its rocky perch off Tuscany, where 32 people died, will begin early next month and is expected to take a year, the Italian owner announced Saturday.
The U.S.-owned company Titan Salvage won the bid to remove the ship, which struck a reef off the tourist-dependent […]

Exxon is teaming up with Russian oil giant Rosneft to develop oil and natural gas fields in Russia and North America.
The companies on Monday signed an agreement that was first announced in August. The signing ceremony in Russia was attended by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Exxon gains access to Russia’s prized offshore reserves in the […]

The Federal Reserve took steps to encourage banks to turn more of their foreclosed homes into rental properties in new policy guidelines issued on Thursday that could help lessen the flood of distressed property sales that is depressing prices.
“Banking organizations should make good-faith efforts to dispose of foreclosed properties,” the Fed said in a […]

Dear Jeanne & Leonard:
When I had a flat tire recently, I called AAA. It sent a tow truck right out, and I soon had my spare on. I didn

Direct Energy is changing its water heater rental contracts and making it more expensive for customers to switch suppliers or buy their own units.
Right now, customers can remove rented water heaters any time at no cost. They may pay a $75 fee if they want Direct Energy to disconnect, remove and retrieve the tank.
But under […]

Gasoline prices are soaring again, leading to predictions of a gallon reaching $4.25 by late April. As you ponder this while you’re filling up at the pump, you might be tempted to ask: If only I’d invested in oil company stocks a few months ago.
It’s natural to expect that rising oil prices would drive oil […]