Hot finance topics

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, appearing before a Congressional panel Wednesday, defended the performance of safety regulators in dealing with problems involving Toyota cars, including unintended acceleration.
LaHood objected to a suggestion that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a part of his department, has been a "lap dog" to the auto industry.
"On my watch we […]

No faxing fast cash advance gets you cash fast and easily.

EVERETT, Wash.–Boeing’s new 787 jetliner finally got airborne Tuesday, the long-delayed inaugural flight of the world’s first commercial plane constructed with half its components made from lightweight composite materials.
The sleek jet, nicknamed the Dreamliner, lifted off from Everett’s Paine Field on a flight over Washington state, beginning an extensive testing program needed to […]

China’s vast manufacturing sector expanded in October at the fastest rate in 18 months, a survey showed on Sunday, and economists said they expected the momentum to be sustained in the coming months.
The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) issued by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing rose to 55.2 last month, the highest level […]

A year that started in gloom and doom could end in cheers for U.S. corporate profits and leave the stock market positioned for a strong start to 2010.
Analysts have been forecasting a big jump in fourth-quarter earnings compared to a year earlier when the entire Standard & Poor’s 500 index ended in a per-share […]

Mortgage applications plunged last week as rates ticked higher above 5%, an industry group said Wednesday, as the expiration of a home buyer tax credit drew nearer.
The Mortgage Bankers Association said its index of mortgage application volume fell 13.7% in the week ended Oct. 16 from the prior week.
The decline in activity came as […]

Millions of lottery players will be able to double their bets because of a deal announced Wednesday by the two powerhouses of the business.
Mega Millions and Powerball, the country’s largest lotteries, will allow stores in many states to sell both lotteries.
"We have reached an agreement to see if we can work together and cross-sell […]

Boeing expects to take a $1 billion pre-tax charge against its the third quarter results due to higher production costs and tough market conditions related to its 747-8 program, the company said in a statement released Tuesday.
The airplane maker said about $640 million of the charge reflects higher-than-expected production costs for the 747-8 cargo […]

General Motors Co. has ended temporary pay cuts for salaried workers that were put in place four months ago to preserve cash before the automaker filed for bankruptcy, a spokeswoman said.
GM salaried workers were notified of the step by email Friday after the action was reviewed by the automaker’s board of directors earlier this […]

Gold held broadly steady on Monday just shy of $995 per ounce, consolidating stellar gains last week that took it tantalizingly close to the $1,000 psychological level, with buyers encouraged by dollar weakness.
Silver took support from gold’s strength and gains in benchmark base metal copper, hitting a high of $16.34 an ounce, its firmest […]

The unemployment rate jumped almost half a point to 9.7 percent in August, the highest since 1983, reflecting a poor job market that will make it hard for the economy to begin a sustained recovery.
While the jobless rate rose more than expected, the economy shed a net total of 216,000 jobs, less […]