Mid-year market report

The first half of 2023 is in the books. This week in many ways is the turning point in the year for housing. Home purchases start to decelerate and price reductions increase in the second half of the year.

Geithner gives some companies pass on new rules

WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has decided to let companies continue to trade certain contracts used to guard against swings in currency values outside regulators' view.

Psychology on order

How restaurants get you to spend more

NEW YORK - You may think you're immune to transparent sales pitches like "Do you want fries with that?" But the tactics restaurants use to nudge you into spending a little extra may be subtler than you realize.

Wish granted: Same day delivery for the holidays

US consumer prices surge in June by the most since 2008

Fed, White House claim current bout of inflation will prove temporary

US consumer prices surge in June by the most since 2008

Fed, White House claim current bout of inflation will prove temporary

The gold standard

Precious metal proves to be a safe bet for investors

NEW YORK - For what is normally a sleepy month, there are so many customers at the Gold Standard, a New York company that buys jewelry, that it feels like Christmas in August. Uncle Ben's Pawn Shop in Cleveland has never seen a rush like this.

Consumer prices rise just 0.1 percent in May

Zimbabweans hit by 257% inflation: Will gold coins help?

Rising prices and a fast depreciating currency have pushed many Zimbabweans to the brink

Holiday shopping forecast looks merry

Consumers gifting more services, experiences than goods this year

A fresh green Vanhoff's Garden Center wreath with a buffalo plaid bow will adorn Chrisdee Imthurn’s front door this holiday season, thanks to Girl Scout Troop 4923, which had friendly, festive Scouts on hand during Black Friday at the Silver Lake Mall. “It's so easy to buy online, but you want to support the local community,” said Imthurn, of Hauser.

A disappointment so far

Holiday shopping season on slower pace than expected

NEW YORK - Sparse crowds at malls and "50 percent off" signs at The Gap and other stores offer clues as to how this holiday season is shaping up so far: It's the most discount-driven one since the U.S. was in a deep recession. It's also the most disappointing for stores.

Interest rates may favor winter market

As interest rates rose in early fall, housing in some areas began to slow and applications for refinance loans became a trickle. Now, with interest rates at their lowest since June, we may see a boost in the lending market and in housing sales. Nearly everyone agrees that rates this low cannot last forever and at least for some, it's "get while the getting is good."

Strong demand = no price cuts

Thrift giving: Millennials take the lead in making old new again

By ELENA JOHNSON

State board approves University of Idaho plan to purchase University of Phoenix assets

The Idaho State Board of Education, in its role as the Board of Regents for the University of Idaho, today unanimously approved the institution’s plan to purchase assets from the University of Phoenix, one of the nation’s largest online higher education providers.

No golden rule anymore

No easy formula for best time to book airline tickets

Travelers dream of the perfect trick to find the cheapest airfare every time, every trip.

Bernanke: A case for further action

Fed plan for short-term fix brings long-term risks

WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is balancing a short-term fix for the economy with a long-term gamble: His plan to buy Treasury bonds to fight high unemployment and super-low inflation now could ignite inflation later.

Neighborhood of the week: Stone Creek

It's super-quiet.

Once a retail giant, Kmart nears extinction after closure

Kmarts continue to operate in Westwood, New Jersey; Bridgehampton, on New York’s Long Island, and Miami

Best buys in the Heartland

Technology is a beautiful thing, and also, sometimes a bit intense.