Economy Jolts Into Decline; Bad Recession Seen WASHINGTON (AP) - The government reported Thursday that the economy shrank in the summer, sending the strongest signal yet that a recession may have already begun. ...more

November 2, 2008

Sales of new homes recorded an unexpected increase in September as median home prices dropped to the lowest level in four years, the Commerce Department reported Monday. ...more

October 28, 2008

Behind every great man or woman in Washington there is a great painting. As the Bush presidency draws to a close, portrait artists can expect a surge in business from Cabinet secretaries and other elite political appointees who want to preserve their legacies - and their images - for posterity. ...more

October 22, 2008

Construction of new homes plunged by a bigger-than-expected amount in September as builders slashed production yet again, putting the country on track to build the fewest homes this year in more than six decades. ...more

October 18, 2008

New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to their highest level in seven years because of the impact of a slowing economy and Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the Labor Department reported Thursday. ...more

September 26, 2008

Costs to run a coupon program that is helping people shift to digital television are about to exceed a congressionally mandated cap and the Bush administration is asking for more money. ...more

September 20, 2008

Construction of new homes and apartments fell to the lowest level in 17 years last month, showing the country is still gripped by a severe housing downturn that has triggered billions of dollars of losses and is reshaping the structure of U.S. finance. ...more

September 18, 2008

The largest drop in wholesale prices in nearly two years in August failed to spur consumers to spend more at shopping malls, raising new worries about a possible recession as the temporary boost from tax rebate checks becomes a distant memory. ...more

September 13, 2008

Spring's Economic Rebound Unlikely To Last Gross domestic product, or GDP, grew at a 3.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, its fastest pace in nearly a year, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. ...more

August 31, 2008

U.S. factories saw a surprisingly hefty increase in their orders for big-ticket products in July, reflecting continued strength in export sales and a boost to business investment from the government's tax stimulus package. ...more

August 28, 2008