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What to consider before buying technology this holiday season

A funny thing happened on the way to the convergence of the computing and electronics industries.

Workers seek new skills at community colleges, but classes are full

LAS VEGAS - The gambling economy here has crapped out, but at the swelling community college, workers are in the grip of new aspirations.

The markets room, nerve center of the U.S. Treasury Department

Two years after the harrowing days of the financial crisis, Michael N. Pedroni still draws wary looks when he heads upstairs to the third floor of the Treasury Department, which houses the offices of Secretary Timothy F. Geithner and other top brass.

Rising worker productivity, innovation boosts profits but may lessen hiring need

MAXTON, N.C. - Not far from where Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke grew up, a revolution inside a Campbell Soup Co. plant explains why corporations are piling up profits - with little need to hire more people.

Incentives needed to retain disabled workers to slow Social Security costs, report says

The government should create incentives for employers to retain disabled workers on their payrolls as a way of slowing unsustainable increases in the number of people receiving Social Security disability benefits, according to a new report.

Banks buy $2.37 billion more in GM shares

General Motors inched further forward in its effort to repay taxpayers, announcing Friday that the banks backing its historic initial public offering had exercised their right to buy an additional block of shares in the restructured automaker.

Debt crisis escalates in Europe; fears grow about Spain

LONDON -- The debt crisis in Europe escalated sharply Friday as investors dumped Spanish and Portuguese bonds in panicked selling, substantially heightening the prospect that one or both countries may need to join troubled Ireland and Greece in soliciting international bailouts.

Black Friday action: Shoppers are eager for deals

The traditional holiday shopping season kicked off Friday with retailers reporting longer lines than last year and customers saying they were more willing to spend, boosting hopes that the coming weeks could give the economy a badly needed nudge.

Euro will survive debt crisis, German Chancellor Merkel says

BERLIN - The 16-nation euro currency will survive the debt crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed Thursday, and a senior central banker said the European Union would be willing to increase its 750 billion euro ($1 trillion) bailout fund if necessary.

Irish opposition leaders vow to redraft austerity plan if they win power

DUBLIN - Opposition leaders vowed Thursday to rewrite Ireland's harsh four-year austerity plan if, as expected, they oust Prime Minister Brian Cowen in early elections next year.