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Mark Brooks

TheAssocPress

Recent Articles by Mark Brooks

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Oil Drops on Commodities Sell-Off, Stocks' Retreat

Oil prices were undercut by analysts' expectations for higher U.S. crude supplies when the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration releases its weekly inventory report on Thursday.

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Fed Minutes Show Concerns About Bond Purchases

Minutes of the Fed's Jan. 29-30 policy meeting released Wednesday showed that some officials worried about the Fed's monthly purchases of $85 billion in Treasurys and mortgage bonds.

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Macy's, Penney to Spar in Court Over Martha Stewart

At the heart of the trial, which got under way Wednesday, is whether Macy's has the exclusive right to sell Martha Stewart-branded products in such categories as cookware, bedding, and bath.

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

BP Civil Settlement Remains Elusive as Trial Nears

Months of negotiations have failed to resolve lingering differences -- not just with the London-based oil giant, but among federal and state officials.

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

GOP Isn't Finding White House's "Open Door"

Republicans argue his door isn't very open considering the president's refusal to consider a fix of targeted spending cuts alone, as Republicans want.

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Greece's Weakened Workforce Starts to Crack

In spite of Greece receiving much-needed bailout loans, life seems to be getting worse for ordinary people.

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

"Spain's Head Is Out of the Water," Rajoy Says

The government has been trying to heal its public finances since it came to power 14 months ago by slashing spending and raising taxes.

Feb 20, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Dollar Rises Even After Weaker Housing Report

The dollar is up against the euro as well as the Japanese yen and the Canadian dollar.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Dollar Mixed Ahead of Federal Reserve Minutes

The U.S. currency fell against the euro and rose against the British pound.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Not Much Urgency to Avoid Automatic Spending Cuts

President Barack Obama, back from a Florida golfing weekend, warned Tuesday that "people will lose their jobs" if Congress doesn't act. But lawmakers weren't in session to hear his appeal, and they aren't coming back to work until next week.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Metals Mixed, Soybeans Rise in Trading

In other trading, wheat and corn both fell on forecasts that winter storms would bring snow to the Plains region, giving soil there much needed moisture and boosting the outlook for this year's crops.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Rates Rise at Weekly Treasury Bill Auction

The Treasury Department auctioned $35 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 0.115 percent, up from 0.085 percent last week.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Deal to Delay Spending Cuts in Doubt

With no top-level talks under way and Congress off until next Monday, each side is blaming the other.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Microsoft's Outlook Takes Aim at Google's Gmail

As part of the process, all users of Microsoft's Hotmail and other email services operating under different domains such as MSN.com will be automatically converted to Outlook.com by the summer, if they don't voluntarily switch before then.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Hollande Says France to Miss 2013 Growth Target

While on a six-hour visit to Greece, Hollande said "everyone knows that for 2013, we will not reach our target, which was 0.8 percent."

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Oil Falls Ahead of U.S. Trading Resumption

Benchmark crude for March delivery was down 46 cents to $95.40 per barrel by midday in Europe in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Feb 19, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Obama to Press GOP on Averting Sequester

The $85 billion in cuts, known as the sequester, will start taking effect on March 1 unless Congress acts.

Feb 15, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Gold Slides, Ends Barely Above $1,600

Gold for April delivery fell $26 to $1,609.50 an ounce Friday. That's a loss of 1.6 percent.

Feb 15, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt Hit $5.56 Trillion in December

The Treasury Department said Friday that foreign holdings of U.S. Treasurys rose 0.3 percent in December from November to $5.56 trillion. It was the 12th consecutive monthly gain.

Feb 15, 2013 by Mark Brooks

Budget Fight Prompts Fear of U.S. Diplomatic Retreat

The reductions would affect everything from security funding for allies like Israel to humanitarian aid in war-torn nations like Syria.

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