The latest in The Associated Press

People v Government

2010-11-29T15:43:02Z

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Why Barak Obama is not the problem or solution for America

2010-11-29T16:03:54Z

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Economy recovering, but recession's shadow is long

2010-11-06T08:00:42Z

The economy may be recovering, but Americans are still guarding their wallets

Layaway, once the province of the poor, has gone mainstream. At the Mall of America in Minnesota, shoppers dart in for just one or two things. In New York, socialites do the unthinkable: They wear the same ball gown twice.

During the Great Recession, people made drastic changes in h...

Only slight economic gains seen in 2011

2010-11-03T16:52:20Z

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AP analysis: More factory jobs ease economic pain

2010-06-16T11:19:54Z

Job gains in Midwest ease economic stress to lowest level in 5 months, AP stress map shows

Manufacturing job gains in the Midwest helped lower the nation's economic stress in April to its lowest point in five months, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions around the country.

Contributing to the improvement were lower foreclosure rates in two states with beaten-...

Scientists debate: Are recessions good for health?

2010-06-04T08:16:56Z

Recession has scholars renewing their debate about whether bad economy helps or hinders health

During recessions, idled factories spew less pollution and fewer people commuting to jobs means fewer traffic deaths. Laid-off workers have more time to exercise and cook for themselves and less money to eat out.

All of these factors have led some economists over the past decade to overturn previous assumptions that recessions are bad for your health. They say econ...

Report finds it wasn't just a 'Mancession'

2010-05-07T13:00:27Z

Not just Dad's recession: Congressional report finds single, working moms hard hit by downturn

They've called it the "Mancession" — a recession that's affected men disproportionately, because of its brutal impact on male-dominated sectors like construction and manufacturing.

But that term rings hollow to women like Sara Wade, an Illinois schoolteacher who ...

AP analysis: Economic stress drops in most areas

2010-06-16T11:16:12Z

Economic stress declines in three-quarters of nation's counties in March, AP stress map shows

Economic stress declined in March in nearly three-quarters of the nation's 3,141 counties, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions around the country.

The gains were due to an improving job market in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and a steadying of foreclosure rates ac...

Frugality among consumers is outliving recession

2010-09-15T14:46:46Z

A new frugality among consumers whose wealth has shrunk is outliving the recession

Even as the economic recovery plods ahead, many American consumers are refusing to come along.

They're not spending freely — and they have no plans to.

Many of them have steady income. They aren't saddled by high debts. They don't fear losing their jobs. Yet despite recent gains, they've lost so much household wealth that they're far more cautious about spendin...

Business Highlights

2010-09-22T13:39:37Z

Business Highlights

Higher consumer spending in Q1 still lacks vigor

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers spent more and helped lift the economy last quarter but not enough to ignite the recovery and drive down unemployment.

Spending by consumers rose by the fastest pace in three years, the Commerce Department said Friday . That helped the economy grow at a 3.2 perce...

New Freddie Mac CEO earned $800,000 last year

2010-04-19T13:48:33Z

New CEO of mortgage giant Freddie Mac earned $800,000 last year

The chief executive of Freddie Mac earned nearly $800,000 last year after being hired in late summer to run the government controlled mortgage finance company.

Charles Haldeman, 61, who started as CEO of the McLean, Va.-based mortgage finance giant last August...

Caterpillar CEO compensation falls 54 percent

2010-09-15T15:04:50Z

Caterpillar CEO took 54 percent cut in compensation as equipment maker weathered the recession

Last year, Caterpillar Inc. gave Chairman and CEO Jim Owens less than half the $14.6 million compensation he received in 2008 as the world's biggest maker of mining and construction equipment endured the recession and eliminated thousands of jobs.

AP Analysis: MLB salaries climb slightly

2010-04-05T16:15:07Z

AP Analysis: Baseball salaries up slightly despite recession and a slow free-agent market

Opening-day baseball salaries grew despite the recession, although at a slower rate than in recent years.

The average salary went up 1.8 percent to $3.3 million at the start of season, according to an analysis of rosters by The Associated Press. The increase was the lowest since a 2.7 percent drop i...

AP analysis: Average county was stressed in Jan.

2010-06-16T11:10:45Z

Average county was stressed in Jan. as joblessness spread to more states, AP analysis shows

Worsening economic conditions caused the nation to reach a bleak milestone in January: For the first time since The Associated Press began analyzing conditions in more than 3,100 U.S. counties nearly a year ago, the average county was found to be...

America's So-Called Recovery

2010-10-24T16:33:30Z

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AP analysis: US economic stress hit a peak in Dec.

2010-06-15T09:07:44Z

US economic strains hit a peak in December as Western states weakened, AP stress map shows

Weakness in Western energy-producing states helped raise the average U.S. county's economic stress in December to its highest point since the recession began in December 2007, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions in mo...

AP: More migration has meant more economic stress

2010-04-16T07:11:03Z

Influx of new residents as recession started worsened its effects, AP review of IRS data shows

Christy Nameche moved with her family to Kendall County, Ill., in 2007, joining thousands of other hope-filled newcomers who made the county No. 1 in population growth in the nation that year.

Nameche liked the farms around her new neighborhood, the fact that she could see the stars at night and the chance...

AP analysis: Sun Belt struggles to begin recovery

2010-06-16T11:26:30Z

Hard-hit counties in Sun Belt struggle to begin an economic rebound, AP stress map shows

On the surface, economic stress in some of the Sun Belt's hardest-hit counties appeared to ease in November. But beneath some positive numbers is a region struggling to rebound from the damage of the housing crisis and recession, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of economic stress in mor...

Where Is All the Hard-Time Crime?

2010-11-02T14:01:51Z

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Recession, gray wolves top Wyoming stories of 2009

2010-04-16T08:08:27Z

Wyoming AP editors select economic recession, gray wolves as top state stories of 2009

Wyoming's souring economy and the enduring saga over gray wolves in the state were the top Wyoming news stories of 2009, according to an annual ranking by Wyoming Associated Press members.

The economic recession ranked high on ballots submitted this month b...

The Recession And Retirees

2010-10-22T07:47:43Z

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Social Security Data Reveal Signs of Desperate Times

2010-10-22T07:29:20Z

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Correction: Good Jobs Unfilled story

2010-04-16T09:58:48Z

Correction: Good Jobs Unfilled story

In an Oct. 4 story about good jobs going unfilled, The Associated Press reported erroneously the number of jobs the Labor Department says have been lost since the recession began in December 2007. The correct figure is 7.2 million, not 7.6 million. Also, the story incorrectly described a Compensation for Parker-Hannifin's CEO fell 6.3 percent as recession cut profit 46 percent

The CEO of Parker-Hannifin Corp. received compensation in fiscal 2009 valued at $9.1 million, 6.3 percent less than the previous year's compensation, according to an Associated Press calculation of figures filed with re...

Economy inching upward

2010-06-15T09:29:23Z

News on several fronts has been good recently, a sign that ObamaÕs policies are working

ÒThe government incentives are providing a little bit of acceleration .. and frankly we need it.Ó

Tim Quinlan, Wells Fargo economist

We believe it is time that President Barack Oba...

CEO of Nortel steps down as company liquidates

2010-06-12T04:02:59Z

Nortel CEO steps down as company liquidates; board of directors to be reduced to 3 from 9

Nortel Networks CEO Mike Zafirovski is stepping down from the troubled telecommunications company, saying "a natural transition point" has been reached as the company continues to liquidate.

The company also announced Monday...

Making Ends Meet Gets Harder for U.S. Government

2010-10-22T07:21:27Z

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Slice of central US safe from recession shrinking

2010-04-16T11:02:39Z

Slice of middle America safe from recession's toll is shrinking as ag and energy prices fall

Carl Rupp and his neighbors follow the old rancher's creed: "Keep your money in your pocket."

Rupp has farmed his whole life. He lives in Goshen County, a rural spot along the Nebraska line where cattle outnumber humans 16 to 1 and you can still see the ruts cut ...

Health Highlights: July 29, 2009

2010-10-24T09:15:32Z

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A Tale of Two Banking Worlds

2010-10-22T07:18:38Z

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Renter affordability worsens over the decade

2010-04-16T11:37:06Z

The financial plight of the nation's 34 million renters has deteriorated rapidly since the beginning of the decade, yet they are rarely included in conversations about housing affordability.

Half of all renters now spend at least 30 percent of their before-tax income on rent and utility payments, that's up from about 40 percent in 2000, according to an analysis by the Associated Press. One in four shell out mor...

Ailing factory towns face tougher road to recovery

2010-04-16T11:49:08Z

Tim Holt was among the men and women who wove fabric and prosperity here for generations, until the textile factories left town in a global manufacturing shift that the rest of the country hardly seemed to notice.

Fifty-one years old and pushing through his second federally funded job-training program in six years, he names the departed companies like a list of suspects. Gold Toe, which introduced its durable socks during the Business News at 1:30 p.m.

The supervisor is Dan Scheraga (800-845-8450, ext. 1680). On the photo desk: Business Photo Editors Chris Hatch and Dan Goodman, ext. 7626. Multimedia and Graphics: ext. 7636.

AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, can also be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are also available from the Servic...

AP: Government jobs serve as recession shield

2010-04-16T11:55:21Z

AP map shows government jobs shield some towns from recession's worst

In North Carolina, where one in nine workers can't find a job, there's a county where the tough times haven't been all that bad. In fact, unemployment is well below the state average, relatively few homes are falling into foreclosure and people are still flocking to restaurants and spending money at stores.

The

AP IMPACT: Stress map outlines recession's stories

2010-04-16T12:16:29Z

AP IMPACT: Stress map outlines the patchwork stories of the American recession _ and beyond

Through the voices of its people, the map shouts.

From Atlanta, Ga., listen to Marian Chamberlain — 65, jobless, and no longer eligible for unemployment: "I will never be able to retire."

From Shakopee,...

Anatomy of an economic meltdown

2010-06-15T09:45:53Z

How did it gets this bad? AP maps show anatomy of an economic meltdown

How did it get this bad?

For two years, economic turmoil in the United States throbbed from a few areas of isolated distress — dark bruises on a national map that was otherwise unscarred.

Even the deflating housing bubble was confined mostly to areas like California

AP Executive Morning Briefing

2010-09-22T12:55:54Z

AP Executive Morning Briefing

The top business news from The Associated Press for the morning of Friday, May 8, 2009:

Toyota sees losses growing this year

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. said it sank into a 765.8 billion yen ($7.7 billion) net loss for...

Bankruptcies surge despite law meant to curb them

2010-04-16T15:36:36Z

AP Enterprise: Bankruptcies are surging despite law that made them tougher and more expensive

The number of U.S. businesses and individuals declaring bankruptcy is rising with a vengeance amid the recession, despite a three-year-old federal law that made it much tougher for Americans to escape their debts, an Associated Press analysis f...

Ask AP: Recessions and depressions, Mexico travel

2010-10-27T14:43:03Z

AP answers your questions on the news, from recessions and depressions to Mexico travel

Where do economists draw the line between a recession and a depression?

Curiosity about how these terms are defined inspired one of the questions in this edition of "Ask AP," a weekly Q&amp;A column where AP journalists respond to readers' questions about the news.

If you have your own news-related question that yo...

AP NewsBreak: NY Gov. orders 8,900 layoffs

2010-06-26T01:59:57Z

AP NewsBreak: NY Gov. Paterson orders 8,900 layoffs after unions refuse to deal

Gov. David Paterson on Tuesday ordered layoffs that could total about 4 percent of state workers after unions refused concessions amid a staggering economic downturn that was projected to push the state's deficit to $16 billion in the next year.

Budg...

No answer at Davos forum to global meltdown

2010-04-16T15:04:20Z

Business and government leaders at Davis mired in uncertainty on how to stem financial crisis

Mired in indecision and uncertainty, the world's foremost gathering of the best and brightest in government and business failed to come up with any new plan to stem, much less reverse, the global financial meltdown.

The five-day World Economic Forum in this Swiss alpine resort wrapped up Sunday ...

Obama's election voted top news story of 2008

2010-04-16T13:44:27Z

Obama's election as president voted top news story of 2008; economic meltdown runs 2nd

The epic election that made Barack Obama the first African-American president was the top news story of 2008 — followed closely by the economic meltdown that will test his leadership, according to U.S. editors and news directors voting in Analysis: Fundamental condition of US economy becomes political issue _ is it really OK?

Unemployment is at a five-year high. Financial firms that withstood the Great Depression are failing. Congress and a lame-duck president are gridlocked. So when John McCain declared that "the fun...

Is the financial crisis over? Not so fast

2010-08-25T13:49:02Z

At economic forum, signs of guarded optimism, but few willing to predict when pain will end

Oil prices are down, the dollar is up, and U.S. growth and exports have perked up a little. So is the global financial crisis winding down anytime soon? Top economists and business leaders meeting Friday at an Italian lakeside resort found plenty to discuss but little to agree on.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Adam LaRoche catches a throw during a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Phoenix. A person familiar with the negotiations tells Donna Lawlor shows Associated Press staffer Lynn Dombek as she pauses while snowshoeing up a hill on snow-covered logging roads in Hancock County, Maine. The solitude, q...

SC Legacy

2010-12-27T09:01:16Z

In this Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010 photo, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford talks with Associated Press reporters in his office in Columbia, S.C. about his time in office and his future. (AP Photo/Virginia Postic)

Austria Opera Gruberova

2010-12-27T06:01:18Z

In this photo taken Oct. 11, 2010, Soprano Edita Gruberova speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Vienna, Austria. At the dizzying heights of her stellar operatic career, Gruberova has unexpectedly chosen to stoop and return to the role of the fallen woman who helped make her fame. Gruberova is not portraying just any wayward female. By rediscov...

Austria Edita Gruberova

2010-12-27T03:31:19Z

Edita Gruberova speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Vienna, Austria, on Monday, Oct. 11, 2010. The 64-year-old SLovak diva sees no problem in returning to the role of a 20-something as Violetta Valery in Verdi's "La Tr...