Former Bush chief of staff joins Emerson board

For much of the 2000’s, Josh Bolten helped steer the country. Now he’ll help steer Emerson.
The Ferguson-based manufacturer said Wednesday that Bolten, who held several top posts in the George W. Bush administration, has joined its board of directors. He was White House chief of staff from 2006 until 2009, director of the Office of […]

Asian stocks extend global rally on economy hopes

Asian stocks extended a global rally Thursday amid investor optimism that the U.S. economy may grow more than previously expected this year.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.8 percent to 8,881.27 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.2 percent to 20,585.44 and Seoul’s Kospi added 1.4 percent to 1,985.82.
Signs of an improving U.S. economy have helped bolster […]

Stocks erase losses on Fed promise of low rates

Stocks turned mixed Wednesday afternoon, erasing earlier losses, after the Federal Reserve said it will keep interest rates near zero for much longer than it had previously announced. Demand for ultra-safe Treasurys soared, pushing bond yields lower.
The Fed’s monetary policy committee said it is unlikely to raise interest rates before 2014, extending a period of […]

Private hiring soars; seasonal issues cloud gain

The U.S. jobs recovery gathered pace as a measure of private-sector hiring surged in December and claims for unemployment benefits fell, suggesting the battered labor market may continue to strengthen in 2012.
The ADP National Employment Report’s December job tally of 325,000 surprised economists who had expected a gain of roughly half that size. It […]

White Castle to serve booze?

COLUMBUS, Ohio • The White Castle hamburger chain is sipping on the idea of selling alcoholic beverages at its restaurants.
The 90-year-old company is testing beer and wine sales at a location in Lafayette, Ind., that combines a traditional White Castle burger joint with a Blaze Modern BBQ, a new restaurant concept also being tried out.
“White […]

Industrial output sees first drop since April

Industrial output declined in November for the first time in seven months as manufacturing activity slumped, countering recent signs of improvement in the economy.
Production in the industrial sector eased 0.2 percent last month, the first drop since April, following a 0.7 percent gain in October. Analysts in a Reuters poll had been looking for […]

Stocks edge higher; Europe worries ease

Stocks edged higher Friday as investors balanced signs of future growth in the U.S. economy with a looming deadline for Congress to reach a deal in deficit-reduction talks. Steep declines earlier in the week put the S&P 500 index on track for its worst week since September.
The Conference Board’s index of leading economic indicators rose […]

Gordmans outlines discounting strategy

A small crowd gathered outside the new Gordmans in Chesterfield Commons on Friday morning as company officials stood before a large purple ribbon and a pair of oversized scissors.
“We want you to never have to wait for a sale,” proclaimed Jeff Gordman, the company’s chief executive who was dressed in a pinstripe suit. “In fact, […]

Europe reaches key deal to help Greece

European leaders agreed Thursday morning on a crucial plan to reduce Greece’s debts and provide it with more rescue loans so that the faltering country can eventually dig out from under its debt burden.
After a marathon summit, EU President Herman Van Rompuy said that the deal will reduce Greece’s debt to 120 percent of its […]

Focus groups spot weird hidden images in new plastic money

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