U.S. single-family housing starts, permits show recovery on track
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Groundbreaking for U.S. single-family homes rose in August and permits for future construction hit a five-year high, pointing to resilience in the housing market recovery in the face of higher mortgage rates.
CME applies to get into new swaps exchange business
(Reuters) – CME Group Inc, the biggest U.S. futures market operator, has applied with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to register as a swap execution facility (SEF), an exchange-like platform created as a result of the global crackdown on the …
Starbucks asks U.S. customers to leave guns at home
(Reuters) – Coffee chain Starbucks Corp has asked U.S. customers to leave their guns at home after being dragged into an increasingly fractious debate over U.S. gun rights in the wake of multiple mass shootings.
U.S. mortgage lending up 38 percent, racial disparities persist
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. mortgage lending increased by 38 percent last year, boosted by significant refinancing activity, with white and Asian borrowers continuing to enjoy greater access to credit for purchases than blacks or Hispanics, regulators …
Affordable electric vehicles like Volt the focus for GM
WARREN, Michigan (Reuters) – General Motors Co’s electric vehicle program will continue to focus on affordable electric cars for the mainstream public even though it plans to launch a luxury Cadillac-badged companion to its Chevrolet Volt, a top execut…
Walgreen moves employees to private healthcare exchange
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Walgreen Co, the largest U.S. drugstore, is moving 120,000 employees to a private health insurance exchange where they can choose a plan from multiple insurers, a sign of the shifting landscape for corporate healthcare because of r…
European shares consolidate 5-yr high before Fed decision
LONDON (Reuters) – European shares hovered near five-year highs on Wednesday, staying within their weekly range as investors held fire expecting the U.S. Fed to announce a first cut to its equity-friendly stimulus program.
FedEx signals better economy; express shipping rates to rise
(Reuters) – Shares of FedEx Corp jumped as much as 4 percent on Wednesday after the shipping company said cost cuts helped it to post a better-than-expected quarterly profit, and it announced rates would increase next year for express shipping amid imp…
General Electric names new head of oil and gas unit
(Reuters) – General Electric Co on Wednesday named Lorenzo Simonelli as chief executive of its oil and gas unit, replacing Dan Heintzelman, who was appointed a vice chairman of the company.
U.S. Treasury cuts stake in GM to 7.3 percent
(Reuters) – The U.S. Treasury has sold another block of shares in General Motors Co , reducing its stake to 7.3 percent as it moves toward exiting its holdings in the automaker by the end of March.
