Business and Finance

• Fed Says Jobless Rate Will Drop, But Slowly
  The central bank predicted the jobless rate could hover between 8.6 and 10.2 percent next year. Most Fed policymakers said it could take "five or six years" for the economy and the labor market to get back on a path of full health.
• Are Obama's Economic Policies Working Effectively?
  As the economy slowly begins to recover from the financial meltdown, should the Obama administration get credit for turning things around? Or has the administration failed to do what it takes to really help the economy? A panel of experts takes on the question in the latest <em>Intelligence Squared U.S.</em> debate.
• NBA Uniforms At Center Of Made-In-U.S.A. Fight
  The official uniforms for NBA players could soon be made in Asia, a move drawing sharp criticism from a prominent lawmaker in Congress. Sports apparel maker Adidas plans to end its contract with American suppliers and move production of NBA jerseys to a factory in Thailand.
• 3 Airlines Fined In Minnesota Tarmac Stranding
  The Department of Transportation levies $175,000 in fines against three airlines for their role in the stranding of passengers overnight in a plane at Rochester, Minn., in August even though it was only 50 yards from a terminal.
• Banks Still Ailing, FDIC Insurance Fund Negative
  Banks earned $2.8 billion in the third quarter, but loan balances plummeted and the fund that insures their deposits had a negative balance of $8.2 billion. Souring loans continued to hurt bank balance sheets, but they were buoyed by higher operating revenues and a revived market for securities, the FDIC said.
• Recovery's Pace Slower Than First Thought
  The economy grew at a 2.8 percent pace last quarter, as the recovery got off to a slower start than first thought. The government's new reading on gross domestic product wasn't as energetic as the 3.5 percent growth rate for the July-September period estimated a month ago. A separate report said confidence in the economy improved slightly in November.
• For Disney's New Princess, Short Courtiers Swarm
  Lots of young fans &mdash; and many of their moms and dads &mdash; are excited about the arrival of Tiana, the heroine of <em>The Princess and the Frog</em>, the latest animated Walt Disney film. It's more than just a new movie to many: Tiana is Disney's first African-American princess, a role model many parents have been waiting for for a long time.
• McDonald's Makes Its Logo More 'Green' In Europe
  McDonald's logo is going green to promote a more eco-friendly image in Europe. It is swapping its traditional red backdrop for a deep green. The company says about 100 German McDonald's will make the change by the end of the year. Some franchises in Great Britain and France already have started using the new color scheme.
• Cell Phones Could Start Cutting Into GPS Market
  As millions of Americans plan for long drives to Thanksgiving dinner, many will use GPS devices to guide the way. But analysts say GPS-enabled cell phones, now with bigger screens and better speakers, are going to cut into the sales of stand-alone devices.
• Popular Tax Credit Boosts October Home Sales
  The National Association of Realtors said home sales rose 10.1 percent in October. That's the highest level in two and a half years, spurred by a tax credit for first-time home buyers. Figures also released on Monday indicate an increasing number of Americans owe more on their home than it is worth.
• HP's Profits Up 14 Percent Despite Sales Drop
  Hewlett-Packard's profits jumped 14 percent in the latest quarter. HP says profits were up primarily due to aggressive cost-cutting and better results from its technology services division. That helped balance deep declines in the high tech firm's other major businesses. Sales of personal computers, servers, software and printers all dropped from a year ago. HP's overall revenue fell 8 percent.
• Children's Furniture Store Struggles To Survive
  Sales at That's My Room in Salt Lake City have slowed to less than $5,000 a month. Despite making cutbacks, the owners say, they haven't taken a paycheck since the store opened a year and a half ago &mdash; right when the recession hit.
• For Public, Affordability A Key Issue In Health Bill
  The debate in Washington over how much the health care overhaul bills will cost has largely centered on the bottom line for the federal government. But polls repeatedly show Americans are much more concerned about how a reshaped health care system will affect their own family's financial situation.
• 2.1 Million Drop-Side Cribs Recalled
  The Consumer Product Safety Commission and manufacturer Stork Craft Manufacturing of British Columbia announced a recall of 2.1 million drop-side cribs on Monday following reports of the deaths of four children who suffocated in defective cribs. It is the largest crib recall on record.
• For Firms That Cut Wages, Keeping Workers A Worry
  The economic downturn forced many companies to seek extra ways to shrink costs: Some imposed furloughs or fewer work hours; others tried a straight wage reduction. Many of those companies are now concerned, however, about hanging on to their employees.

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Motley Fool

• Interview: Don Ho
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