The Federal Reserve on Wednesday lowered its projection for economic growth this year, citing damage from the double blows of a housing slump and credit crunch. It said it also expects higher unemployment and inflation. ...more

February 21, 2008

If John R. Koza gets his way, American voters never again will have to wonder about the workings of the Electoral College and why it decides who sits in the White House. ...more

February 16, 2008

Wall Street ended a frenetic January with a huge advance Thursday after investors set aside worries about bond insurers and grew more optimistic that the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts will indeed help lift the economy. The Dow Jones industrials rose more than 200 points but had its worst January in eight years. ...more

February 1, 2008

Individuals and businesses are likely to see their borrowing costs drop further as the Federal Reserve weighs another interest-rate reduction to bolster a sagging economy. ...more

January 30, 2008

This week's surprise rate cut by the Federal Reserve not only held Wall Street and investors in thrall, it's also kicked into high gear a rush by homeowners across the country to refinance their mortgages at today's lower rates. ...more

January 25, 2008

When people are panicking, it's hard to stop the stampede with talk about cutting a "federal funds rate." Economic fears on Wall Street and around the world are making people and businesses hunker down, and that could make recession worries come true - a vicious cycle the Federal Reserve, White House and Congress may be hard-pressed to break. ...more

January 23, 2008

TALLAHASSEE — Highlands County's unemployment rate dropped slightly in December, according to the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The percentage of unemployed was 4.9 last month. It was 5.1 percent in November of last year. Highlands' rate in December 2006 was 3 percent. Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in December 2007, representing 441,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,312,000. Florida's unemployment rate was up by 0.4 percentage point over the month and up by 1.4 percentage points over the year. ...more

January 20, 2008

Nike Inc. posted second-quarter profit that beat analysts' estimates on higher sales in China and Europe and a weaker dollar. The shares rose 4.2 percent in late U.S. trading. ...more

December 20, 2007

Federal Reserve policymakers are expected to slice a key interest rate for a third time this year in an effort to prevent troubles in the housing and credit markets from sinking the nation's economy. ...more

December 11, 2007

Since the Federal Reserve last met in October, credit has become harder to obtain, Wall Street has convulsed again and the housing slump has intensified. And policymakers at the central bank now appear to have changed their minds about the need to drop interest rates again. ...more

December 10, 2007