Urging quick approval of a $150 billion stimulus plan, Bush said an infusion of consumer spending is needed to stave off a recession. Although House leaders have approved the plan, Senate Democrats are expanding it to include money for Social Security recipients and an extension of unemployment benefits. Bush warned this "would delay or derail it, and neither option is acceptable." ...more

January 29, 2008

Orders to U.S. factories jumped in November by the largest amount in four months. The increase was driven by higher petroleum prices and was not viewed as a sign of any newfound strength in manufacturing. ...more

January 4, 2008

U.S. factories saw orders for costly manufactured goods rise only marginally in November - falling short of expectations for a much bigger gain and underscoring the strains on the economy from housing and credit problems. ...more

December 28, 2007

JetBlue Airway will start offering limited e-mail and instant messaging services free next week on Flight 641 from New York to San Francisco in the latest effort by airlines to offer in-flight Internet access. General Web surfing and e-mail attachments won't be permitted because of bandwidth constraints, and services on laptops and handhelds with Wi-Fi wireless access will be limited to e-mail and messaging from Yahoo. American Airlines is among the carriers planning to test broader, fee-based, in-flight Internet services in coming months. ...more

December 6, 2007

Soon I will be released from my present job because of restructuring of the company. I will be eligible for unemployment benefits. Can I apply for my Social Security benefits and collect from both unemployment and Social Security until I find another job? I am 63 years old. ...more

December 4, 2007

Fewer people signed up for jobless benefits last week, an encouraging sign that most companies aren't resorting to large-scale layoffs as the country copes with continuing problems in the housing and credit markets. ...more

November 22, 2007