Fewer homeowners miss mortgage payments
Nearly one in 10 homeowners—8.2 percent—missed at least one mortgage payment in the fourth quarter of 2010, says the Mortgage Bankers Association. That’s down from 9.1 percent in the July–Sept. quarter. Missed payments peaked at more than 10 percent in 2010’s first quarter.
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Airlines cancel higher fares
A planned airfare increase by major U.S. carriers unraveled last week. Delta initiated the increase when it raised premier-class and last-minute fares as much as $120 per round-trip ticket. The other big airlines quickly followed suit. But after meeting resistance from customers, US Airways canceled its increase a few days later. American, Delta, Continental, and United were right behind.
USA Today
Beverly Hills' lays off its ambassador
Gregg Donovan, who since 2001 has served as Beverly Hills, Calif.’s official ambassador, strolling Rodeo Drive in a top hat and red swallowtail coat as he greeted visitors, has been laid off. The city’s visitors bureau won’t pay Donovan $7,000 in severance unless he agrees not to go public with his experiences. Donovan has refused to comply. “Eleven years is a lot of stories,” he said.
Los Angeles Times
Exxon Mobil's search for oil
Exxon Mobil is struggling to find new oil as old sources are depleted. The world’s largest oil company says that for every 100 barrels of oil it has pumped over the past decade, it has replaced only 95, either through exploration or by acquiring other producers. The disclosure heightened fears that global oil production has peaked.
The Wall Street Journal
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In the Spotlight Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been at odds with US forces
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Music reviews: Ethel Cain, Amaarae, and The Black KeysFeature "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You," "Black Star," and "No Rain, No Flowers"
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Film reviews: Highest 2 Lowest and WeaponsFeature A kidnapping threatens a mogul's legacy and a town spins into madness after 17 children disappear
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The bottom linefeature Working families continue to struggle; The least-trusted industries; The bestselling vehicle; Mobil device use triples; Global unemployment among the young
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The bottom line
feature The cost of e-filing; Dipping into nest eggs early; What Americans are drinking; Planning for death; How tax refunds are spent
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The bottom line
feature Building bigger houses; And tuition at OSU is?; Christmas at McDonald's; Self-gifting at Christmas; Lloyd’s prepares for Hurricane Sandy claims; Google's billions
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The bottom line
feature Good results for the third quarter; Compensation at financial firms hits a high; Three cities with recovering economies; Good year for car sales; Broadway's best performance ever; Tax bite is less in 2010 than in 1980
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The bottom line
feature Airlines cut domestic flights; Income up in small cities and rural areas; Bond and Lincoln lift box office earnings; Don't be fooled by Black Friday; The high toll of identity theft
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The bottom line
feature The gender pay gap; U.S. economic growth; Parents who argue about money; Online subscriptions rise
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The bottom line
feature Can the U.S. keep up?; Airlines spend billions on runway taxiing; Americans exaggerate their working hours; The Dow Jones's 67.9 percent gain; Success and summer babies
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The bottom line
feature Consumer confidence jumps; Wall Street cuts jobs, raises pay; Goldman Sachs's muppet hunt; Desktop web searches decline; Pizza Hut scraps debate freebie