Patrick Temple-West

The Hancock County Board of Education expects to sell $37 million of public school bonds that were approved by voters last November.

WASHINGTON - Industrial production slipped 0.1% in January as utilities’ output declined with the return of more seasonable weather, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday.

WASHINGTON - New housing starts jumped 14.6% to a seasonally adjusted 596,000 in January, the highest level in five months, as building permits dropped following a spike in December permits as a result of code changes in four states, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

WASHINGTON — Retail sales increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in January as sales excluding autos also grew 0.3%, both below economists’ estimates, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — Business inventories increased 0.8% in December, while sales jumped 1.1%, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

WASHINGTON – Business inventories increased 0.8% in December, while sales jumped 1.1%, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

WASHINGTON - Retail sales increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in January as sales excluding autos also increased 0.3%, both below economists’ estimates, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. international trade deficit increased to a seasonally adjusted $40.6 billion in December, the largest increase in four months, while trade in 2010 revived as exports and imports increased by a record dollar amount, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. international trade deficit increased to a seasonally adjusted $40.6 billion in December, the largest increase in four months, while trade in 2010 revived as exports and imports increased by a record dollar amount, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

WASHINGTON— The U.S. government posted a $49.8 billion deficit in January, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON — Wholesale inventories increased 1.0% in December, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims dropped 36,000 to 383,000 for the week ending Feb. 5, the lowest level since July 2008, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government posted a $49.8 billion deficit in January, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON — Wholesale inventories increased 1.0% in December, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON - Initial jobless claims dropped 36,000 to 383,000 for the week ending Feb. 5, the lowest level since July 2008, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

House Republican leaders are calling for a bill to be introduced next week that would temporarily extend transportation programs, John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said at a conference here on Tuesday.

The Connector 2000 Association Inc., a beleaguered Greenville, S.C., toll road operator that a year ago defaulted on $329 million of bonds, needs bondholders to approve a tentative restructuring plan to exit bankruptcy.

MBIA Inc. isn’t losing its fraud case against Merrill Lynch without a fight.

Consumer credit increased by $6.1 billion, or 3.0%, in December and 2.6% in the fourth quarter as revolving credit, which include credit card debt, increased for the first time in more than two years, the Federal Reserve reported Monday.

Consumer credit increased by $6.1 billion, 3.0%, in December and 2.6% in the fourth quarter as revolving credit, which include credit card debt, increased for the first time in more than two years, the Federal Reserve reported Monday.