Patrick Temple-West

Groundbreaking for new homes fell in July, decreasing for the first time in three months, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued procedures for its agents on how to apply the voluntary closing agreement program to Build America Bonds and other direct-pay bonds, such as resource recovery zone economic development bonds.

WASHINGTON — Retail sales increased 0.5% in July, in line with economists’ expectations, as sales excluding autos were stronger than expected, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

Retail sales increased 0.5% in July, in line with economists' expectations, as sales excluding autos were stronger than expected, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

Indian tribes are criticizing the Treasury Department for failing to complete, within the congressionally mandated time frame, a study of the tax law requirements for tribal economic development bonds that the tribes claim are unfair.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims dropped 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 395,000 for the week ending Aug. 6, the lowest level since early April, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Initial jobless claims dropped 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 395,000 for the week ending Aug. 6, the lowest level since early April, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The Internal Revenue Service has opened an audit of $31 million of health center revenue bonds issued in 2005 by the Lebanon County, Pa., Health Facilities Authority to refund bonds previously sold in 1999 for a retirement facility.

U.S. non-farm productivity fell 0.3% on an annualized basis in the second quarter, after a revised 0.6% decline in the first, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.

U.S. non-farm productivity fell 0.3% on an annualized basis in the second quarter, after a revised 0.6% decline in the first quarter, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.

Standard & Poor's began downgrading municipal bonds Monday, giving market participants a sense of the broad impact its downgrade of U.S. debt will likely have on the muni market.

For the second time in two months, the Internal Revenue Service has disclosed it is broadening an audit of student loan securities, focusing on the position that student loans should not be reallocated to different bond issues.

State and local governments who issue draw-down bonds can breathe a sigh of relief now that the Internal Revenue Service has issued new guidance for their private-activity bond volume cap allocations.

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., has introduced a bill allowing states to collect online sales taxes - legislation that has broad support from the business community as well as state and local officials, but so far has not attracted any Republican co-sponsors.

Consumption in June declined for the first time in nearly two years as incomes rose by the smallest amount in seven months, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

Consumption in June declined for the first time in nearly two years as incomes rose by the smallest amount in seven months, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service has initiated very few audits of Build America Bonds based on issuers' responses to the compliance check questionnaires sent to them last year, a Treasury Department inspector general said in a report released Monday.

WASHINGTON - Triple-A rated municipal issuers responded swiftly and strongly to being placed on watch for a possible downgrade, saying a federal debt default would not hinder their ability to pay bondholders.

WASHINGTON — Real gross domestic product expanded 1.3% at an annual rate in the second quarter, well below economists’ estimates, while consumer spending was the weakest in two years, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

WASHINGTON – Real gross domestic product expanded 1.3% at an annual rate in the second quarter, well below economists' estimates, while consumer spending was the weakest in two years, the Commerce Department reported Friday.