Patrick Temple-West

The consumer confidence index dropped to 52.9 in June, below economists' expectations and the first decline in four months, the Conference Board reported today.

The consumer confidence index dropped to 52.9 in June, below economists' expectations and the first decline in four months, the Conference Board reported today.

WASHINGTON — Personal consumption increased 0.2% in May and incomes rose 0.4% as core consumption posted its largest gain in seven months, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Personal consumption increased 0.2% in May and income rose 0.4% as core consumption increased by the largest amount in seven months, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy grew more slowly than economists expected in the first quarter, expanding at an annual rate of 2.7% due partly to weaker consumer spending, according to a Commerce Department report released Friday.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit last week ruled in favor of Prince George's County, Md., and its 2008 plan to furlough about 5,900 workers, overturning a lower federal court ruling and restoring a savings opportunity for the triple-A rated county.

WASHINGTON – Real gross domestic product increased 2.7% at an annual rate in the first quarter of 2010, revised down from the 3.0% gain reported last month, as consumer spending was revised lower and imports were revised higher, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON — The Connector 2000 Association Inc., the troubled South Carolina toll road that went into default on Jan. 1, filed for bankruptcy on Thursday.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims decreased more than economists expected in the week ending June 19, falling 19,000 to 457,000 — the lowest level since the first week of May, the Labor Department reported yesterday. Continuing claims fell to 4.55 million for the week ending June 12. Economists had expected 464,000 initial jobless claims and 4.56 million continuing claims.

WASHINGTON – Initial jobless claims decreased 19,000 to 457,000 for the week ending June 19, to a level lower than economists' estimates and hitting the lowest level since the first week of May, the Labor Department reported today.

WASHINGTON — At least $300 million in funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for its 2011 fiscal year budget is at risk over a dispute between Northern Virginia municipalities and Gov. Robert F. McDonnell over his request to appoint half of Virginia's share of the WMATA board of directors.

New home sales plunged 32.7% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000, a record low, as the median sales price fell and supply increased to the highest level in almost a year, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

The Federal Open Market Committee held its key policy rate, the federal funds target rate, unchanged at zero to 0.25% yesterday, reiterating that economic conditions warrant "exceptionally low" interest rates "for an extended period."

The Federal Open Market Committee today held its key policy rate, the federal-funds target rate, unchanged at zero to 0.25%, and reiterated that economic conditions warrant “exceptionally low interest rates “for an extended period.

WASHINGTON - New home sales plunged 32.7% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000, a record low, as the median sales price fell and the months supply increased to the highest level in almost a year, the Commerce Department reported today.

State and local governments will continue to face trying fiscal conditions next year, characterized by stubbornly high unemployment and slower economic growth, according to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association’s semiannual economic outlook.

WASHINGTON — Existing home sales slowed more than expected in May, dropping 2.2% to an annual rate of 5.66 million units, the National Association of Realtors reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Existing home sales decreased at a 2.2% annual rate to 5.66 million units sold in May, partly due to a closing backlog stemming from the expected tax credit expiration, the National Association of Realtors reported today.

WASHINGTON — The Virginia Public School Authority on Wednesday expects to competitively sell $73.2 million of direct-pay, qualified school construction bonds, using them for the first time under the new federal subsidy interest-rate option designed to open the securities to a larger pool of buyers.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims unexpectedly rose to 472,000 the week ending June 12, the Labor Department said yesterday. The second straight weekly increase pushed new filings for unemployment benefits to their highest level in a month.