Patrick Temple-West

Retail sales increased 0.5% in January, beating economists’ estimates, boosted by merchandise and electronics sales, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

WASHINGTON – Business inventories decreased 0.2% in December, the first decline in three months as economists had expected an increase, while sales were up 0.9% in the month, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON - Retail sales increased 0.5% in January, beating economists’ estimates, boosted by strong sales at merchandise and electronics sales, the Commerce Department reported today.

Initial jobless claims fell 43,000 to a seasonally adjusted 440,000 for the week ending Feb. 6, the largest drop since July, as an administrative backlog of claims appears to have subsided, the Labor Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON – Initial jobless claims fell by 43,000 to a seasonally adjusted 440,000 for the week ending Feb. 6, the largest weekly drop since July, as an administrative backlog of claims appears to have subsided, the Labor Department reported today.

WASHINGTON – The international trade deficit increased 10.4% in December to $40.2 billion, well above economists’ estimates, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

The North Carolina Baptist Hospital is expected to price $330 million of revenue refunding bonds on Wednesday to redeem all its outstanding bonds.

WASHINGTON – The international trade deficit increased 10.4% in December to $40.2 billion, well above economists' estimates, the Commerce Department reported today.

Wholesale inventories declined 0.8% in December, the first decrease in two months, contrary to economists’ expectations of an increase, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON — Wholesale inventories declined 0.8% in December, the first decrease in two months, contrary to economists’ expectations of an increase, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON — South Carolina lawmakers last Wednesday voted against legislation that would have paved the way for restructuring more than $200 million of tax-exempt bonds issued by the Southern Connector 2000 Association for a 16-mile toll road in Greenville, which went into default on Jan. 1.

WASHINGTON — Employers shed 20,000 jobs in January as economists expected payrolls to be nearly flat, or up just a bit, while the unemployment rate decreased to 9.7%, the lowest level since August, the Labor Department reported Friday.

The District of Columbia does not have any additional debt capacity and risks exceeding its self-imposed 12% debt-to-expenditures cap in fiscal 2011 unless about $350 million of its outstanding fixed-rate bonds are refunded, officials told members of the District Council Friday.

WASHINGTON – Employers shed 20,000 jobs in January, as economists expected payrolls to be nearly flat, or up just a bit, while the unemployment rate decreased to 9.7%, the lowest level since August, the Labor Department reported today.

New factory orders for manufactured goods increased 1.0% in December, the fourth consecutive increase and the eighth increase in nine months, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

U.S. nonfarm productivity increased at a 6.2% annual rate in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, as hours worked increased for the first time in more than two years, the Labor Department reported yesterday.

Initial jobless claims increased by 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 480,000 for the week ending Jan. 30, reaching the highest level since Dec. 15 and the fourth increase in five weeks, the Labor Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON — New factory orders for manufactured goods increased 1.0% in December, the fourth consecutive increase and the eighth increase in nine months, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON – Initial jobless claims increased by 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 480,000 for the week ending Jan. 30, reaching the highest level since Dec. 15 and the fourth increase in five weeks, the Labor Department reported today.

WASHINGTON – U.S. nonfarm productivity increased at a 6.2% annual rate in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, as hours worked increased for the first time in more than two years, the Labor Department reported today.