WASHINGTON — U.S. service companies expanded at a faster pace in August than July, helped by stronger hiring. The growth at firms that employ roughly 90 percent of the work force suggests the economy is slowly improving. The Institute for ...

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If quiet negotiations between policymakers and industry bear fruit, Maryland could join the short list of states attempting to go far beyond the Affordable Care Act in improving health and limiting spending. Federal officials are urging Maryland and its powerful ...

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Concourses A and B of the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport could be described as open, bright and seamlessly connected. Both areas tout a variety of brightly lit storefronts all around, with seemingly endless options for food, retail and other ...

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WASHINGTON — Most areas of the country reported slight economic improvement in September and early October, according to a Federal Reserve survey of its 12 bank regions. But several regions said a hazier economic outlook is making businesses more cautious ...

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Google Inc. doesn’t hesitate to seek directions when it comes to trying to improve its online mapping service. That’s why Google is asking its users to add more details to its U.S. maps. The suggested revisions can be made beginning ...

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NEW YORK — Americans didn’t stop splurging after the holidays. They braved snowstorms and shopped in force in January, handing retailers like Costco, Victoria’s Secret and Macy’s surprisingly strong sales. Along with two encouraging economic reports — the biggest service ...

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WASHINGTON — Economic reports Thursday suggest employers are laying off fewer workers, businesses are ordering more computers and appliances, and consumers are spending more confidently. Combined, the latest data confirm that the economy is improving, even though too few jobs ...

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NEW YORK — The country’s biggest newspaper publishers say advertising revenue continued to improve in the fourth quarter — even if they are still not ready to predict when or if traditional print revenue will start growing again. Gannett Co., ...

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WASHINGTON — Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, the second drop in a row and a hopeful sign the job market could be improving. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for jobless benefits dropped by 21,000 ...

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