WASHINGTON — U.S. automakers rebounded in July to boost factory production by the most since the Japan crisis. But builders broke ground on fewer single-family houses, leaving home construction at depressed levels. The mixed data suggest the economy remains fragile ...

Tagged with: automakers cars commerce department Energy federal reserve homes housing japan Manufacturing mining

NEW YORK — Stocks rose for a third straight day Monday after Google and two other companies announced acquisitions and Japan said its economy was stronger than expected following the March earthquake. The return of “Merger Monday” on Wall Street ...

Tagged with: dow jones industrial average Economy google japan Manufacturing motorola Nasdaq s&p 500 Stocks Stocks U.S. economy u.s. stocks wall street

WASHINGTON — Baseball players often say the best approach is to keep it plain. See ball, hit ball. Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. has the same philosophy in mind for a sports exchange with Japanese kids victimized by this ...

Tagged with: Cal Ripken Jr. japan Sports

WASHINGTON — Businesses requested more airplanes, autos, and oil drilling equipment in May The jump in factory orders after a sluggish spring suggests supply disruptions stemming from the Japan crisis are fading. Factory orders rose 0.8 percent in May, the ...

Tagged with: air travel auto industry businesses commerce department companies factory goods factory orders japan Transportation

The governor’s trade mission may be over, but it didn’t end without promising Asia with another taste of Maryland. Lin Hwang, who runs J&R Seafood in Cambridge with his father, is sending samples of Chesapeake Bay blue crabs to Chinese ...

Tagged with: asia Baltimore Business China Department of Business and Economic Development Economy japan market Martin O'Malley maryland seafood trade mission

The Republican leaders in the House of Delegates are suggesting that Gov. Martin O’Malley’s trip to Asia cost Maryland taxpayers far more than the $100,000 advertised price tag. In a letter they sent the governor’s office last week, they are ...

Tagged with: asia China Congress costs economic development house House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell japan korea Martin O'Malley maryland question taxpayers trip

TOKYO — Toyota forecasts its annual profit to dive 31 percent, hammered by production disruptions from parts shortages, but its outlook Friday projects a robust recovery from the earthquake and tsunami in coming months. Toyota Motor Corp. had not given ...

Tagged with: japan profit recovery tokyo toyota

TOKYO — Toyota recalled 106,000 first-generation Prius hybrid cars globally on Wednesday for faulty steering caused by a nut that may come loose. The single minor accident suspected of being related to the problem was reported in the U.S., according ...

Tagged with: japan prius recall tokyo toyota toyota motor corp.

WASHINGTON — The economy hit a soft patch in the first three months of this year, caused by a big jump in oil prices, and the impact of those higher prices are likely to weigh on growth for the rest ...

Tagged with: commerce department debt crisis Economy Energy european debt crisis gross domestic product japan oil oil prices tsunami U.S. economy

TOKYO — Sony Corp. is expecting an annual loss of $3.2 billion, reversing its earlier projection of a return to profit, as the electronics giant struggles with production disruptions from Japan’s tsunami. The Japanese maker of PlayStation 3 video game ...

Tagged with: electronics japan profit sony tokyo