WASHINGTON — U.S. factories slowed production in January after two solid months of cranking out goods. The weakness mainly reflected a big drop in output at auto factories that is likely temporary. Manufacturing output fell 0.4 percent in January from ...

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WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the U.S. economy “paused” in recent months because of temporary factors and reaffirmed its commitment to try to stimulate growth by keeping borrowing cheap for the foreseeable future. The Fed took no ...

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NEW YORK — Economists are increasingly, but still cautiously, optimistic about growth in the year ahead with the hiring expected to pick up in coming months. A quarterly survey by the National Association for Business Economists released Monday shows half ...

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The Maryland Association of Counties is trying to change the way the personal property tax — the levy that businesses pay on items such as furniture and carpeting — is calculated.

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WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve officials in 2007 underestimated the scope of the approaching financial crisis and how it would tip the U.S. economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression, transcripts of the Fed’s policy meetings that year show. ...

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WASHINGTON — U.S. consumers increased their spending at retail businesses in December, buying more autos, furniture and clothing. Steady job growth and lower gas prices kept consumers shopping for the holidays, despite worries about potentially tax increases. Retail sales rose ...

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WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve says it paid the federal government a record $88.9 billion in 2012. The central bank earned the money from the Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities it has purchased to drive interest rates lower and boost ...

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WASHINGTON — U.S. employers advertised about the same number of jobs in November as in October, suggesting hiring will stay modest over the next few months. The Labor Department says job openings ticked up 11,000 last month to 3.67 million. ...

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WASHINGTON — A gauge of U.S. service firms’ activity expanded in December by the most in nearly a year, driven by a jump in new orders and hiring. The Institute for Supply Management said Friday that its index of non-manufacturing ...

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WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week by 17,000, reversing four weeks of declines. But the number of people seeking aid is consistent with a job market that continues to grow modestly. Unemployment claims ...

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