Crisis Programs May Earn Long-Term Profit, U.S. Treasury Says - Bloomberg

The U.S. Treasury Department, defending the Obama administration

AP Interview: Islamist warns of ‘new Mubarak’

The candidate for Egypt’s most influential political force, the Muslim Brotherhood, warned Tuesday that the country’s upcoming presidential race may be rigged, a sign of rising tensions as his group faces off against one of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak’s most powerful deputies.
Khairat al-Shater, who is also the Islamist group’s chief strategist and financier, said that […]

Local food company files for bankruptcy

A St. Louis-based food manufacturer that specializes in organic lentil mixes and dips has filed for bankruptcy.
Berhanu Enterprises, which launched in 2006, submitted its bankruptcy petition to US Bankruptcy Court in St. Louis on Monday.
The company, known as Berhanu Organics, was founded by Ethiopian native, Sine Berhanu, using recipes and ideas from her home country. 
Berhanu Organics […]

BOE Says European Debt Concerns Persist as Yields Stay Elevated - Bloomberg

The Bank of England said investors remain concerned about the euro-area outlook even after measures by policy makers helped reduced some tensions in markets.

Asia stocks rise on US recovery, weaker yen

Asian stock markets inched higher Monday as good news about the U.S. economy helped to maintain enthusiasm for riskier assets while a weaker yen improved the outlook for some of Japan’s companies.
The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo continued its recent upward march, adding 0.2 percent to 10,146.64. The Nikkei has risen four sessions in a […]

Oil near $106 as US denies plan to release crude

Oil prices rose to near $106 a barrel Friday in Asia after the U.S. denied reports it and Britain plan to release some their strategic crude reserves.
Benchmark oil for April delivery was up 45 cents to $105.56 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 32 cents to settle at $105.11 […]

Average US rate on 30-year loan rises to 3.92 pct.

The average rate in the U.S. on the 30-year fixed mortgage hovered near historic lows this week, making home-buying and refinancing more attractive to those who can qualify.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the U.S. rate on the 30-year loan increased to 3.92 percent. That’s up from 3.88 percent the previous week. The rate […]

February jobs report: Unemployment holds amid solid hiring

Hiring remained strong in February, fueling optimism about the recovery.
Employers added 227,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department reported Friday. While that’s a pinch slower than in January, hiring was still better than economists had expected.
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U.S. Local Governments Show First Gain in Empolyment Boost Since August - Bloomberg

U.S. local-government payrolls increased last month for the first time since August, easing the drag on the economy brought on by budget-cutting cities, counties and school districts.
The U.S. Labor Department reported today that local- government employment, adjusted for seasonal swings in hiring, expanded by 2,000 in February as school districts boosted hiring. State payrolls […]

Reliance Bancshares chairman resigns

Patrick Gideon, the chairman of Reliance Bancshares, has resigned from his positions as chairman and board member as a result of a dispute with the bank holding company’s board of directors.
Gideon joined Reliance’s board in 1999 and was named chairman less than a year ago, replacing longtime chairman and founder Jerry Von Rohr in April 2011. Gideon is […]