Jobless claims fall 15,000 last week

Private-sector hiring surged in December as employers added 325,000 new workers while claims for jobless benefits fell, raising hope that recent labor market improvement would continue in 2012.
The ADP National Employment Report’s December job tally surprised economists who had expected a 178,000 gain. It was also well above the 204,000 private jobs added in […]

Banker Who Fled Kim Jong Il Says New Leader May Open North Korean Economy - Bloomberg

Kim Jong Un may relax state controls over North Korea

Growth even weaker than feared

The U.S. economy was weaker than previously thought in the third quarter, according to a government report, although economists are expecting stronger growth in the final three months of the year.
Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the nation’s economic health, grew at a 1.8% annual rate in the quarter. That’s down from the […]

Italy again pays more to borrow

Italy paid sharply higher borrowing rates in an auction that raised euro567 million ($750 million), as markets continued to pressure the eurozone’s third largest economy to come up with reforms urgently.
Yields on 12-year bonds skyrocketed to 7.20 percent, a full 2.7 percentage points higher than last month.
While there were enough bids to cover the maximum […]

Large-cap growth funds most resilient this year

Large-cap growth funds have held up better than most other types of stock funds this year.
Previously ignored, big-name companies that have rapidly rising earnings become more attractive in uncertain times than their riskier small-cap counterparts.
Their strong balance sheets, economy-resistant businesses, ample cash reserves and trend toward dividends make sense for risk-averse investors who never thought […]

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US stocks edge down as investors weigh jobs, Spain

Stocks are opening slightly lower as investors balance spiking bond yields in Spain with signs of growth in the U.S. economy.
An auction of 10-year bonds in Spain left the country paying interest rates of nearly 7 percent. That is the highest rate since 1997 and a level that economists see as unsustainable.
In the U.S., applications […]

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Centene stock soars after company posts higher profits

Shares of Centene Corp. stock rose 9 percent today in the wake of an earnings report that showed the Clayton-based firm had corralled additional revenue from managing health care services for the poor.
By 3 p.m., Centene was selling for about $31.77 per share, up from $29.07 at Monday’s close of the New York Stock Exchange.
Increased premium and service revenues helped […]

Chinese officials jailed for leaking economic data

China said Monday that two officials have been jailed for leaking economic data to securities brokerages and four people who work in the financial industry are being investigated.
The National Administration for Protection of State Secrets said the officials shared classified data numerous times though it gave no specific details about the information or the impact […]