.....Advertisement.....
.....Advertisement.....

Business/Economy

  • Survey: US gas prices dip 13 cents in past 2 weeks

    CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — A survey says the average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has dropped 13 cents over the past two weeks.

    The Lundberg Survey of fuel prices released Sunday puts the price of a gallon of regular at $3.42, down 13 cents from two weeks earlier and down 25 cents in the past month.

    Costs have seen similar drops in midgrade, now at an average of $3.58 a gallon, and premium at $3.70.

    Diesel fell seven cents to $3.85 a gallon.

    Of the cities surveyed, Albuquerque, N.M., had the nation's lowest average price for gas at $3.07, and perennial price leader San Francisco had the highest at $3.81.

    Click here to read more...
  • Unemployment rate stays at 9.1 percent

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Employers added 103,000 jobs in September, a modest burst of hiring after a sluggish summer.

    Nearly half of the gains last month occurred because 45,000 striking Verizon workers returned to their jobs.

    Still, job growth remains too weak to lower the unemployment rate, which stayed at 9.1 percent for the third straight month.

    The Labor Department also revised the previous two months to show that companies hired at a better pace than first estimated.

    Employers have added an average of only 72,000 jobs in the past five months. The economy must create twice as many just to keep up with population growth.

    Click here to read more...
  • 30-year mortgage below 4 pct. for first time ever

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage this week fell below 4 percent for the first time ever, to 3.94 percent.

    For those who can qualify, it's an extraordinary opportunity to buy or refinance. And mortgage rates could fall even further now that the Federal Reserve plans to reshuffle its portfolio of securities to try and lower long-term rates.

    On Thursday, Freddie Mac said the rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage dropped from 4.01 percent last week, the previous low. The average rate on a 15-year fixed loan, a popular refinancing option, dipped to 3.26 percent, also a record. The 15-year loan has fallen for six straight weeks.

    Click here to read more...
  • More people sought unemployment aid last week

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits rose last week, a sign that the job market remains weak.

    Weekly applications increased by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 401,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

    The gain comes after applications plummeted by 33,000 in the previous week. The drop partly reflected technical difficulties with the department's seasonal adjustment process.

    The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell for the second straight week to 414,000, its lowest level in a month.

    Click here to read more...
  • Stocks edge higher as service sector grows

    NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged higher in early trading Wednesday after a trade group reported that the service sector grew in September. Private company hiring also increased.

    The Institute of Supply Management said its gauge of the U.S. service sector, which employs 90 percent of the work force, continued to grow slowly in September as well. The index measures the strength of health care, banking, real estate, and other businesses outside of manufacturing.

    Payroll processor ADP said private companies added 91,000 jobs last month. That was a slight gain from August. ADP's figures do not always predict what the government's broad employment report, which will be released Friday, but they can often influence traders' expectations.

    Click here to read more...
  • Bernanke says economic recovery close to faltering

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the economic recovery "is close to faltering" and the central bank is prepared to take further steps to support it.

    The economy is growing more slowly than the Federal Reserve had expected, Bernanke said Tuesday before the congressional Joint Economic Committee. He said the biggest factor depressing consumer confidence is poor job growth.

    "We need to make sure that the recovery continues and doesn't drop back and that the unemployment rate continues to fall downward," Bernanke said.

    Click here to read more...
  • Protests against Wall Street spread across US--video extra

    NEW YORK (AP) — Protests against Wall Street entered their 18th day Tuesday as demonstrators across the country show their anger over the wobbly economy and what they see as corporate greed by marching on Federal Reserve banks and camping out in parks from Los Angeles to Portland, Maine.

    Demonstrations are expected to continue throughout the week as more groups hold organizational meetings and air their concerns on websites and through streaming video.

    Click here to read more...
  • LANL Announces Venture Acceleration Fund Recipients

    Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has selected two New Mexico companies to receive an infusion of capital as part of the lab's technology transfer initiatives.

    Ideum and OnQueue are the latest recipients of awards from the Los Alamos National Security, LLC Venture Acceleration Fund (VAF).

    “Our VAF program provides much-needed capital to these promising companies, reducing their risk without the strings typically attached to equity investments,” said David Pesiri, the Laboratory’s Technology Transfer Division leader“Further, our team of experts is working closely with both companies to connect them with other resources—like mentors, customers, and contacts—to help make them sustainable and successful.”

    Click here to read more...
  • US stock futures fall as global rout continues

    U.S. stock futures dropped Friday as spreading recession fears power a global sell-off in all investments that carry risk.

    Markets in Asia closed sharply lower. The broad STOXX 50 index of European shares was down 1 percent. U.S. markets have fallen for four straight sessions, driving the Standard & Poor's 500 index down more than 7 percent this week.

    Treasury yields remain near record lows as traders amass lower-risk bets. Demand for Treasurys drives their prices higher and their yields lower.

    At 8:40 a.m. Eastern time, S&P 500 futures fell 14, or 1.3 percent, to 1,109. Dow Jones industrial average futures lost 120, or 1.1 percent, to 10,530. Nasdaq 100 futures slid 26, or 1.2 percent, to 2,149.

    Click here to read more...
  • LANB expands Albuquerque office

    Los Alamos National Bank is moving its 600 square-foot Albuquerque loan production office into a 1,600-square-foot facility at 6801 Jefferson NE.
    LANB has maintained the loan production office for four years in Albuquerque’s Uptown sector and this move will allow the bank to provide additional lenders as well as teller and deposit services, President Steve Wells said.
    “We believe in New Mexico and we believe lending to small business is the solution to economic recovery and we think there’s a lot of opportunity for lending in Albuquerque,” Wells said.
    Ten onsite and eight auxiliary employees will service the bank’s Albuquerque customers when the doors to the new facility open Nov. 14.

    Click here to read more...