News on U.S. Department of Commerce

Business events scheduled for the coming week

2010-03-19T13:15:40Z

<div id="subtitle">Business events and economic reports scheduled for the coming week</div><div><p>SATURDAY, March 20</p><p>LONDON — Strikes set to begin for BA cabin crew</p><p>MONDAY, March 22</p><p>NEW YORK — Tiffany & Co. releases quarterly financial results.</p><p>BRUSSELS — ECB's Reuters) - China could face duties on some of its exports to the United States if it does not take steps to realign its currency, according to the draft text of a Senate bill to be unveiled on Tuesday.</p><p>The legislation crafted by United States slumped in February on freezing temperatures across the nation, breaking a rally that spurred hopes of a rapid recovery for the battered sector.</p><p>New construction starts were down 5.9 percent in February versus the month before, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, as a...

Revival of beleaguered US housing market hits snowstorm

2010-03-16T07:15:52Z

<div><p>Construction of new houses in the United States slumped in February on freezing temperatures across the nation, breaking a rally that spurred hopes of a rapid recovery for the battered sector.</p><p>New construction starts were down 5.9 percent in February versus the month before, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, as a...

Housing starts, permits fall in February

2010-03-16T06:00:20Z

<div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Housing starts and permits to build new homes both fell in February as winter storms in some parts of the country disrupted home building, a government report showed on Tuesday.</p><p>The Commerce Department said housing starts fell 5.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 575,000 ...

Coca-Cola spent $4.8 million lobbying gov't in 4Q

2010-03-15T06:15:19Z

<div id="subtitle">Coca-Cola spent $4.8 million in fourth quarter lobbying government on taxes, food safety</div><div><p>Coca-Cola Co. spent $4.8 million in the fourth quarter to lobby the government on proposals to tax sugary beverages, according to a recent disclosure report.</p><p>That's well above the $680,000 that the company spent in the year-ago period, and more than double the $2...

Anheuser-Busch spent $690K lobbying gov't in 4Q

2010-03-15T06:15:13Z

<div id="subtitle">Anheuser-Busch spent $690,000 in fourth quarter lobbying goverment on taxes, food safety</div><div><p>Anheuser-Busch, the U.S. unit of ABInbev, spent $690,000 in the fourth quarter to lobby the government on excise taxes, food safety and matters relating to the alcohol industry, according to a recent disclos...

Rates trade in tight range on uneven economic data

2010-03-12T16:15:36Z

<div id="subtitle">Interest rates hold to tight range after mixed economic reports give off conflicting signals</div><div><p>Interest rates were mixed in the bond market Friday after uneven economic reports gave investors conflicting signals.</p><p>Long-term Treasury prices rebounded after sliding Thursday. The rise in prices pushed yields lower.</p><p>The yield on the 10-year Treasury note that matures in February 2020 fell to 3.70 percent in late...

Stocks end mixed after mixed economic reports

2010-03-12T15:30:32Z

<div id="subtitle">Stocks end mixed after surprise uptick in retail sales, weaker reading on consumer sentiment</div><div><p>Mixed economic reports held the stock market to only modest moves Friday but gains for the week were strong.</p><p>Uneven figures on retail sales and consumer confidence gave investors little new insight into the economy.</p><p>The reports weren't enough to propel the market higher a day after the Standard & Poor's 50...

US retail sales beat blizzards with surprise rise

2010-03-12T13:16:29Z

<div><p>The storied American consumer braved blizzards and economic headwinds to shop in February, unexpectedly pushing up retail sales for the second straight month, official data showed Friday.</p><p>Retail and food service sales rose 0.3 percent from January to 355.5 billion dollars, the Commerce Department said.</p><p>Most analysts expected they would fall 0.2 percent ami...

US retail sales rise unexpectedly despite blizzards

2010-03-12T10:16:19Z

<div><p> The storied American consumer braved blizzards and economic headwinds to shop in February, unexpectedly pushing up retail sales for the second straight month, official data showed Friday.</p><p>The Commerce Department said that retail and food service sales rose 0.3 percent from January to 355.5 billion dollars, while most analysts expected they would fall 0.2 percent amid fier...

US retail sales rise despite blizzards

2010-03-12T09:16:13Z

<div><p>The storied American consumer braved blizzards and economic headwinds to shop in February, unexpectedly pushing up retail sales for the second straight month, official data showed Friday.</p><p>The Commerce Department said that retail and food service sales rose 0.3 percent from January to 355.5 billion dollars, while most analysts expected they would fall 0.2 percent amid fierce...

Business inventories flat in January

2010-03-12T07:45:13Z

<div id="subtitle">Business inventories unchanged in January as total sales increase for eighth conscutive month</div><div><p>Business inventories were basically flat in January even though sales rose for an eighth consecutive month.</p><p>The Commerce Department said Friday that inventories were unchanged, a weaker reading than the 0.2 percent gain that analysts had expected...

US retail sales post surprise 0.3% rise

2010-03-12T07:30:28Z

<div><p>US retail sales unexpectedly rose for the second month in February, despite severe winter storms that hammered large regions of the country, official data showed Friday.</p><p>The Commerce Department said that retail and food service sales increased 0.3 percent from January to 355.5 billion dollars, according to data unadjusted for price changes.</p><p>The growth in r...

US retail sales post surprise rise

2010-03-12T07:16:02Z

US retail sales unexpectedly rise 0.3% in February

2010-03-12T06:15:36Z

<div><p>US retail sales unexpectedly rose 0.3 percent in February, despite severe winter storms that hammered large regions of the country, official data showed Friday.</p><p>The Commerce Department said that retail and food service sales increased to 355.5 billion dollars, according to adjusted data that does not reflect price changes.</p><p>On a 12-month basis, retail sales...

Retail sales unexpectedly rise 0.3% in February

2010-03-12T06:15:22Z

Calendar of major business events for Friday

2010-03-11T14:00:30Z

<div id="subtitle">Calendar of major business events scheduled for Friday</div><div><p>Major business events and economic events scheduled for Friday:</p><p>WASHINGTON — Commerce Department releases retail sales for February, 8:30 a.m.</p><p>WASHINGTON — Commerce Department releases business inventories for January, 10 a.m.</p><p>

US trade gap narrows on falling imports

2010-03-11T07:16:25Z

<div><p>The US trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in January as volume fell for the first time in five months, led by a drop in imports, the government reported Thursday.</p><p>The Commerce Department said the trade deficit shrank to a seasonally adjusted 37.3 billion dollars, down from a revised 39.9 billion dollars in December....

Gov't adopts formula that doubles elderly poor

2010-03-03T05:45:33Z

<div><p>The government took steps Tuesday to highlight the increasing numbers of poor Americans, adopting a revised formula that is expected to double the number of older people classified as living in poverty to nearly 1 in 5.</p><p>Under the new formula, overall poverty is expected to increase from 13.2 percent, or 39.8 million people, to 15.8 percent, or 47.4 million, mostly due to rising expenses from medical care and other factors.</p><p>The new measure w...