News

The Nasdaq Composite hit a record high Thursday, closing at 5,056.06 and topping a record set in 2000 right before the dot-com crash.

U.S. companies are considering wage increases as the labor market improves and major employers such as Wal-Mart Stores and McDonald’s are raising pay. But the higher expense could mean a hit to profits or a hike in prices.

Housing starts increased 2% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 926,000 units, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Economists polled by Reuters had expected 1.04 million. Building permits decreased the most since May, suggesting residential construction is […]

Americans’ financial well-being improved this quarter, as indicated by a 6.5-point rise in the AICPA’s Personal Financial Satisfaction Index (PFSi). A decrease in inflation sparked by lower oil prices is largely responsible for the improved PFSi score, though loan delinquencies, […]

U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez has announced a proposal that would subject brokers offering retirement advice to a fiduciary standard.

Fitch Ratings has kept its AAA rating for the U.S., saying the economy has strengthened, the budget deficit is expected to narrow this year and in 2016, and health care cost increases are slowing. Falling oil prices also have boosted […]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2015/04/09/why-we-should-teach-third-graders-about-compound-interest/

The four-week rolling average of first-time unemployment claims has reached the lowest level since 2000, according to the Department of Labor. Initial claims have held below 300,000 for five consecutive weeks, suggesting the labor market is strengthening.

There could be more than $3.7 trillion worth of mergers and acquisitions this year if deals continue to be made at the current pace. That would be second only to 2007’s total of $4.3 trillion. There are 15 deals announced […]