NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are higher Friday as investors hope for more progress in trade talks between the U.S. and China. The Wall Street Journal reported that the countries hope to resolve their dispute by November.

2. Inflation, Gas Prices, Tariffs Squeeze Consumers - Thursday, August 2, 2018

The price of a can of Coca-Cola? Likely going up. A package of Pampers? That too. Plane tickets? They also may be more expensive. These items and more may cost more in the coming months as people start feeling the effects of higher fuel prices and raw-material costs as well as a range of tariffs.

3. Stocks Skid as Trade War Worsens With New Tariff Threats - Thursday, July 12, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Global stock indexes are sinking Wednesday after the Trump administration released a list of $200 billion in goods that could be hit with tariffs and China said it would retaliate. The dollar is climbing and oil prices are plunging. Industrial and materials companies are also falling.

4. Stocks sink on reports U.S. may limit tech exports, investment. - Tuesday, June 26, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are on track for their biggest loss in more than two months Monday as reports that the Trump administration may limit technology exports and foreign investment are hurting tech companies. Indexes in Europe and Asia also fell.

5. US stocks skid as industrial and energy companies fall - Friday, June 22, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are lower Thursday as investors again worry about the potential effects of the U.S.-China trade dispute. German automaker Daimler lowered its annual profit forecast, partly because of higher import taxes on U.S. vehicles in China. Industrial companies are taking more losses. Energy companies are falling along with oil prices and online retailers are skidding after the Supreme Court ruled that states can force online shoppers to pay sales tax.

6. In Tit-for-Tat, Trump Threatens More Tariffs Against China - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Trade Representative to prepare new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports as the two nations move closer to a trade war.

7. Last Word: Weekend Plans, Leaving Home and the Clown Show Turns a Corner - Friday, October 27, 2017

Grizz win at the Forum 96 – 91 against the Mavericks Thursday, a night after losing to the Mavericks in Dallas. And off we go into a busy weekend starting with Friday’s University of Memphis football game at the Liberty Bowl against Tulane and into Saturday’s Race for the Cure through Downtown followed closely by day two of the River Arts Fest in South Main, which begins its three-day run Friday evening.

8. Company Takes Over Former Caterpillar Factory in Mississippi - Friday, October 27, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — A Michigan-based company has taken over a former Caterpillar Inc. plant in northern Mississippi, making parts for cars, trucks and heavy equipment.

9. Chinese Machine Parts Maker Building Plant in Jonesboro, Arkansas - Thursday, October 26, 2017

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A Chinese company that makes machine parts for heavy equipment is spending $20 million to build a new manufacturing facility in northeast Arkansas that will employ 130 people.

10. Caterpillar CEO to Retire Next Year - Tuesday, October 18, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) — Caterpillar said Monday that CEO and Chairman Doug Oberhelman will retire from the company next year and will be replaced as CEO by Jim Umpleby, an executive who has worked at the construction and mining equipment company for more than three decades.

11. Genome Explorations Leads Push To Bring Personalized Medicine to Patients - Saturday, April 2, 2016

Memphis-based Genome Explorations is hoping to take 15 years of genetics and pharmacogenetics research and translate it into personalized medicine that will fundamentally change the way prolific diseases like cancer and heart disease are treated.

12. Lip Service or Real Metamorphosis? - Tuesday, March 29, 2016

When we get called into a company it is often because a very expensive innovation effort failed.

One of the huge global innovation firms was called in to create a new platform and what happens next is very much like a bad action movie – you know the story. No surprises.

13. Tenn. Council Joins Effort to End US-Cuba Trade Embargo - Wednesday, December 9, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee business and community leaders assembled Monday to support a bipartisan public policy group in its effort to end the U.S. trade embargo with Cuba.

Engage Cuba held a round table discussion with the leaders and announced the formation of a 15-member Tennessee State Council, representing an array of sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, business and the arts.

14. US Factories Grow at Slowest Pace in 2½ Years; Hiring Falls - Tuesday, November 3, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. factory activity grew last month at its slowest pace since May 2013 as manufacturers pared their stockpiles and cut jobs.

The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of factory activity slipped to 50.1 in October from 50.2 in September. The figures barely signal growth, which is any reading above 50.

15. Caterpillar Says It Could Cut 10,000 Jobs to Reduce Costs - Friday, September 25, 2015

Caterpillar is planning another round of job cuts that could exceed 10,000 people through 2018, as the construction and mining equipment maker adjusts to downturns in key markets.

That could amount to more than 8 percent of the 126,800 employees it had globally as of June.

16. US Industrial Output Falls for 5th Month on Lower Drilling - Monday, May 18, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) – A plunge in energy-related drilling and sluggish manufacturing sent U.S. industrial output down for a fifth straight month in April.

Overall industrial production slid 0.3 percent in April after a drop of the same size in March, the Federal Reserve said Friday. The figures suggest that weakness in manufacturing and mining is weighing heavily on the economy.

17. Obama Offers Candor, Insights in Q&A With Top CEOs - Thursday, December 4, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – At times blunt, at others obliging, President Barack Obama entered a den of top corporate CEOs on Wednesday with a candid assessment of the limits of his governing agenda, the tripwires facing the economy recovery and the motivations of various foreign leaders.

18. US Stocks Jump Following Strong Corporate Earnings - Friday, October 24, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — A combination of strong company earnings and encouraging economic reports, both in the U.S. and Europe, gave the stock market another day of solid gains on Thursday.

Caterpillar jumped after its third-quarter earnings report was better than Wall Street analysts had been expecting. The company also raised its profit outlook for the year. 3M, the maker of Post-it notes, industrial coatings and ceramics, was among other companies that gained after releasing impressive third-quarter results.

19. Willow Lake Sales Positive News For The Market - Friday, October 24, 2014

The sale this week of five properties inside Willow Lake Business Park and Corporate Park for $4.2 million was welcome news for several reasons.

For one, true owners tend to take much better care of properties and market them more aggressively than special servicers like Bethesda, Md.-based CWCapital Asset Management.

20. Nashville School News Briefs - Saturday, October 11, 2014

Montgomery Bell Student, Faculty Films Air

Films and videos by Montgomery Bell Academy students and one faculty member will be featured Oct. 23 on the Nashville Education, Community and Arts TV channel’s Artober celebration.

21. American Recovery Drives the Dollar Sharply Higher - Wednesday, September 10, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) – In the world of currencies, the dollar is starting to look like a safe home in a tough neighborhood.

A strengthening American economy, combined with a gloomy outlook for growth elsewhere, is pushing the U.S. currency sharply higher.

22. Gestalt Schools Signs Lease in Hickory Hill - Friday, June 20, 2014

A charter school operator has inked a lease for space on Winchester Road in Hickory Hill.

Gestalt Community Schools has leased 57,000 square feet of space at 5360 Winchester Road inside the Mendenhall Square shopping center.

23. Olymbec Buys Another Memphis Industrial Property - Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Canadian real estate company Olymbec USA LLC has invested again in Memphis, paying $4 million for the warehouse at 4219 Air Trans Road in Oakhaven.

24. Manufacturers See Better Economic Times - Saturday, April 26, 2014

Big companies are finally starting to spend money, and that could mean a better economy and more jobs.

Industrial companies such as General Electric, Honeywell and Caterpillar make expensive equipment that other companies need to buy to grow their business. They’ve been posting strong financial results in recent weeks and telling investors that orders are strong.

25. Manufacturers See Better Economic Times - Friday, April 25, 2014

Big companies are finally starting to spend money, and that could mean a better economy and more jobs.

Industrial companies such as General Electric, Honeywell and Caterpillar make expensive equipment that other companies need to buy to grow their business. They've been posting strong financial results in recent weeks and telling investors that orders are strong.

26. US Finally Regains the Jobs Lost in the Recession - Monday, April 7, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. economy has reached a milestone: It has finally regained all the private-sector jobs it lost during the Great Recession.

Yet it took a painfully slow six years, and unemployment remains stubbornly high at 6.7 percent.

27. Olymbec Acquires 13-Building Bellbrook - Friday, November 15, 2013

Olymbec USA LLC has snatched up two more key Memphis properties, including the 1.8 million-square-foot Bellbrook industrial park.

28. Olymbec Acquires Bellbrook Industrial Park - Thursday, November 14, 2013

Olymbec USA LLC has snatched up two more key Memphis properties, including the 1.8 million-square-foot Bellbrook industrial park.

29. Events - Friday, November 1, 2013

The Orpheum Theatre will kick off its 2013-2014 family series with “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” Friday, Nov. 1, and Saturday, Nov. 2, at the theater, 203 S. Main St. Visit orpheum-memphis.com.

30. Events - Thursday, October 31, 2013

The 16th annual Indie Memphis Film Festival will be held Thursday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 3, at Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper St., the Circuit Playhouse, 51 S. Cooper St., and Studio on the Square, 2105 Court Ave. Visit indiememphis.com.

31. Business Leaders Make Case for Immigration Reform - Friday, August 30, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Prominent business leaders and Republicans held a forum in Nashville on Wednesday to build support for immigration reform among the public and members of Congress.

The Senate passed a far-reaching immigration measure in June that includes border security, workplace enforcement and a path to citizenship. But the majority of House Republicans remain opposed to any path to citizenship, creating concerns that legislators will be unable to craft a compromise bill.

32. Think Like Nature to Innovate - Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Nature stores many business success lessons for those smart enough to see them. Companies that prove able to interpret and transfer creation’s learnings to its own culture prosper on an ongoing basis.

33. Oil Falls Below $89; Pump Prices Continue to Drop - Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Oil hit a three-week low as a major North American pipeline got set to reopen.

Benchmark oil fell $1.32, or 1.5 percent, to finish at $88.73 in New York. That followed a 2 percent decline on Friday and is the lowest close since Oct. 3.

34. House Committee Approves Normal Trade With Russia - Friday, July 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A House committee on Thursday approved legislation to end Cold War restrictions and normalize trade with Russia as U.S. business groups pressed for quick congressional action.

35. Officials Announce Caterpillar Expansion - Monday, May 21, 2012

CORINTH, Miss. (AP) – Officials say a new facility for Caterpillar will house warehouse and logistics operations and create 35 jobs over the next three years.

Gov. Phil Bryant joined Corinth Mayor Tommy Irwin and other local officials for Thursday's announcement.

36. Botanic Garden Hosts Month-Long Earth Day - Tuesday, April 3, 2012

For the second year, Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Road, will host environmentally themed programs throughout April in celebration of Earth Day April 22.

37. Economy Gains as Businesses Spend More, Fire Less - Friday, January 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Businesses are growing more confident in the economy, investing in more equipment and laying off fewer workers.

Government figures on manufacturing and unemployment claims released Thursday raised hopes on the eve of a report on how much the economy grew in the October-December quarter.

38. Takeovers, Anticipated European Deal Lift Stocks - Tuesday, October 25, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks gained steadily Monday on a round of corporate takeovers and reports that Europe's bailout fund will be larger than anticipated. The Dow Jones industrial average was up nearly 130 points in the late afternoon. The Nasdaq composite index turned positive for the year.

39. Social Media Replacing Traditional Advertising - Monday, September 19, 2011

The model for advertising once was for businesses to purchase advertising space in a traditional newspaper or magazine and tout product offerings to its audience.

Nowadays, anybody can be an ambassador on the Web.

40. Senate Nears Final Vote on Patent Overhaul Bill - Friday, September 9, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The most significant overhaul of the patent system in six decades awaited final congressional action Thursday as supporters said the legislation could make it easier for innovators to get their products to market and put more people to work.

41. Durable Goods Orders Fall 2.1 Percent in June - Thursday, July 28, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. businesses cut back on orders for aircraft, autos, heavy machinery and computers in June, sending demand for long-lasting manufactured goods lower for the second month in the past three.

42. Factories Busier in June After Spring Slump - Monday, July 4, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. factory activity picked up in June after a sluggish May, helped by lower gas prices and some easing of supply disruptions.

The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said Friday that its index o activity rose to 55.3. The sector has now grown for 23 straight months. Last month's growth was the slowest in 20 months.

43. Hong Kong at Center of Memphis, China Connections - Monday, April 25, 2011

Memphis and Hong Kong have FedEx in common. The Memphis-based cargo giant has made the Memphis and Hong Kong airports the top two cargo airports in the world by weight for 20 years.

Hong Kong last year ended Memphis International’s 18-year run as the busiest.

44. PR: Caterpillar or Butterfly? - Wednesday, April 20, 2011

George Carlin said it best. “The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity.” That’s because the butterfly is simply more newsworthy.

Most businesses today can appreciate the important role that public relations plays in building a brand and creating awareness. Generating press, however, can be more difficult than it sounds. And it all starts with ensuring you have something interesting to talk about.

45. 10 Years of Jabberblabber - Monday, March 28, 2011

The Bluff City’s favorite giant, green, googly-eyed monster this month celebrates 10 years of fostering childhood creativity and encouraging fun, educational family interaction.

Over the past decade, the Jabberblabber has become synonymous with family life in Memphis. Even if you’re not a parent, chances are you’ve spotted the enormous costumed character (played by a very tall man named Jim Lord) and his trusty cowgirl sidekick, Quick Draw Drew, making the rounds at family-friendly festivals or child-focused events in the Memphis metropolitan area.

46. Where Are the Jobs? For Many Companies, Overseas - Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Corporate profits are up. Stock prices are up. So why isn't anyone hiring?

Actually, many American companies are – just maybe not in your town. They're hiring overseas, where sales are surging and the pipeline of orders is fat.

47. New Tax Law Packed With Obscure Business Tax Cuts - Tuesday, December 28, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – The massive new tax bill signed into law by President Barack Obama is filled with all kinds of holiday stocking stuffers for businesses: tax breaks for producing TV shows, grants for putting up windmills, rum subsidies for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

48. Durable Goods Orders Rise, Business Spending Cools - Thursday, October 28, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – A surge in demand for commercial aircraft lifted orders for big-ticket manufactured goods in September, but business spending weakened on products that signal expansion plans.

49. Quarterly Report: Record Earnings On Horizon - Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Earnings Bonanza We have now completed a quarter of third quarter’s earnings season. Traditionally, 60 percent of the companies within the S&P 500 top earnings expectations as managements issue conservative guidance followed by better results. Many forecasted a surprise ratio below the historical norm as economic softness threatens revenue growth and efficiency gains become more difficult.

50. Understanding the Third Quarter - Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Be advised, Waddell & Reed caused the May “Flash Crash,” not Waddell & Associates. Waddell & Reed has the scale to accomplish such things; we do not. They traffic in derivatives; we do not. If I were the Waddell of Waddell & Reed, I’d likely be ranching in Carmel Valley and entrusting my then-substantial portfolio to someone like Waddell & Associates!

51. Data Show Jobless Claims Drop, Retail Sales Rise - Friday, September 3, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – A weak economy got a little lift Thursday with new data suggesting companies aren't pursuing mass layoffs and stores are a little busier.

New applications for unemployment benefits declined for a second straight week after rising in the previous three. Retailers reported surprisingly strong sales in August. And more people signed contracts to buy homes.

52. Festival Highlights Memphis-India Connections - Thursday, August 26, 2010

When Memphians talk about India, two subjects almost always come up – overseas call centers and the film “Slumdog Millionaire.”

But organizers of this year’s annual IndiaFest said the nation’s cultural and business influence in Memphis is growing rapidly.

53. Initial Jobless Claims Drop to 457,000 - Friday, July 30, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – New jobless claims fell last week for the third time in four weeks but remain elevated. The decline is a sign that the economy likely added jobs in July, although not enough to lower the nation's high unemployment rate.

54. Consumer Confidence Falls to Lowest Since February - Wednesday, July 28, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans’ confidence in the economy eroded further in July amid worries about a still-stagnant job market. The report raised concerns about the economic recovery and the back-to-school shopping season.

55. After the Returns: Fog Lifter - Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Now that a third of the second-quarter earnings season has passed we can make informed generalizations.

The major macro variables assessed during each earnings season include revenue growth, earnings growth and forward guidance. Analysts expected modest revenue growth, robust earnings growth and cautious forward guidance from the reports.

56. Recovery Mixed on Strong Earnings, Weak Home Sales - Friday, July 23, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – A flurry of strong earnings reports renewed Wall Street’s optimism in the economic recovery, even as new data Thursday showed homes sales sinking and claims for unemployment benefits rising.

57. Jobless Claims Fall to Lowest Level in 4 Weeks - Friday, April 30, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a second consecutive week, further evidence that the job market is slowly improving.

The Labor Department said Thursday that initial applications for jobless benefits dropped by 11,000 to 448,000, the lowest level in four weeks. The new total was slightly higher than economists had expected.

58. Rosy Earnings Show Corporate America is Back - Thursday, April 29, 2010

CHICAGO (AP) — Corporate America is back.

Companies that do everything from making appliances to selling cruises are reporting strong first-quarter profits — not because of the layoffs many of them used to dress up last year's earnings reports but because people are spending more.

59. Fed Keep Rates at Record Lows; Upbeat on Economy - Thursday, April 29, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve sounded a more confident note Wednesday that the economy is strengthening but pledged to hold rates at record lows to make sure it gains traction.

Wrapping up a two-day meeting, the Fed in a 9-1 decision retained its pledge to hold rates at historic lows for an "extended period." Doing so will help energize the recovery.

60. Consumer Confidence Grows as Economy Strengthens - Wednesday, April 28, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) — Key pillars of the U.S. economy are getting stronger.

The best consumer confidence reading since September 2008's financial meltdown and bullish earnings reports this week from companies ranging from Whirlpool to UPS show increasing demand and a rebound gathering steam. Americans are even feeling a bit better about the job market.

61. Regulator Faults Wall Street Banks on Derivatives - Friday, March 12, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - Wall Street banks are seeking exemptions to proposed new financial derivatives rules that could shield more than half the trades that should be subject to disclosure, a federal regulator said Thursday.

62. Use of Temps May No Longer Signal Permanent Hiring - Tuesday, February 16, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - It's not the signal it used to be.

When employers hire temporary staff after a recession, it's long been seen as a sign they'll soon hire permanent workers.

Not these days.

63. Trade Deficit Jumps Sharply in December - Thursday, February 11, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. trade deficit surged to a larger-than-expected $40.18 billion in December, the biggest imbalance in 12 months. The wider deficit reflected a rebounding economy that is pushing up demand for oil and other imports.

64. Trolley Line Businesses Coming to Life - Friday, February 5, 2010

New businesses are bringing life back to the storefronts along the Madison Avenue trolley line, especially near the line’s easternmost stop at Cleveland Street.

The spaces are filling at the southwest corner of Madison and Cleveland. The Smoking Caterpillar and Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies have opened since November.

65. Exports Up For Sixth Straight Month - Friday, December 11, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – The economic recovery is likely to draw strength from exports such as farm products, autos, aircraft and industrial machinery – all of which helped lower the nation’s trade deficit in October.

66. Geithner Says $700B Bailout Program Will End Soon - Thursday, December 3, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner affirmed Wednesday the U.S. administration's intent to soon end the $700 billion financial bailout program.

Geithner did not provide details, but said the government is close to the point at which "we can wind down this program" and end it.

67. Weak Dollar No Quick Fix for Narrowing Trade Gap - Monday, November 16, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - A weaker dollar may boost the nation's economy by increasing exports and narrowing the trade gap – but that won't happen anytime soon.

Instead, the nation's trade deficit rose in September by the largest percentage in a decade as U.S. exports grew for the fifth straight month, but imports rose faster, a government report showed Friday. That trend is likely to continue until the middle of next year, economists said.

68. Factory Orders Rise 0.9 Percent in September - Wednesday, November 4, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Orders to U.S. factories rebounded in September, helped by strength in autos, heavy machinery and military aircraft.

The fifth increase in six months bolstered hopes that a revival in manufacturing will help support an overall economic recovery. The worry is that if consumer spending falters in coming months, orders will slump again.

69. Durable Goods Orders Rise 1 Percent in September - Thursday, October 29, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods rose in September as the biggest jump in demand for machinery in 18 months offset weakness in commercial aircraft and autos.

70. Caterpillar Cuts 2,500 Laid-Off Workers - Tuesday, October 27, 2009

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - Caterpillar Inc. said Monday about 2,500 laid-off employees will be permanently cut from the company and 550 others will be brought back to work by the end of next year.

71. Caterpillar Q3 Profit Drops 53 Pct, Sees Recovery - Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Caterpillar expects sales of its big yellow-and-black equipment to improve next year as the world economy staggers out of a deep recession that slammed third-quarter earnings.

Already, signs are emerging that demand for its machinery is picking up in Asia. And Caterpillar, which generates about 70 percent of its sales overseas, wants it dealers prepared for an upturn. Shares of the company rose 2.3 percent in midday trade.

72. Internal Affair - Monday, October 19, 2009

One in five of the Memphis school system’s new teachers quits after a year in the classroom. After three years, 40 percent of the new hires are gone. For those who do hang around, the process of becoming – and remaining – a teacher is the story of a system within the school system.

73. Baker Donelson Honored By Corporate Counsel - Thursday, October 15, 2009

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC has been named to the 2009 edition of Corporate Counsel’s “Who Represents Corporate America.”

The annual list recognizes law firms that regularly serve as outside counsel for Fortune 100 companies. This is the fourth consecutive year Baker Donelson has been included.

74. Regulators Seek Tighter Derivatives Oversight - Thursday, October 8, 2009

As two federal regulators asked a House panel to tighten proposed legislation imposing new oversight on derivatives, Republican lawmakers contended the measure already could eliminate jobs and stifle companies’ ability to manage risks.

75. Current Account Deficit Dips to $98.8 Billion - Thursday, September 17, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The deficit in the broadest measure of foreign trade shrank in the spring to the lowest level in relation to the total economy in 10 years, another dramatic sign of how much the recession had reduced America's appetite for foreign goods.

76. Caterpillar Q2 Profit Falls 66 Pct on Weak Demand - Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Caterpillar Inc.'s second-quarter profit tumbled on slumping sales of heavy equipment and the cost of staff cuts, but it saw signs that the global economy is starting to stabilize after a prolonged slide.

77. Caterpillar Posts Loss, Hurt by Weak Sales, Charge - Wednesday, April 22, 2009

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Caterpillar Inc., the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, on Tuesday reported a first-quarter loss of $112 million, hurt by sharp sales declines across the globe and a big charge for recent layoffs.

78. New Jobless Claims Fall More than Expected to 646K - Friday, March 20, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - New jobless claims fell more than expected last week, but continuing claims set a new record for the eighth straight week and few economists expect the labor market to improve anytime soon.

79. Caterpillar to Lay Off 2,454 Workers in 3 States - Wednesday, March 18, 2009

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Caterpillar Inc. on Tuesday announced plans to lay off more than 2,400 employees at five plants in Illinois, Indiana and Georgia as the heavy equipment maker continues to cut costs amid the global economic downturn.

80. Housing Starts Surge; Wholesale Prices Edge Up - Wednesday, March 18, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Housing construction posted a surprisingly large increase in February, bolstered by strength in all parts of the country except the West.

While the surge in construction was far better than the continued decline economists had expected, experts viewed the rebound as a temporary gain given all the problems the housing industry still faces.

81. Industrial Output Down in February - Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The nation’s industrial output fell for the fourth straight month in February with the factory-operating rate dropping to the lowest level in more than a half-century of record keeping.

The Federal Reserve reported Monday that industrial output dropped by 1.4 percent last month, slightly worse than the 1.2 percent decline economists had expected.

82. Trade Deficit Falls to $36 Billion in Jan. - Monday, March 16, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. trade deficit plunged in January to the lowest level in six years as a deepening recession cut demand for imported goods at an even faster rate than for exports.

The U.S. Commerce Department reported Friday the trade imbalance dropped to $36 billion in January, a decline of 9.7 percent from December and the lowest level since October 2002.

83. Diamond Int’l To Expand - Thursday, March 5, 2009

Change is coming to the northeast corner of East Brooks and Millbranch roads in Whitehaven, where Diamond International Trucks Inc. will double its size by taking over the former Chuck Hutton Toyota dealership.

84. Gov’t Says ‘Mass Layoffs’ Soared in January - Thursday, February 26, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – Employers took a large ax to their payrolls in January, the government said Wednesday, and the cuts are likely to get worse over the next few months.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that mass layoffs, or job cuts of 50 or more by a single employer, increased to 2,227 in January, up almost 50 percent from the same month last year. More than 235,000 workers were fired in last month’s cuts.

85. Caterpillar CEO Sees More Company Layoffs - Monday, February 16, 2009

EAST PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - President Barack Obama's stimulus plan may be good for Caterpillar Inc., but the company's chief executive says the equipment maker will probably have to lay off more staff before it starts thinking about rehiring any of the more than 22,000 employees it already plans to cut.

86. Caterpillar to Offer Voluntary Retirement Packages - Thursday, February 12, 2009

Caterpillar Inc. announced Wednesday it will offer voluntary early retirement packages to approximately 2,000 of its U.S. production workers, including employees in Memphis, Denver, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

87. Agreement Announced in Race for Stimulus Bill - Thursday, February 12, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Moving with lightning speed, key lawmakers announced agreement Wednesday on a $789 billion economic stimulus measure designed to create millions of jobs in a nation reeling from recession. President Barack Obama could sign the bill within days.

88. Obama Says Latest Economic News Demands Action - Monday, February 9, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama decried as "inexcusable and irresponsible" the delay of his economic recovery legislation in Congress with an estimated 3.6 million Americans losing their jobs since the recession began.

89. Obama Says Latest Economic News Demands Action - Monday, February 9, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama decried as "inexcusable and irresponsible" the delay of his economic recovery legislation in Congress with an estimated 3.6 million Americans losing their jobs since the recession began.

90. 598K Job Cuts: Most Since ‘74 - Monday, February 9, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – Recession-battered employers eliminated 598,000 jobs in January, the most since the end of 1974, and catapulted the unemployment rate to 7.6 percent. The grim figures were further proof that the nation’s job climate is deteriorating at an alarming clip with no end in sight.

91. New Jobless Claims Jump More Than Expected - Friday, February 6, 2009

New jobless claims jumped far more than expected last week in an already dismal labor market, and there’s no relief in sight for workers as mass layoffs persist.

The U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of newly jobless workers seeking benefits rose last week to a seasonally adjusted 626,000, from the previous week’s upwardly revised figure of 591,000. The latest total is far more than analysts’ expectations of 583,000.

92. As Unemployment Rises, Uncle Sam Has Jobs - Tuesday, February 3, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The economic downturn has forced private industry and state and local government to shed jobs, but one major employer in the country is hiring: The federal government.

While the nation's 11 million unemployed and the millions more who fear losing their jobs may feel Washington should streamline too, economists say a strong federal work force is key to economic recovery. Were President Barack Obama to put any of the nearly 2 million federal civil servants out in the street in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the consequences could be dire.

93. US Economy Shrinks at 3.8 Percent Pace - Monday, February 2, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. economy shrank at a 3.8 percent pace at the end of 2008, the worst showing in a quarter-century, as the deepening recession forced consumers and businesses to throttle back spending.

94. Mass Layoffs Surge in 2008 - Thursday, January 29, 2009

The number of layoffs involving 50 or more workers jumped by one-third last year, and the pace of large job cuts appears to have quickened in the first month of 2009.

The U.S. Labor Department reported Wednesday that 21,137 mass layoffs took place last year, up from 15,493 in 2007. That’s the highest annual total since 2001, the last time the economy was in recession, and the second highest since the department began tracking mass layoffs in 1995.

95. Fed Pledges to Use All Tools to Help Economy - Thursday, January 29, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve, acknowledging the economy has continued to deteriorate, signaled Wednesday that it will keep using unconventional tools to cushion the fallout, including keeping a key interest rate at a record low for quite "some time."

96. Job-Killing Recession Racks Up More Layoff Victims - Tuesday, January 27, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The recession is killing jobs at an alarming pace, with tens of thousands of new layoffs announced Monday by some of the biggest names in American business – Pfizer, Caterpillar and Home Depot.

97. Economy Declined 0.5 Percent in Third Quarter - Friday, December 26, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - As the longest recession in a quarter century intensifies, analysts believe the small decline in economic activity in the third quarter has worsened significantly in the current fourth quarter.

98. Interbank Rates Drop, Investors Sell Off T-Bills - Wednesday, October 22, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) – Bank-to-bank loan rates and yields on Treasury bills returned to their late September levels Tuesday, extending a recovery in the credit markets. Market watchers are now wondering, though, how much more the credit environment can improve given the economy's weakness.

99. Corporations Recognized For Legal Assistance - Monday, June 2, 2008

The Tennessee Bar Association has presented its inaugural 2008 Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award to two companies, Caterpillar Financial Services Corp. and Memphis-based International Paper Co., both of whose legal departments have shown a high commitment to providing no-cost legal services to the needy.

100. Despite Export Boom, Manufacturers Cautious About Job Growth - Tuesday, April 22, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - The massive cranes slicing the skies over Brazil, Dubai and China can't come off the assembly lines fast enough at Manitowoc Co.'s manufacturing plants here and overseas.

But an insatiable global appetite doesn't mean the Wisconsin-based heavy equipment maker is boosting its payrolls.