Patent measure causing concern among independent inventors

A bill making its way through Congress calls for a significant change in the way patents are awarded. It would switch the U.S. from a system that...

Alcoa profit jumps on aluminum prices

Alcoa Inc, often viewed as a bellwether of the U.S. economy, posted a big jump in second-quarter profit Monday, partly due to soaring prices for...

Nestle buys 60% stake in Chinese candy firm

Nestle, the world's largest food company, is paying $1.7 billion for a 60% stake in candy maker Hsu Fu Chi International Ltd. to move deeper into...

Airlines fight EU law capping greenhouse gas emissions

Under a European Union law, all airlines that fly in and out of Europe must either cut carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from their...

Advice: Ask questions about cloud hosting providers

Dear Karen: I get offers about cloud hosting for my business. Is it safe?

Scam Watch: Summer burglaries and penny stocks

Here is roundup of alleged cons, frauds and schemes to watch out for.

Stocks at midyear: A market of two minds

Caution and daring both have managed to pay off for stock investors in 2011.

Money market funds stand out for their meager returns

Money market mutual funds long have been the utility players of the investment world — reliable but boring, and usually garnering attention only...

Stock mutual funds: Healthcare is top performer in first half

Predicting the best and worst stock mutual fund sectors in the first half of this year looked too easy, in hindsight: You just needed to flip last...

Don't wait to start saving for retirement

Dear Liz: I am 25 and work part time while I finish my bachelor's degree. Most of my family thinks the amount I could contribute to a...

Michigan town shows promise and pitfalls of job retraining

When the Electrolux refrigerator factory shut down in 2006, idling almost 3,000 workers, this self-proclaimed Refrigerator Capital of the World put...

Home of the Week: Pretty, grand Mediterranean in San Marino

Mary Gribble gazes up at the cathedral ceiling in the living room of the San Marino home she has lived in since 1965. "It looked like a church," the...

Efrem Harkham oversees a world of hotels

The gig: Efrem Harkham, 55, is the founder and chairman of Luxe Hotels, a Los Angeles company that owns two local hotels and Luxe Worldwide...

Investors to the rescue of housing market

Who is going to lead the housing market out of the doldrums?

Banks gearing up to fill looming gap in jumbo loans

How big a deal is the upcoming cutback in mortgage limits for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration? Will buyers and...

How to raise credit scores: Five tips

The higher your credit scores, the better shot you have of getting a loan or credit card application approved. Improving your credit scores takes...

Is a tenant allowed to repaint an apartment?

Question: A tenant who just moved into our apartment community has asked if he can repaint his apartment in a different color. He says he is...