Oil tumbles $4 on slumping demand

Oil prices continued to decline Wednesday, after a government report showed stronger-than-expected inventories and a Federal Reserve report showed a weakening economy. Light, sweet crude for... >>more

Middle class: 'On the edge'

America's middle class is increasingly squeezed by sagging incomes and soaring expenses, experts told Congress on Wednesday. Adjusted for inflation, median household income dropped by $1,175 between... >>more

Beige Book: Pace of economic activity has slowed somewhat

July 23 - Reports from the 12 Federal Reserve Districts suggest that the pace of economic activity slowed somewhat since the last report. Five eastern Districts noted a weakening or softening in... >>more

The consumer stands strong

You gotta eat. That could be a big reason why several consumer companies have reported healthy quarterly results this week. PepsiCo, McDonald's, Hershey and sandwich chain Panera Bread all reported... >>more

Stocks climb as oil prices fall

Stocks moved higher on Wednesday as investors welcomed falling oil and gas prices and overlooked a slew of spotty quarterly financial reports. Also on Wednesday, expectations mounted for the House... >>more