Leading economic indicators

This Wednesday, June 29, 2016, photo shows guns on display at a gun store in Miami. After a gunman killed more than 50 people in Las Vegas in the nation’s latest mass shooting, stocks in the gun industry rose, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
October 03, 2017 - 1:29 pm

Gun stocks rise anew, and more people own them than know it

NEW YORK (AP) — After a gunman killed more than 50 people in Las Vegas in the nation's latest mass shooting, stocks in the gun industry followed a familiar pattern. They rose. Sturm, Ruger & Co. jumped 3.5 percent on Monday. American Outdoor Brands Corp., which owns Smith & Wesson, climbed...
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Passerby, left, are reflected on a glass window as a man walks past an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 in Tokyo. Japanese and Hong Kong shares rose Tuesday on optimism over an overnight rally on Wall Street, where indexes are setting set more records, but some other Asian markets were closed for holidays. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
October 03, 2017 - 4:39 am

Global shares mostly higher, tracking Wall Street advance

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mostly higher Tuesday, tracking an overnight rally on Wall Street, where indexes set fresh record highs. But some benchmarks were lower, and the South Korean and Shanghai markets were closed for national holidays. KEEPING SCORE: France's CAC 40 edged up nearly 0.2...
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In this April 7, 2017 photo, a man looks at an electronic stock board showing morning closing transaction value of Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm in Tokyo. On Monday, Oct. 17, 2017, shares in Asia are higher after China and Japan reported stronger than expected factory data. Many markets in the region were closed Monday for national holidays. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
October 01, 2017 - 10:57 pm

Asian shares advance on strong factory data for China, Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Shares in Asia are higher after China and Japan reported stronger than expected factory data. Many markets in the region were closed Monday for national holidays. KEEPING SCORE: Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index rose 0.1 percent to 20,376.90 and the S&P ASX/200 jumped 1.1 percent to 5...
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People walk by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Asian shares were mostly slightly higher Friday, following a record high close on Wall Street, except for Japan, where a pause in the dollar’s strengthening dampened optimism about exporters. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
September 29, 2017 - 5:37 am

Global shares mixed; Japan benchmark falls on weak dollar

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mixed Friday following a record-high close on Wall Street. The Tokyo benchmark fell in Japan, where a pause in the dollar's strengthening dampened optimism about exporters. KEEPING SCORE: France's CAC 40 fell 0.1 percent to 5,290.31, while Germany's DAX added 0.2...
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People walk by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Asian shares were mostly slightly higher Friday, following a record high close on Wall Street, except for Japan, where a pause in the dollar’s strengthening dampened optimism about exporters. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
September 28, 2017 - 11:53 pm

Asian shares slightly higher, though Japan is exception

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were slightly higher Friday following a record high close on Wall Street, except for Japan, where a pause in the dollar's strengthening dampened optimism about exporters. KEEPING SCORE: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 0.3 percent to 20,305.04 in morning trading, while...
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FILE - In this July 24, 2017, file photo, a sign advertising employment hangs outside a restaurant in Middleton, Mass. The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose by 12,000 the week of Sept. 18, to 272,000 as Florida continued to absorb the economic impact of Hurricane Irma. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
September 28, 2017 - 8:56 am

Claims for US jobless aid rise by 12,000 to 272,000

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose by 12,000 last week to 272,000 as Florida continued to absorb the economic impact of Hurricane Irma. NUMBERS: The Labor Department said Thursday that the less-volatile four-week average rose by 9,000 to 277,750,...
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FILE - This Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, file photo shows a sign for a Wall Street subway station in New York. The major U.S. stock indexes edged higher in early trading Friday, May 11, 2018 as gains in health care companies and banks outweighed losses elsewhere. Technology stocks and utilities were laggards. Crude oil prices headed lower. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
September 27, 2017 - 3:09 pm

Small companies make big gains as US stocks climb

NEW YORK (AP) — Smaller U.S. company stocks are soaring Wednesday after a report showed business investment climbed in August. Investors are also reviewing tax cuts proposed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. Stocks are near all-time highs as banks and technology companies...
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Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser, left, and Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge attend a joint press conference in Paris, Wednesday, Sept.27, 2017. German industrial equipment maker Siemens AG said Tuesday it has agreed to merge its train-building business with French rival Alstom, creating a "new European champion" in the face of rising competition from China. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
September 27, 2017 - 7:28 am

The Latest: Siemens-Alstom merger aims to save $554 million

PARIS (AP) — The Latest on the planned train-making merger between Siemens and Alstom (all times local): 1:25 p.m. Siemens and Alstom say they aim to save 470 million euros ($554 million) a year by joining forces in a European train-making giant — and they're playing down that that means job cuts...
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September 19, 2017 - 10:21 am

US stocks edge higher in early trading; oil prices rise

U.S. stock indexes edged higher in early trading Tuesday, extending the market's gains from a day earlier. Banks and technology companies were among the biggest gainers. Energy stocks also rose. Health care and consumer-focused stocks lagged the most. KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500...
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September 19, 2017 - 9:02 am

US housing starts fall 0.8 pct., a 2nd straight monthly drop

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homebuilders slowed their pace of construction by a sharp 0.8 percent in August, the second straight monthly decline. A steep drop in multifamily construction more than offset a gain in single-family-home building. The overall drop occurred even though would-be homebuyers face...
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