Costco Wholesale Corp., which had been one of the few bright spots in retailing, said Wednesday that its earnings will miss Wall Street expectations, as it struggles with higher energy costs that are crimping its bottom line. ...more

July 24, 2008

Misery loves company, the saying goes. When it comes to record gasoline prices, there's plenty of misery to go around for everyone. ...more

July 20, 2008

The new school year will bring higher lunch prices as the School Board of Highlands County's Food and Nutrition Department contends with rising costs. ...more

July 14, 2008

WASHINGTON - Things in the U.S. sure are tough. Brother, can you spare a euro? Signs saying "We accept euros" are cropping up in the windows of some Manhattan retailers. A Belgium company is trying to gobble up St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, the nation's largest brewer and iconic Super Bowl advertiser. ...more

July 6, 2008

Shares of several chemical companies fell Tuesday after industry leader Dow Chemical Co. announced its second set of wide-ranging price increases in less than a month, again trying to offset record costs for energy and raw materials. ...more

June 25, 2008

Now that gasoline is more than $4 a gallon, we are paying attention. ...more

June 21, 2008

Rates on 30-year mortgages jumped to the highest level in nearly eight months, reflecting increased concerns about what the Federal Reserve might do to battle inflation. ...more

June 13, 2008

The economy remained "generally weak" heading into summer as rising costs for energy and food pounded consumers and forced some companies to push their own prices higher. ...more

June 12, 2008

Anyone filling up the tank of their car right now will be cursing oil speculators. Likewise, anyone loading up a shopping cart with food for a family may feel angry with hedge-fund managers pushing the cost of wheat, rice and other basics through the roof. ...more

May 30, 2008

Dow Chemical Co. will raise its prices by up to 20 percent almost immediately to offset the soaring cost of energy, and the chief executive officer of the chemical giant lashed out at Washington on Wednesday for failing to develop a sound energy policy. ...more

May 29, 2008