2009 | featured news

U.S. consumer sentiment rose in late September to the highest since January 2008 as expectations of an economic rebound gathered momentum, a survey showed on Friday.

Orders for goods expected to last at least three years fell unexpectedly in August due mainly to a sharp drop in demand for commercial aircraft.

U.S. home prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in July, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said, as some of the worst-hit housing markets showed signs of recovering.

U.S. auto sales boomed in August as consumers burned through $3 billion in government incentives, leaving automakers to contend with both inventory shortages and uncertain demand in the months ahead.

Orders for durable goods rebounded sharply in July, up 4.9%, staging their biggest gain in two years on demand for planes and capital goods.

Investors are holding on to their optimism about the economy, sending stocks to fresh 2009 highs. Market indicators rose about 0.5 percent in midday trading Monday, following a surge in overseas markets and extending a big advance from last week.

Out of 83 hopefuls, one woman is crowned Miss Universe 2009 in the Bahamas.

Yesterday, "Marijuana is Safer" hit number 14 on Amazon's bestselling book list, beating out heavyweights like Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" and the newest installment of the "Twilight" saga -- even though Mason Tvert's straight-to-paperback tome won't actually be released until September 15.

Wholesale prices dropped sharply in July, and over the past 12 months fell by the largest amount in more than six decades of record-keeping.

Consumer prices were flat in July as energy costs retreated following a big surge in June. Over the past 12 months, prices dropped the most in nearly six decades as the recession and lower energy costs kept a lid on inflation.