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Returning gifts
ConsumerMan: Some big-box retailers have made return policies more lenient, but rules vary by store. Full story
Economy at a Crossroads
AP
AP
Real estate recovery hangs by a thread
With sales of new homes at a seven-month low, any real recovery depends on whether the government can stem foreclosures and get Americans back to work. Full story
Treasury Secretary says hiring should pick up over the next few months and Americans should have confidence about an improving economic climate. Full story
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Stocks turn positive again in afternoon trading
Stocks were marginally higher Wednesday as rising commodity prices offset losses that followed a disappointing report on housing.
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Madoff moved to medical wing of prison
Convicted swindler Bernard Madoff was moved last week to the medical center within a federal prison for undisclosed reasons.
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Could Ireland’s budget cuts be a model for U.S.?
Ireland's drastic budget cutting has put it on the front lines of a global battle against runaway government spending, prompting some to ask if the United States will follow suit.
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Ford sees Volvo deal with Geely early in 2010
Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it is close to selling its loss-making Volvo unit to China's Geely and expects a final deal early in the new year.
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Reuters
Ford Motor Co. via AP
Interactive
Ten cars to look forward to
Interactive
10 cars we loved to hate
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ConsumerMan: The scoop on return policies
Some big-name, big-box retailers have made holiday return policies more lenient this year, but rules vary by store and even by department. ConsumerMan gives you the scoop.
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New home sales drop as recovery teeters
The housing market is in the midst of a rocky recovery, but it’s too soon to declare the end of one of the worst slides since the Great Depression.
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EPA
Answer Desk
Housing’s long road back
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Census faces daunting task of hiring workers
Hiring 1.2 million workers in this economy should be easy. But finding qualified workers in hard-to-count neighborhoods remains daunting.
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Getty Images stock
Getty Images
Your Career
Job hunting during the holidays
Your Career
Gossip: more and meaner
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Avoid the gifts that keep on costing
As a music fan, Bruce McClary was pleased when he received a satellite radio with a six-month subscription as a gift.
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Zoo sells dung as ‘Magical Reindeer Gems’
Necklaces and Christmas ornaments made from dime-sized pieces of reindeer droppings have earned a Bloomington, Ill., zoo nearly $21,000 this holiday season.
Multimedia and features
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Economy needs more than a happy holiday
Don't count on holiday shoppers to fuel the economic recovery.
Multimedia and features
