AP National Business

By DAMIAN J. TROISE Stocks rallied in afternoon trading on Wall Street Thursday, trimming some of the week’s steep losses as investors gauge the latest corporate earnings and monitor rising inflation’s impact on the economy. The S&P 500 rose 1.2%, with more than 85% of stocks within the benchmark index making gains. The Dow Jones

BERLIN (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says talks with Iran over its nuclear program are at a “decisive moment.” He has warned that Washington and its allies may change tactics if a deal isn’t reached in the coming weeks. Blinken said in Berlin that the longer Iran fails to comply with the

By PREDRAG MILIC Associated Press PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro’s embattled government has called for an early election to be held in the Balkan country. Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic on Thursday filed a request that the current mandate of the Montenegrin assembly be cut short to pave the way for the vote. The move comes

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — First, Amazon competed with malls. Now, it’s moving inside one. The online retailing giant said Thursday that it plans to open a clothing store in a Southern California mall later this year, just the latest foray into brick-and-mortar for Amazon, which already accounts for more

By The Associated Press An American Airlines flight to London has turned around and returned to Miami after a woman on the plane refused to wear a face mask. That’s what American Airlines says happened on the Wednesday night flight. The airline called Miami police, and officers escorted a woman off the plane at Miami

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of previously occupied homes fell in December for the first time in four months as many would-be buyers were frustrated by a lack of available houses, which fell to the lowest level in more than two decades. Existing home sales dropped 4.6% last month from

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer McDonald’s is expanding sales of its meatless McPlant burger to hundreds of locations. The company said the McPlant __ which it co-developed with plant-based protein company Beyond Meat __ will be sold at 600 stores in the San Francisco and Dallas areas starting Feb. 14. It’s a major expansion

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has announced sweeping naval drills in several parts of the world this month, and claims the West is plotting “provocations” in neighboring Ukraine where the Kremlin has been accused of planning aggressive military action. Amid a buildup of some 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of previously occupied homes fell in December for the first time in four months as many would-be buyers were frustrated by a lack of available houses, which fell to the lowest level in more than two decades. Existing home sales dropped 4.6% last month from

By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand, which in 2020 became the first Southeast Asian nation to decriminalize the production and use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, is moving to further loosen regulations on the drug. Its Food and Drug Administration is proposing that cannabis — which includes marijuana and hemp plants —

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Retail sales took an unexpected dip in December in what could be a signal that persistently rising inflation is prompting a pullback in consumer spending. Consumers paid more for everything from groceries to cars in 2021 as companies passed along the costs of pricier raw materials and supply

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street Thursday, recovering some of their day-earlier losses. The S&P 500 is up 0.5%, the Nasdaq is up 1% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 0.4%. Investors shrugged off news that the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest

By NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s leader says the country holding the presidency of the Group of 20 biggest economies wants to strengthen global partnership to aid the economic recovery from COVID-19. In an online address Thursday to the World Economic Forum, Indonesian President Joko Widodo committed to making the G-20

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific hauled in 24% more profit in the fourth quarter even though supply chain problems and weak auto production continued to slow shipments because last year’s results were weighed down by a one-time $278 million charge. The Omaha, Nebraska-based railroad said it earned $1.71

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Team USA’s opening ceremony uniforms for the Beijing Olympics include some sneaky new warming technology. There’s also a handy front pouch and a cinch waist on anoraks in navy and white. The jackets were unveiled Thursday by official outfitter Ralph Lauren. They include a smart, honeycomb-like

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in three months as the fast-spreading omicron variant disrupted the job market. Jobless claims rose for the third straight week — by 55,000 to 286,000, highest since mid-October, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The European Union is ordering Poland to pay a fine of nearly 70 million euros ($80 million) for its failure to shut down a disciplinary chamber with the power to suspend or otherwise discipline judges. The European Court of Justice ruled last year that the Disciplinary

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s president says parliamentary election in Slovenia will be held on April 24. The vote will test the popularity of right-wing Prime Minister Janez Jansa amid political divisions in the small European Union nation. President Borut Pahor said Thursday he will formally schedule the vote in early February. The April 24

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines is reporting a $931 million loss for the fourth quarter and warning that omicron will further delay its recovery. American said Thursday that it expects first-quarter revenue to be down about 20% to 22% from the same period in 2019. CEO Doug Parker says

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A lawmaker from Britain’s governing Conservatives has accused the government of blackmailing opponents of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Tory member of Parliament William Wragg said Thursday that legislators calling for a challenge to Johnson’s leadership have faced “intimidation.” That allegedly included threats of a loss of funding