AP National Business

By DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers Stocks turned mixed on Wall Street Wednesday as the market continues an unsettled period of trading ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1%. The benchmark index, which set a record high last Thursday, was being pushed and

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer spending rebound in October, rising by a solid 1.3%, but inflation was up as well, rising over the past year at the fastest pace in more than three decades. The jump in consumer spending last month was double the 0.6% gain in September, the

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The Slovak government has approved a two-week national lockdown amid a record surge of coronavirus infections. Prime Minister Eduard Heger said the measures that become effective on Thursday will target all, both unvaccinated and vaccinated. Under the lockdown, people can leave their homes only for some specific reasons. These include buying

By DARIA LITVINOVA Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has taken an experimental nasal vaccine against the coronavirus, three days after he received his booster shot, as Russia faces its worst surge of infections and deaths since the pandemic began. Putin was vaccinated with Sputnik V, Russia’s domestically developed vaccine,

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s government says it will seek support in parliament to reintroduce mandates for wearing face masks in public places amid a rise in coronavirus cases. The new regulation would cover public transportation, hospitals and medical facilities and shops among other places. It would also expand the use of the country’s COVID-19

By STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that nullified a voter-passed amendment to the state constitution that would have legalized recreational marijuana use. Gov. Kristi Noem instigated the legal fight to strike down the amendment passed by voters in November. The

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — President Joe Biden is nominating Shalanda Young to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget. He’s also nominating Nani Coloretti to be Young’s deputy. Biden announced the news Wednesday in a video. If the Senate confirms the nominations, it will be

DANBURY, Conn. (AP) — Subway sandwich chain co-founder Peter Buck has died. He was 90. Subway says Buck died on Nov. 18 at a hospital in Danbury, Connecticut. The cause of his death was not disclosed. Buck gave family friend Fred DeLuca $1,000 in 1965 to open a sandwich shop in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The shop

The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. mortgage rates were mixed this week. The average rate on the benchmark 30-year, fixed rate home loan was unchanged from last week at 3.1%; a year ago, it stood at 2.72%. Fifteen-year, fixed rate mortgage rates blipped up to 2.42% from 2.39% last week; it was 2.28% a

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain’s energy regulator is looking to appoint an administrator to oversee the latest business casualty in the country’s domestic energy market following the demand-led spike in gas prices. Ofgem said Wednesday that the 1.7 million customers of Bulb, the biggest company to fall victim to the big

By SUZAN FRASER Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abu Dhabi’s powerful crown prince have overseen the signing of a series of cooperation agreements as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates repair ties and increase economic ties. The visit by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, seen as the

By RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union says the massive spike in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks is threatening the bloc’s recovery from the deep economic slump caused by last year’s onset of the pandemic. And medical experts said the situation could get much worse. EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Stocks fell in morning trading on Wall Street Wednesday as the market continues an unsettled period of trading ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. The S&P 500 fell 0.5%. The benchmark index, which set a record high last Thursday, was weighed down by losses in technology

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Authorities in Cyprus say they will deny access to indoor areas such as shopping malls, restaurants and supermarkets to anyone who hasn’t received a third booster shot seven months after being vaccinated against COVID-19. The health minister said Wednesday the measure will take effect on Dec. 18 as the east Mediterranean

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of new homes edged up 0.4% last month, coming in below expectations as housing prices continued to climb. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that sales of new single-family homes rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 745,000 last month from 742,000 in September.

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer spending rebound in October, rising by a a solid 1.3%, but inflation was up as well, rising over the past year at the fastest pace in more than three decades. The jump in consumer spending last month was double the 0.6% gain in September,

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — President Joe Biden is nominating Shalanda Young to head the Office of Management and Budget. He’s also nominating Nani Coloretti to serve as Young’s deputy. Biden made the announcement in a video released Wednesday by the White House. It would be the first

By KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s government has lifted a ban on imports of agrochemicals that it said was aimed at encouraging organic cultivation. The agriculture minister announced the revocation of the ban, which took effect in April. But he said government subsidies, price guarantees for produce and technical

The Associated Press Stocks are opening lower on Wall Street as the market continues an unsettled period of trading ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. The S&P 500 gave back 0.3% in the early going Wednesday. The benchmark index, which set a record high last Thursday, was weighed down by losses in technology

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — The leaders of Japan and Vietnam have expressed serious concern about any unilateral actions aimed at altering the status quo in the South China Sea, and agreed to work together to sustain free and open sea lanes as tensions escalate in the region amid China’s rise. Vietnamese