AP National Business

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term mortgage rates were marginally higher this week as the recovering economy appeared stalled against the backdrop of a wave of new delta variant coronavirus cases. They remained under 3%. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the average rate for a 30-year mortgage edged up to 2.88% from 2.87% last week. The

The Associated Press Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities, and foreign exchange levels.

By JAMES MacPHERSON Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Federal and state lawyers will meet next week to negotiate a settlement for money that North Dakota claims it spent policing protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. North Dakota filed a lawsuit two years ago seeking to recover more than $38 million in damages from

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials have delayed a high-stakes decision on whether to permit bestselling vaping brand Juul to stay on the market. At the same time, the Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of thousands of other, lesser-known electronic cigarettes and related products. Parents, politicians and

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — An investment fund manager from Philadelphia has admitted orchestrating a $100 million securities fraud scheme. Federal prosecutors in New Jersey say Brenda Smith faces up to 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine when she is sentenced Jan. 20. She pleaded guilty Thursday to a securities fraud count. Prosecutors

By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will seek to restart a process that could restrict mining in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region, which is renowned for its salmon runs. The announcement is the latest in a long-running dispute over a proposed copper-and-gold mine for the southwest

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Judge Judy Sheindlin will return to television on on November 1 with “Judy Justice,” a new show where she will arbitrate cases on the little-known IMDb TV, a free streaming service offered by Amazon. It will put the tart-talking judge in competition with herself, since

By AAMER MADHANI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Mexico have restarted high-level economic talks after a four-year pause. Top advisers to presidents Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador are expressing eagerness to make headway on issues important to both nations, including infrastructure, trade and migration. The talks were launched by

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer Seven years after the ill-fated Google Glass, and five years after Snap launched its Spectacles, another tech giant is trying its hand at internet-connected smart glasses, hoping that this time around things might be different and loads of people will actually wear them. It’s Facebook. In a partnership with

By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Small businesses from Louisiana to Connecticut are facing an uncertain recovery after being walloped by Hurricane Ida and its residual rains and flooding last week. Days after the destruction, they’re reaching out to clients and staff, assessing damage and trying to plan for the way

BRUSSELS (AP) — Champagne makers have had their hopes of winning a legal case against a tapas bar chain boosted after the European Court of Justice clarified the bloc’s rules for the safeguard of products covered by a protected designation of origin (PDO). The case was initiated by the trade association that represents the interests

BERLIN (AP) — A German court says former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn’s trial on fraud charges in connection with the automaker’s diesel emissions scandal has been delayed because of health problems. The Braunschweig state court said Thursday that it decided to separate Winterkorn’s case from that of four other defendants, who are set to go

REDMOND, Washington (AP) — Microsoft is telling employees Thursday that their return to U.S. offices is delayed indefinitely until it’s safer to come back. Corporate Vice President Jared Spataro says the tech company has decided against attempting to forecast a new date for a full reopening given the uncertainty of the pandemic. Microsoft had already

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer DALLAS (AP) — The leading U.S. airlines say that the rise in COVID-19 cases is hurting ticket sales and pushing back the recovery of the travel industry. American, United, Delta, Southwest and others reported setbacks in regulatory filings Thursday. American says a slowdown that started in August has continued

By JOSEPH PISANI AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Besides packages, UPS is promising to deliver something else fast: job offers. The Atlanta-based company said Thursday that it plans to hire more than 100,000 people for the busy holiday shipping season, many of whom will get job offers within 30 minutes of applying. UPS

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week to 310,000, a pandemic low and a sign that the surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant has yet to lead to widespread layoffs. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that jobless

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The number of workers still on furlough in Britain has fallen to its lowest level since a salary support program was first introduced at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic 18 months ago. HM Revenue and Custom, which compiles the data, said Thursday that 1.6 million people

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Ford is ending auto production in India after logging accumulated operating losses of more than $2 billion over the past 10 years. An end to production in India comes less than a year after Ford said it would close its three plants in Brazil, ceasing operations in a country

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British airline easyJet said it has rejected an unsolicited takeover approach as it announced plans to raise another 1.2 billion pounds ($1.7 billion) from shareholders to shore up its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement Thursday, the company said its board had “unanimously” rejected the

By KAREN MATTHEWS Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Even after two decades, the work to rebuild the World Trade Center complex after its destruction in the Sept. 11 attacks is still incomplete. While the memorial plaza and several towers at the site have been finished for years, construction is ongoing at a planned performing