Economy

NEW YORK — Shoppers came back in force for the holidays, right to the very end. After two dreary years, Christmas 2010 will go down as the moment when Americans rediscovered how much they like to shop.

WASHINGTON — Economic reports Thursday suggest employers are laying off fewer workers, businesses are ordering more computers and appliances, and consumers are spending with more confidence.

White House officials expect Lawrence Summers to leave his job as the president’s National Economic Council director after November’s congressional elections, according to three people familiar with the matter.

  New applications for unemployment insurance reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November, a sign that employers are likely cutting jobs again as the economy slows.

EDISON, N.J. (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday cast his latest economic pitch as a matter of patriotism, urging the Senate to ditch its partisan mode at least long enough to pass a package of tax cuts and loan relief for small businesses. “This is as American as apple pie,” the president said.

FROM AOLNews.com: Middle-class black Americans dipped into their retirement accounts to stay afloat during the recession at a higher rate than their white counterparts did, broadening the “retirement gap” between whites and African-Americans, according to a new study.

From Mashable.com: YouTube is an often overlooked tool for business, not only as an engagement and marketing platform, but as an educational resource. There are YouTube channels dedicated to sound business advice, but distilling them from oceans of video junk can be a daunting task.

RACINE, Wisconsin (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday lashed out at Republicans as out of touch with the daily problems of Americans, hoping to sharpen the contrast with the opposition party as midterm elections loom and economic anxiety still runs high.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration’s flagship effort to help people in danger of losing their homes is falling flat.

From the NY Times: COLUMBUS, Ohio — With the unemployment rate still stuck close to 10 percent, President Obama flew to this political swing state on Friday to tout his economic stimulus program, which he credited with its 10,000th road project.