Fewer Americans than anticipated filed for unemployment benefits last week, signaling the worst jobless slump is easing as the US economy expands, reported Bloomberg News. Said one economist, “The economy is approaching the point at which employment stabilizes and then begins to grow.&rdq  Read more...

Japan’s debt burden is expected to climb to twice the size of the economy next year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a situation that may draw the fury of investors if the government doesn’t signal it intends to bring the country’s debt under  Read more...

   Asian stocks gained for a second day, up about ½ percent, after Toyota reported an unexpected profit attributable to brisk sales in the auto parts segment and South Korea’s economy grew 2.9%, the fastest pace in seven years. In the commodities market, copper rose to a 13-  Read more...