A sampling of California's new health insurance laws

Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law last week a set of measures aimed at preparing California for coming changes in how consumers get healthcare...

Big decisions affecting homeowners await lame-duck Congress

WASHINGTON — Although the news spotlight has been on the presidential debates and the Nov. 6 elections, a more pressing personal issue for large...

New or upgraded real estate apps open more doors

For a while, it seemed as if the real estate industry was rolling out an app a day, each and every one promising to "revolutionize the way homes are...

Can stocks keep climbing if earnings sink?

NEW YORK — One type of investor buys stocks when everyone is convinced that corporate earnings will fall. He buys because he thinks they're...

California gas prices may hit record

California drivers are reeling from days of sharp gasoline price increases that left the state within reach of its record high. Economists warn that a...

SpaceX ready to resupply space station

Hawthorne-based rocket maker SpaceX is poised to return to the International Space Station with its Dragon spacecraft to carry out the first...

Wet Seal chairman, much of board ousted

In a swift overhaul, top officials of troubled teen clothier Wet Seal Inc. — including the chairman — were ousted and replaced by board...

Facebook hackathon seeks cutting-edge features

MENLO PARK — Facebook Inc. is on the outs with investors and the tumbling stock price has dented employees' morale and personal net worth. But...

Unemployment rate drops to 7.8% in September

WASHINGTON — The nation's unemployment rate fell below 8% in September for the first time in 3½ years, giving President Obama a boost...

Steep drop in jobless rate has some Obama foes crying foul

WASHINGTON — The unusually steep drop in the U.S. jobless rate just weeks before the presidential election has sparked howls of protest from...

Here's what Obama failed to say during debate

The identifying characteristic of progressives' syndrome, which I believe psychiatrists have been following since the Truman administration, is...

Zynga stock plummets below value of its cash and real estate

How low can Zynga's stock go? Below the total value of the cash it has on hand, the securities it owns, and the amount it paid in March for its San...

State-run retirement plan idea for private sector draws attention

SACRAMENTO — A new law that seeks to establish a first-of-its-kind state-run retirement plan for low-income workers still faces numerous hurdles...

Stocks mixed after unemployment rate drops

A big drop in the unemployment rate wasn't enough for investors Friday. Stocks posted gains early in the day but faded to a mixed close.

Avon Products Executive Chairwoman Andrea Jung to step down

Avon Products Inc.'s Andrea Jung, the face of the door-to-door cosmetics seller for 13 years, will step down as executive chairwoman after a tenure...

Ecuador is ordered to pay Occidental Petroleum $1.77 billion

A World Bank arbitration panel ordered Ecuador to pay Occidental Petroleum Corp. $1.77 billion to settle a contract dispute.

American blames loose seats on spilled drinks

American Airlines aircraft seats that dislodged in flight, temporarily grounding 48 Boeing Co. 757s, had already had been under scrutiny by the...

Consumer borrowing rises $18.1 billion in August

Americans boosted their borrowing in August by the largest amount in three months, with strong gains in the category that covers auto and student...

Mitt Romney's plan to cut Big Bird's funding sparks Twitter frenzy

There were plenty of ruffled feathers over Republican challenger Mitt Romney's remark during Wednesday night's presidential debate that he would cut...

Aerial daredevil's free fall will be stratospheric

Teetering 23 miles above the New Mexico desert, Felix Baumgartner plans to leap head first into the abyss and become the first free-falling human to...

Major retail chains post tepid sales gain

After splurging on back-to-school clothes and supplies, shoppers took a break from the malls in September in advance of what is expected to be a solid...

KitchenAid tweet about Obama stirs critics' anger

The day after the first presidential debate, it wasn't Barack Obama or Mitt Romney getting the most attention. It was the maker of colorful kitchen...

American Humane Assn. filing reveals payout to chairman's partner

The American Humane Assn., the century-old charity charged with overseeing the welfare of animals on films and television shows, paid nearly a quarter...