Business and Economic News

Solar flare: Minnesota leads nation in solar mini-gardens
The solar gardens are rising like soybeans in Cottage Grove, Lakeville and Farmington. They are the reason why Minnesota's solar capacity leaped by 47 percent last year.
U.S. Treasury Department labels China currency manipulator
China decided Monday to meet President Trump's latest tariff threat with defiance, letting its currency drop to an 11-year low. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended Monday down nearly 3 percent.
Farmfest returns to southwestern Minnesota this week
The annual agriculture trade show takes place from Tuesday through Thursday on a 50-acre site at the Gilfillan Estate southeast of Redwood Falls.
Two local investigative journalists talked about how their work has sparked change, and share their thoughts on the importance of this type of journalism in the Trump era.
South Korea vows countermeasures as Japan downgrades trade status
Japan's Cabinet on Friday approved the removal of South Korea from a list of countries with preferential trade status, prompting retaliation from Seoul where a senior official summoned the Japanese ambassador and told him that South Koreans may no longer consider Japan a friendly nation.
China threatens retaliation for Trump's planned tariff hike
China on Friday threatened retaliation if U.S. President Trump's planned tariff hikes go ahead, while the renewed acrimony between the two biggest global economies sent stock markets tumbling.
Trump says he'll put 10 percent tariffs on remaining China imports
President Trump intensified pressure Thursday on China to reach a trade deal by saying he will impose 10 percent tariffs Sept. 1 on the remaining $300 billion in Chinese imports he hasn't already taxed. The move immediately sent stock prices sinking.
Fed cuts interest rates for 1st time since 2008
The quarter-point cut signals growing concern at the Federal Reserve about a slowdown in the economy amid the trade war with China. The Fed last cut rates in 2008 and raised them as late as December.
Q&A: What to know about the Capital One data breach
The data breach involves about 100 million people in the U.S. and 6 million in Canada. Capital One said it will reach out to those affected using "a variety of channels."