Business and Economic News

A very merry Christmas at Best Buy with sales booming
Best Buy put up some big holiday sales numbers Wednesday, more evidence that Americans are willing and able to spend.
Pharmaceutical company CEOs face grilling in Senate over high drug prices
Senators called pharmaceutical industry leaders to account for the high costs of medicine during a Senate hearing. The executives deflected blame to insurance companies and middlemen.
Walmart is eliminating greeters. Workers with disabilities feel targeted
NPR has found that Walmart is changing the job requirements for front-door greeters in a way that appears to disproportionately affect workers with disabilities.
Worker visas in doubt as Trump immigration crackdown widens
Immigrants with specialized skills are being denied work visas or seeing applications get caught up in lengthy bureaucratic tangles under federal changes that some consider a contradiction to President Donald Trump's promise of a continued pathway to the U.S. for the most talented foreigners.
A new benefit: Some companies help workers pay down student loans
Some employers are offering benefits that pay down student loans. They say it's a popular way to recruit younger workers who are struggling with college debt.
Wind energy, tax breaks sought to bring Google to Becker, Minn.
The tax abatement request is one of the latest developments in the tech giant's proposal for the data center, which it says would bring new jobs and economic growth to the area.
Trump extends China tariff deadline, cites progress in talks
President Trump said Sunday he will extend a deadline to escalate tariffs on Chinese imports, citing "substantial progress" in weekend talks between the two countries.
Senate inquiry on drug prices echoes landmark hearings held 60 years ago
A Senate hearing on Tuesday featuring pharmaceutical executives will tackle many issues raised in the historic Kefauver hearings, which led to tougher drug regulation. High prices remain a concern.
Microsoft workers protest Army contract involving tech 'designed to help people kill'
They say Microsoft's contract "crossed the line" into weapons development for the first time and that the company is failing to inform its engineers "on the intent of the software they are building."