China's inflation rose slightly in April amid concern about the strength of its economic recovery. Consumer prices rose 2.4 percent over a year earlier, up from March's 2.1 percent gain, data showed Thursday. That still is well below the government's target of 3.5 percent for the year. Inflation is forecast to rise gradually as a shaky economic recovery boosts consumer demand. But mixed signals about factory activity, which slowed in April, and doubts about the strength of trade have raised ques

Youth unemployment is likely to rise globally to 12.8 percent by 2018, wiping out gains made in the recent economic recovery, the U.N.'s labor office said Wednesday.As of last year, some 12.4 percent of people aged 15 to 24 worldwide were unemployed, up from 12.3 percent in 2011, according to a report published by the International Labor Organization, which is based in Geneva.In six of 10 developing countries surveyed, more than 60 percent of the young people were either unemployed or trapped in

Convicted ex-Enron Corp. CEO Jeffrey Skilling's more than 24-year prison sentence for his role in the once mighty energy giant's collapse could be reduced by as many as 10 years if a federal judge approves an agreement reached Wednesday between prosecutors and defense attorneys.Under the agreement, which Justice Department officials say includes a previous court-ordered reduction of as much as nine years, Skilling's original sentence will be reduced to somewhere between 14 and 17.5 years. The ag

Japan has acknowledged that it conducted only a limited investigation before claiming there was no official evidence that its imperial troops coerced Asian women into sexual slavery before and during World War II.A parliamentary statement signed Tuesday by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe acknowledged the government had a set of documents produced by a postwar international military tribunal containing testimony by Japanese soldiers about abducting Chinese women as military sex slaves. That evidence ap

The Dow Jones industrial average rose, closing above 15,000 for a second day after breaching the landmark level for the first time Tuesday.On Wednesday, a day without any major economic releases, investors focused on company earnings as reporting for the first quarter draws to a close. Although earnings growth has slowed from last quarter, profits are at record levels and projected to rise throughout the year.The Dow closed up 48.92 points, or 0.3 percent, at 15,105.12. The index is 15.3 percent

TOKYO (AP) ― Toyota’s quarterly profit more than doubled to 313.9 billion yen ($3.2 billion) as cost cuts and better sales worked with a weakening yen to add momentum to the automaker’s comeback.Toyota Motor Corp., which last year reclaimed the title of world’s top-selling automaker, said Wednesday it expects the strong results to continue in its new business year that ends March 2014. It projected a 1.37 trillion yen ($13.8 billion) profit, up from 962 billion yen for the year ended March 2013.

Just two months after recovering the last of its losses from the financial crisis, the Dow Jones industrial average punched through another milestone Tuesday, closing above 15,000 for the first time.Good economic reports, strong corporate earnings and fresh support from central banks helped ease investor concerns about another economic slowdown. Many had been on the lookout for signs that a spring swoon would derail the rally, as happened in each of the past three years.Instead, the Dow continue

BERLIN (AP) ― German sports gear maker Adidas says it is encouraging workers in factories of its Asian suppliers to anonymously share possible grievances directly with the company via text message. Adidas AG, which also owns the Reebok brand, said Monday the SMS hotline will help bridge the communication gap between management and workers, enabling employees to “simply send an SMS when they feel their rights are breached.”It says the initiative was successfully tested at an Indonesian supplier’s

China will this year put forward a plan for allowing yuan capital-account convertibility as part of measures to loosen control over its currency and interest rates, the nation’s cabinet said.The yuan plan will also include creating a mechanism that allows investments overseas by individuals, the State Council said in a statement today after a meeting led by Premier Li Keqiang on the focus of economic reforms in 2013.Other measures include improving controls on risks from local government debt, e

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Immigration, guns and national security are dominating the discussion on Capitol Hill, but Americans by and large are still focused on their bottom line. So President Barack Obama is launching a series of quick jaunts around the country to remind Americans he’s still got jobs and the economy on his mind. Obama will kick off the effort Thursday with a trip to Austin, Texas, the White House said. While in Texas, the president will visit a technical high school and meet with entre