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• Gasoline at Highest Price Ever for This Time of Year

  

  Drivers are now paying more to fill up their gas tanks than they ever have at this time of year.

• Why the Wealthiest Benefit Most From Dow 14,000

  

  With 82 percent of all directly owned stocks in the United States in the hands of the wealthiest five percent of Americans, the gains from the recent stock market surge will go almost entirely to those who are already rich.

• US Economy Adds 157,000 Jobs; Rate Up to 7.9%

  

  Payrolls rose 157,000 while the unemployment rate edged higher to 7.9 percent, news unlikely to alter the Fed's monetary policy.

• Consumer Sentiment Gains on Fiscal Deal Optimism

  

  U.S. consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in January as Americans felt Washington's deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" at the beginning of the year boded well for the economy, a new survey showed.

• Obama Offers Compromise on Birth Control Coverage

  

  The Obama administration is offering a compromise on new Obamacare rules that would allow religious employers to exclude contraceptives from health insurance for employees, but would still guarantee those employees access to free coverage for birth control.

• Doctors, Insurers Trade Blame on Out-of-Network Fees

  

  A new report shows non-network providers are charging insured patients outrageous out-of-network fees. Doctors fault insurers for reimbursing doctors at far lower rates than before.

• Obama Energy Secretary Steven Chu Resigning

  

  Energy Secretary Steven Chu, the Nobel-winning physicist who survived the uproar after the solar energy company Solyndra went bankrupt, is stepping down.

• New York's 'Hizzoner' Ed Koch Dead at 88

  

  Edward I. Koch, the master showman of City Hall, who parlayed shrewd political instincts and plenty of chutzpah into three tumultuous terms as mayor of New York with all the tenacity, zest and combativeness that personified his city of golden dreams, died Friday morning at age 88.

• Automatic Spending Cuts Threaten National Parks

  

  If Congress can't agree on a deficit-reduction plan soon, vacationers heading to the country's national parks this spring and summer could find reduced staffs, shorter visiting hours and even closings.

• Why Your Super Bowl Party Will Cost More This Year

  

  Chicken wing prices have spiked, making this year's Super Bowl parties more expensive than last year. Maybe it's time to serve bacon instead of wings!

• US Manufacturing Growth Picks Up; Construction Spending Rises

  

  In a positive sign for the economy, a new report showed that the pace of growth in the U.S. manufacturing sector picked up while a separate report showed that construction spending rose last month.

• Dow Breaks 14,000 Finally; What's Next for Market

  

  The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 14,000 for the first time since 2007, but where the blue-chip average goes from here is far from certain. The market needs the Fed to continue its bond-buying program, but eventually it will need to break free from that support if the gains are to be sustained.

• Merck Earnings Beat, but Delays High-Profile Drug

  

  The second-largest drugmaker in the U.S. said it earned 46 cents per share, compared with 49 cents per share in the same period a year ago.

• Nike and the NFL: Sizing Up the First Year

  

  Last year, Nike paid $1.1 billion to clothe the NFL for the next five years. If it goes well, some analysts estimate it could mean half a billion in revenue for each of those five years. However, the first year has not been without hiccups.

• Ouch! Apple Takes a Big Hit in January

  

  January was the worst month in a very long time for Apple stock. How bad was it?

• Americans Will Pay to Shore Up Social Security: Poll

  

  A new study found that Americans support increases in payroll taxes and taxing higher incomes for Social Security, but want minimum benefits and cost-of-living adjustments to be increased too.

• Chevron Profit Rises Despite Refinery Fire

  

  Chevron posted a rise in quarterly profit as its refining arm managed to improve earnings despite the crippling of the company's oldest refinery last August.

• Zoetis IPO Opens at $31.50 in Largest US Deal Since Facebook

  

  Pfizer's animal health subsidiary Zoetis raised $2.2 billion in its public offering on Thursday, becoming the largest IPO from a U.S. company since Facebook.

• In Biggest IPO Since Facebook, Strength Seen

  

  Zoetis, the largest IPO of a U.S. company since Facebook, is showing strength.

• Toyota, Ford, GM, Chrysler Post Strong January Sales

  

  American consumers ignored tax increases and tromped through the winter chill to buy new cars and trucks at an unusually strong pace last month.