UNITED STATES

U.S. auto sales rose 10 percent in 2011 but major automakers forecast a slowdown in growth this year because of weak job growth and risks to the American economy from a slowdown in Europe.

The Obama administration will unveil a more realistic vision for the military Thursday, with plans to cut tens of thousands of ground troops and invest more in air and sea power at a time of fiscal restraint, officials familiar with the plans said Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve released a report on Wednesday that called for changes to foreclosure processing and an expanded role for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to bolster the still-struggling U.S. housing market.

Republicans are raging over the process in which President Barack Obama appointed Richard Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But the howling could strengthen Obama's re-election campaign.

The United States auto industry put a cap on its best year since crumbling to unforeseen depths in 2008, as the Big Three auto companies all reported strong December sales that met or exceeded analyst estimates.

Verizon Wireless said it expects to report a decline of up to 6 percentage points in its fourth quarter profit margins as costs rose on strong sales of Apple Inc iPhone and other devices.

Byron Wien, vice chairman at Blackstone Advisory Partners issued his list of surprises for 2012 on Wednesday. The tradition of giving his views on a series of economic, financial market and political surprises for the coming year started in 1986.

The Anonymous hacktivist collective dropped its #OpHiroshima bomb on New Year's Eve, and despite its success in pulling off a large-scale, wide-reaching document dump, the event has received very little coverage by the mainstream media.

The United States can be entirely self sufficient in liquid fuels in the next 15 years if more federal lands are opened up to oil and natural gas exploration and drilling.

U.S. online sales for the 2011 holiday season rose 15 percent to hit an all-time high, according to data firm comScore.

U.S. online sales for the 2011 holiday season rose 15 percent to hit an all-time high, according to data firm comScore.

Opposition activists said Wednesday that armored vehicles were still in the streets of Syrian cities ready to act against protesters, contradicting statements by Arab League peace monitors that troops had withdrawn.

A survey of primary dealers by the New York Fed showed much uncertainty among the 21 large banks that act as counterparties to the Fed's open market transactions.

Comcast Corp, the largest U.S. cable operator, and Walt Disney Co on Wednesday said they had reached a comprehensive 10-year programming carriage deal for TV, Web and handheld devices.

Comcast Corp, the largest U.S. cable operator, and Walt Disney Co on Wednesday said they had reached a comprehensive 10-year programming carriage deal for TV, Web and handheld devices.

The former Utah governor Jon Huntsman has put all of his campaign eggs in New Hampshire, hoping for a positive outcome in the state's primary next Tuesday. Despite languishing in the polls, Huntsman has made over 150 appearances in the Granite State, which he hopes will pay off and catapult him into the new Republican of Choice -- with Rick Santorum's success serving as the model.

At its peak, the facility employed 40,000 workers during World War II and remained Wichita’s largest employed for years after the war.

The DASH Diet ranked the best overall in the U.S. News and World Report's Best Diets of 2012, as well as the healthiest and best for diabetic users. But what is the DASH Diet? How hard is it to follow? Does it have any health risks, and is it as effective as the other diets for weight loss? Here, get a full rundown on the DASH Diet, and how to follow it.

Gold rose around 1 percent on Wednesday, breaking ranks with the euro as renewed hedge fund and technical buying put the precious metal on track for its fourth straight day of gains.

The EU governments in the 27-nation bloc agreed on the Iranian oil embargo, but now need to plan a timetable for implementing the move. France has suggested a date for beginning the embargo is set at a scheduled Jan. 30 meeting of the EU foreign ministers.

It's been a productive couple weeks for Rick Santorum, who virtually tied with Mitt Romney for first place in the Iowa caucuses and has finally managed to push Dan Savage's Spreading Santorum Web site out of the top spot in Google searches for his name.