UNITED STATES

Stocks rose on Thursday, putting the S&P 500 on the cusp of finishing out the year higher as another decline in jobless claims pointed to further improvement in the labor market.

There will be no holiday cheer for hedge fund manager John Paulson this month, as his dismal performance in 2011 is capped off by another miserable performance so far in December.

As Wall Street traders cheered positive jobs data on Thursday, they seemed to ignore layoffs and bonus cuts on their own trading floors that will hurt growth in the broader U.S. jobs market in the coming months, TrimTabs Chief Executive Charles Biderman said.

Wall Street may not be on Santa Claus's list for presents this year.

Gold struggled Friday as fund managers booked profits on the yellow metal's gains this year, offsetting the lift it normally would have gotten from rising crude oil prices and stocks.

The Obama administration scores another preliminary injunction against a state that has enacted a law attempting to drive out undocumented immigrations.

The Justice Department on Thursday gave the green light for the merger of NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Börse AG, which will create the world's largest stock exchange operator. The deal is still subject to the review of European antitrust authorities who have resisted approval.

Stocks rose in another thinly traded session on Thursday, putting the S&P on track for its third straight advance after data pointed to ongoing improvement in the labor market and reinforced expectations for a rally into the end of the year.

A paradigm shift regarding U.S. energy policy on oil has to occur. No, it won’t occur given the current make-up of the U.S. Congress, but eventually, for energy independence reasons, a paradigm shift is mandatory.

Former American Idol finalist Adam Lambert brushed off his arrest in Finland on Thursday, blaming his bad behavior on travel, booze and irrational confusion and adding lesson learned on Twitter.

U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., sent an apology letter to First Lady Michelle Obama on Thursday after he was overheard talking about her large posterior.

In 100 years of Chinese film, The Flowers of War is the first major title to feature a western movie star. It earned a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign language film, and is China's entry for Oscars.

Hospitals in California that served a greater proportion of black patients were more likely to shutter their emergency departments in the past decade than hospitals with fewer black patients, according to a new study.

Broadway is enjoying a renaissance -- and Hollywood is hoping to get a piece of the action.

After six months of notable decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court ended 2011 setting the stage for a blockbuster session in 2012.

Whether you're after memorable cultural experiences, the best beaches, or a thrilling adventure, here's a look at 10 things you absolutely cannot miss on a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Retailing giant Walmart recalled baby formula Enfamil this week after an infant who was given the formula died on Sunday.

Best Buy is hosting a midnight sale for last-minute holiday shopping, but some consumers are complaining their Black Friday orders are still unfulfilled, having been cancelled or still never shipped out just days before Christmas.

Stocks edged higher on Thursday, putting the benchmark S&P 500 index on track for its third straight advance after data pointed to ongoing improvement in the labor market and reinforced expectations for a rally into the end of the year.

The United States is urging the United Nations Security Council to implement greater sanction on Iran, saying harsher action could slow down the country's nuclear program.

U.S. auto sales in December are expected to top 13 million on an annual rate for the fourth consecutive month, indicating uncertainty about the economy has not slowed the industry down, J.D. Power and Associates and LMC Automotive said on Thursday.